![Trimming composites gets the full PPE job. [Credit: Eric Stewart]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/7-2.jpg?w=534&h=462&crop=1 "A Few of My Favorite Tools")
![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=265&h=198&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")
Using a Volt-Ohm Meter
Because of their extremely low operating current, digital multimeters do not do a good job of measuring resistance in the field circuit of...
Old Plug Washers Never Die…
New spark plugs always come with new washers—but if you're like most people, you can easily get over five hundred hours of use...
Riveting with Mirrors
Sometimes we have to drive rivets in blind spots like under a longeron or behind a bulkhead. This trick has helped me many times...
Old Dog, New Trick
I've been working on airplanes for a long time, and some things I do a certain way because I have always done them a...
In Case You Missed It
Build Your Skills: Composites (Part 10)
What do you do when your horizontal stabilizer isn't exactly horizontal? First, you check that the fuselage is level. If this confirms that the stabilizer is indeed slightly off, remove it and apply heat. Sounds simple, but there's a right and a wrong way to go about it, and author Bob Fritz describes the most effective method to straighten things out.
