WELCOME!
This website is to log my progress while building a Sonex airplane. I purchased the plans for
Sonex S/N 767 and began construction around Christmas 2004. I would like to keep my costs down
and am currently considering the AeroVee engine. I'm leaning strongly towards tricycle gear.
I've finally settled on using an AeroVee engine and going with the tricycle gear. I know,
everyone thinks a Sonex should be built with a tail wheel but I like the tricycle gear and I'm
sticking with it.
Recent Builders Log Entries
More Fasteners for the Wing Tip
Type of Work: Construction
Category: Wings
Manual Reference: SNW-W22
Today I am working on the fasteners at the trailing edge of the wing tip. I plan to install three nut plates. I made up another strip of 1/16" by 5/16" al and proceeded to drill and countersink for the nutplates and countersunk screws at the trailing edge. The last think I need to do is create a fastener at the leading edge.
New Wing Tip Attach Angle
Type of Work: Construction
Category: Wings
Manual Reference: SNX-W10
The wing tip attach angles I made earlier do not seem to fit properly so I'll make some new ones today so that I can finish thw wing tips for the left wing. After making and fitting the new attach angle to the wing tip I proceeded to drill the pilot holes for the counter sunk screws I plan to use. Next I started to make the spacer for the nut plates. With the spacers made I installed the nut plates on the angle. I dimpled for the screws using a countersunk solid rivet just as I did the main spars. This worked well and I installed the wing tip again, this time using screws. The last step is to make an angle for the leading edge to capture the wing tip.
New Wing Tip Attach Angles
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Wing Tip Fastened To Attach Angle
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Wing Tips
Type of Work: Construction
Category: Wings
Manual Reference: SNX-W22
Wing Tips
Type of Work: Construction
Category: Wings
Manual Reference: SNX-W22
I finished the last angle today and started to fasten all of the angles to the wing skins. Next, I need to cutout the wing tip.
Wing Tip Angles
Type of Work: Construction
Category: Wings
Manual Reference: SNX-W22
Today I continued working on installing the nut plates in the wing tip angles. One of the tricky tasks was to dimple the angles for the countersunk rivets and the countersunk screws I would be using. I have a hand squeezer and dimple dies but due to the sharp bend in the angles (approximately 45 degrees) the squeezer would not work. I decided to try using a regular c-clamp as a squeezer with the bottom die being the countersunk spacer and then use the top dimple die to push the counter sink down into the spacer. I removed the swivel from the threaded portion of the c-clamp and then removed the threaded piece from the c frame. Next, I used a long drill to drill out a 1/8 inch hole in the foot of the c-clamp. I kept the hole towards the outside of the c-clamp so that I would be able to get quite close the the bend in the angle. With the c-clamp modified I was able to start the dimpling operation. I used a small 1/4 inch socket as a spacer around the post of the dimple die so that I was exerting a force on the larger part of the die. This process worked well and I was also able to dimple the larger hole for the #6 screw. This dimple wasn't really deep enough but installing the screw finished the dimple. I managed to get three angles almost complete. I have one nut plate to install in the third angle and then the last angle to finish. Tonight I finished the third angle and started on the last one.
Nutplate Installation from Back Side of Angle
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C-Clamp with Hole in Foot
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Dimpling the Tip Angles
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Holes in Angle and Spacer
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Rivet Fit in Dimpled Angle
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Nut Plate Installation from Mating Side of Angle
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Wing Tips
Type of Work: Construction
Category: Wings
Manual Reference: SNX-W22
Today I am working on installing the nut plates in the angles I have made. The first step was to open up the holes for the screws to #30. I then removed the angles from the wing skin. In order to install the nut plates I needed a spacer made from 0.062 in. 6061-T6 sheet. I cut strips 5/16 in. wide and then proceeded to mark them for the holes for the nut plates. The strips will be countersunk on one side to allow the rivets and the screws to be flush on the outside.
0.062 inch Strips Marked for Drilling
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Strips Partially Countersunk
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Countersinking using Microstop
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Spacers for Nut Plates
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Angle with #30 Holes
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