How the Bead Goes On

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Welded assemblies (also known as weldments) can be found on just about every airplane. Even my Jabiru, which is 99% fiberglass, has a tubular-steel...

Metal Magic: Cutting Round Instrument Holes

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KITPLANES editor at large Paul Dye continues the Metal Magic series with a tutorial on how to cut round holes in aluminum, mainly for...

Worn Out Manifold Hose

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Almost all rubber hoses have a shelf life. Most are around eight years. The symptoms were fluctuating manifold pressure readings, and the hose completely...

Metal Magic: Making Square Instrument Holes In Aluminum

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You've built most of your airplane, now it's time for cutting the instrument panel blank. KITPLANES editor at large Paul Dye shows you how...

What’s the Deal With AN Hardware?

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As a new kit builder, you may have wondered about that gold-colored AN hardware that must be used. What’s so special about this grade...

Solving a Calibration Conundrum

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Of all things, I never dreamed that out of the 40+ screwdrivers and dozens of driver bits that I own, one day I’d need...

Potpourri

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Potpourri (pronounced “poh’purree”), taken literally from the French origin, is translated “rotten pot.” In English, though, it means a collection of small things; in...

Metal Magic: Learning To Love the Step Drill

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KITPLANES editor at large Paul Dye explains the best times to use the so-called step drill (also called a UniBit) for drilling larger holes...

Disintegrated Drive Coupling

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Ever wonder why the standby alternator or vacuum pump isn’t working? There is a drive coupling that is designed to break if something becomes...

Metal Magic: Laying Out Lines of Rivets

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In this episode Paul Dye explains how to lay out lines of rivets on a workpiece—a simple task you'll be doing many times throughout...

In Case You Missed It

Ask the DAR

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This month DAR Mel Asberry tackles questions about modifying an aircraft and the flight testing required, what should be on a dataplate, and what you need to know about getting an airworthiness certificate after completing a partially built aircraft.

Coming of Age at Reno

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As I start this month’s column, it hasn’t fully sunk in that I won’t...

Around the World and Over Both Poles

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Sky Polaris-a historic flight in an RV-8, part 1.

Ask the DAR

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DAR Mel Asberry talks about doing the airworthiness inspection on the Van’s RV-1.