![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")
Take the Glare Out of That Glareshield
Many popular aircraft kits utilize a sheet of aluminum to form the glareshield—that “shelf” located above the instrument panel and below the windshield. While...
Home Shop Machinist: Power Polishing Promise
Back in the February 2019 issue of KITPLANES®, I promised a column about polishing on the lathe. I’m finally able to make good on...
ADS-B, Eh?
In the December 2019 issue of Kitplanes®, Larry Anglisano took us on a scenic journey of what ADS-B is going to look like from...
Alternate Air Opening
This was discovered on an aircraft during a condition inspection. It really was a poor installation. Nonetheless, the aircraft had been operating on unfiltered...
Findlay Punch
Hole-making punches, also known as knockout punches, are a quick and easy way to make accurate holes in aluminum sheet. Punching works by shearing...
Engine Overhaul Part II – IRAN vs. Overhaul
Back in September 2019, we looked at the process of evaluating a troubled engine to determine just how much work it was going to...
Testing, Testing, Can You Hear Me Yet?
We’ve come a long way from the Narco Omnigator (vintage 1958 or so) to the latest glass gizmos that do everything except make the...
Missing ELT Batteries
Many aircraft owners don’t realize that some ELT control panels and audio alerters have their own separate batteries, which must be installed at installation...
Edging to the Rescue
Sometimes the aircraft kits we build can use a little extra help when it comes to the final fit and finish. As builders, we...
Chamfers and Tapers
The usual setup for my lathe is to have the compound slide set to 45 degrees and the tool post square to the spindle...
In Case You Missed It
Cutting Aluminum on the Table Saw
The first time I watched someone cut a one-inch thick slab of 7075...
Build Your Skills: Fabric
If you want sound and long-lasting fabric covering, proper shrinkage is essential. And an accurately calibrated iron is a means to that end. Ron Alexander details the process and offers tips on how to avoid damage to the underlying structure during tautening.
