New Onex Builder in NC

[shanmoon]

Today I purchased a partially Built Onex, serial #132. Although I have a Classic Searey I have done a lot of work on, this is my first attempt at building (or more accurately, finishing) a kitplane. I picked the Onex because I have a very small hangar (originally built for a Helicycle), and I was looking for something with 1) folding wings, 2) capable of light acro, 3) a kit from a well known manufacturer. The Onex will just manage to fit behind my Searey on one side with the wings all folded up.

I am very excited to join the Sonex builder community! I've dreamed of building a kitplane since I was a teenager learning to fly. I am very lucky to live in an airpark community with experienced builders and active EAA members (Chapter 309), as I am sure I will need a lot of guidance as I embark on this build! I am hoping to fly it from my homebase in North Carolina (NC26) to Oshkosh in a few years!

Shannon Marie Moon

[Sonex1517]

Welcome to the forum Shannon! Sounds like you are off to a great start.

[Bryan Cotton]

Welcome Shannon! One of my former EAA 533 chapter mates had a classic Searey and he had a blast in it. I also have yet to finish one but this time I am getting close.

[shanmoon]

As part of my build plan, I decided to revamp my hangar and workshop which currently has cheap weak shelves, and miscellaneous hand tools for maintaining my Searey. First off I decided I need a good clean build space that is well organized, with a place for everything. Towards that I am relocating my cheap shelves to my basement storage area.

Can anyone think of an obvious miss in the lists below?

The revamped hangar storage and workspace is as below:

(3) 24" X 48"X 72" CABINETS W/LOCKING SWIVEL CASTORS
(1) 18" X 36" X 72" CABINET W/LOCKING SWIVEL CASTORS
(1) 24" X 72" ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT WORKBENCH
(1) 24" X 48" ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT WORKBENCH
(1) 72" ROLLING TOOL BENCH W/13 DRAWERS
(1) 36" ROLLING TOOL BENCH W/6 DRAWERS

Then I fabricated a couple more tables:(1) 24" x 72" WORKBENCH ON LIFT CASTORS WITH FOLDING 2 24" extensions
(1) 24" x 24" x 32" WORKTABLE ON CASTORS
MOBILE WING CRADLES BASED ON EAA PLANS (SHORTEnedD TO ACCOMMODATE JUST THE CENTER SECTION OF MY WINGS) - (ok this isn't actually fabricated yet, it is in progress)

I also carefully reviewed the list of Sonex recommended build tools, the builder forums here, and talked with several of my neighbors who are experienced builders and augmented my existing(limited or low-quality tools) with the list below:

DRDT-2 RIVET DIMPLER
24" BENCH BRAKE
ATS 3/8" REVERSIBLE AIR DRILL
HAND NIBBLER
OFFSET GABD SEAMER
DELUXE FLUTING PLIERS
#40 COBALT DRILL BITS (12)
#30 COBALT DRILL BITS (12)
#21 COBALT DRILL BITS (4)
8" SPEED DEBURRING TOOL
DUAL VIXEN FILE
FLAT FILE 8"
ROUND FILE 8"
FILE HANDLES (3)
CLECO PLIERS
EDGE BREAKER
ATS PRO DESIGNER RIVETING KIT 3X
SWIVEL BLIND RIVETER
3/8 X 1/4 COUNTERSINK
1/8" POP DIMPLE DIE
3/32" POP DIMPLE DIE
RIGHT CUT TITANIUM AVIATION SNIPS
LEFT CUT TITANIUM AVIATION SNIPS
STRAIGHT CUT TITANIUM AVIATION SNIPS
HEAVY DUTY 14" ALUMINUM SNIPS
24" STEEL RULER
36" STEEL RULER
6" VICE GRIPS W/LOCK CLAMP (2)
3M CUT AND POLISH WHEEL 6"
ASSORTED SHARPIES
ASSORTED CLAMPS
DRILL PRESS
DRILL PRESS VICE
CUTTING FLUID
BENCH VISE
BELT SANDER
BENCH GRINDER
BAND SAW (LOW AND HIGH SPEED, FOR WOOD AND METAL)
TABLE SAW, ASSORTED ACCESSORIES
DA SANDER
ROTOSAW
PLASTIC MALLET
MILLRIGHT CNC MACHINE, ASSORTED ACCESSORIES
ASSORTED SANDING PADS AND BELTS
ASSORTED PLIERS
ASSORTED SCREWDRIVERS
ASSORTED WRENCHES
ASSORTED PICKS
ASSORTED TOOL DRAWER ORGANIZER AND PEGBOARD HOLDERS
2 SAW HORSES

There are still a few more items I'd like to add:
BETTER COMPRESSOR: 60 GALLON
PNEUMATIC RIVET REMOVER
HIGHER SPEED AIR DRILL (THE REVERSIBLE ONE IS PRETTY SLOW)
NEW BATTERY POWERED 3/8 DRILL (OLD ONE HAS WEAK BATTERIES)
EXTRA BLADES/BITS/BELTS, DIES, ETC.

