![Lowell Farrand spent years serving as an FAA DAR and is in the EAA Hall of Fame. He offers sound advise to builders. [Credit: Bill Wilson]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/unnamed-4.jpg?w=534&h=462&crop=1 "Think Like a Builder")
![Author Bill Wilson takes a break from measuring and cutting the Lexan windshield during his Onex build. [All Images Credit to Bill Wilson]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/image-2.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Think Like A Builder")
Another Drill Guide
The cordless hand drill is a marvel of engineering. Lightweight and powerful, it can do just about any drilling job on an airplane. But...
Metal Magic: Removing Bad Rivets
How to properly remove bad or damaged rivets. You'll probably do this a lot over the course of an airplane project!
Here Come Hell’s Bells Again
We can use decibel calculations no matter if we are measuring in power or voltage; the calculations and outcome are identical.
Maintenance Tools
If you are going to do a proper job of maintaining your airplane, you will need some tools that don’t have much use outside of aviation.
Disconnected Pitot Line
Ever lose your airspeed in flight? The nylon lines held in the “push-grip” fittings must have some flexibility in them so they aren’t pulled...
Don’t Get Stuck!
Have you ever found yourself in over your head when it comes to taking on a big project?
Smooth Out Your Ride
Dynamic propeller balancing can smooth out your ride and reduce wear and tear on engine parts.
Measuring Antennas
Freely admitted, my very early experience with antennas was confined to looking at a newspaper picture of Sputnik 1 (Prosteyshiy Sputnik-1) in October 1957...
In Case You Missed It
Wicks Aircraft Supply & Motorsports
For over 100 years, this family-owned business has sold everything from pipe organs and PT-19 wings to high-performance parts for homebuilts.
Lightweight D-Sub Connectors
Working on wiring recently, I became concerned about the weight of all the...