![SR-1 cowl being integrated with spinner and cooling ducts. The cowl is assembled to itself/to the fuse primarily with countersunk #8 screws. [All images credited to Eric Stewart]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/1KP.jpg?w=534&h=462&crop=1 "Custom Cowl Fabrication: Building the SR-1 Composite Cowl")
![Trimming composites gets the full PPE job. [Credit: Eric Stewart]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/7-2.jpg?w=265&h=198&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")
Leaking Gascolator
This was a very dangerous discovery—the gascolator had a very pronounced dripping leak, and it was right above the exhaust stack inside the...
Drilling a Straight Hole in Aluminum.
One of the fundamental skills a builder needs to develop on just about any airplane project is drilling a clean, straight, well-centered hole in...
Nitrile Gloves
If you're like me, you work on lots of things other than airplanes, and it seems like all of them are dirty. From...
Chasing the Elusive Thread
Chasing a thread (B) on the lathe involves engaging the feed system to make several passes using the 60-degree thread-form tool (A) until...
In Case You Missed It
Portable Coms Compared
Which portable VHF transceiver comes out on top after a side-by-side test in the field?