Again, looking for advice on any obvious misses in the list

[WesRagle]

Hi Shannon,

Sounds like you already have more tools than I ever will. But since you asked, I'll make a couple of suggestions. See images.

The sander has had the sanding belt replaced with a non-woven abrasive belt (scotch bright belt). The tool was suggested to me by Tony Spicer years ago. I use it all the time. After making a cut I use the sanding disk and guide to quickly square up the cut and then use the abrasive belt to polish the edge. I also use the belt to round off corners, etc. Works much better than a scotch bright wheel.

The dimple dies are a new tool. You drill and debur a #40 hole and the die dimples the hole and opens it up at the same time for an 1/8" rivet.

Also, the smallest diameter chain saw file you can find. This for radiusing inside corners of fabricated parts. BTW, you will not have to make a lot of parts with the newer kits




Best of Luck,

Wes

[JimP]

Did you pick up partial Onex kit in Hamptonville that I was tempted by on Barnstormers?

[pfhoeycfi]

The dimple dies are a new tool. You drill and debur a #40 hole and the die dimples the hole and opens it up at the same time for an 1/8" rivet.

Hi I am curious about the DIENQ die shown in the pic...is that for a C frame or is there another means to use it?

peter

[WesRagle]

Hi I am curious about the DIENQ die shown in the pic...is that for a C frame or is there another means to use it?

peter

They can be used in a C frame or hand squeezer. They aren't retained as well as older dies because they use a small O-ring for retention. But they work just fine.

Wes

[racaldwell]

Hi Shannon,

Welcome to the world of aircraft builders. You won't need as many clecos as my Xenos requires but still you will want more than you think you need. So borrowed clecos from three friends who had finished their RV's years ago and had them sitting in the hangar. I'm sure you can do the same since you are living at an airpark.

Rick Caldwell
Xenos 0057
Melbourne, FL

[Gordon]

List of Tools for Onex

Welcome Shannon

You have a pretty good list there already. I have just finished and flew my Onex in June and have built 4 RV's previously so I have acquired most of the tools over the past 30 years.

I found the DRDT-2 Rivet Dimpler highly overrated and I much prefer the old "C" frame (hit it with a hammer) rivet/dimpler from Cleveland....actually mine is an Avery model (circa 1988)...same thing and it works great.

You should pickup a couple 6" long and a couple 12" long #30's and #40 drills along with quite a few standard cobalt 30's and 40's. Also get a 90 degree angle drill kit with the threaded drills....you chuck that into your regular drill. I have the Sioux Air drill but of late I prefer my small 12v DeWalt keyless chuck drill for just about everything....the nice part is your not dragging around an air hose to run the Sioux pneumatic hand drill. I also have the heavier 18v DeWalt 3/8" drill but rarely use it.

And on that note....you definitely don't need a 60 gal compressor UNLESS you plan to shoot paint. My 5 hp 20 gal compressor is just fine for any thing I need AND it is on wheels and is SO portable.....something that is handy from time to time.

You need the left and right snips but the straight snips are unnecessary. As far as files, I prefer ALL my files to be SINGLE CUT....including of course the Vixen file. The single cut doesn't tear the metal like a double cut file will and so does a nicer job. I like a supply of 320 grit emery cloth (in the sheets) and some 400 grit as well. Of note...you can "wet sand" with this on a painted surface at some point in the project.

Unlike Wes Ragle.....I much prefer the scotch brite wheels for edge finishing.....I have a "hard wheel" and a "soft wheel" (about 9" dia. I think) with one mounted on each end of a grinder that is mounted on a "free standing" small table. I remove all the guards (not needed for this kind of work) so I am not restricted in how I approach the wheel with the metal piece. Use the Scotch brite wheels ONLY for aluminum.....steel pieces will devour the scotch brite wheel in a hurry. Cleveland sells the Scotch Brite wheels.

All my riveting prior to the Onex was solid rivets on the Van's RV's....for that I used a 3x gun with a swivel head flush set but for this job (the Onex) I bought a cheap 40 dollar pneumatic rivet puller from Harbour Freight and it worked just fine.......and the 5 hp 20 gal compressor easily handled that....hardly ever run.

Good luck on you new adventure....the things you need most to finish an airplane project are discipline, tenacity and attention to detail. All the other stuff you will learn as you go through "the build".

Gordon....Onex C-IODB.....Hummel 2400.....First Flight June 17, 2018