Matched hole magic

[fastj22]

It just ain't fair. You scratch together enough coin, convince the ball and chain to let you spend it, you research, you attend AirVenture, you finally pull the trigger and buy a kit. I felt I cheated by buying a partially completed kit but at least built the entire fuselage. Measure, cut, drilled, replaced, measure, cut, drilled, lots of parts redone. Its part of the process. During that process, I gained such respect for plans builders that I came to the conclusion that they are obsessed Ninjas. Now with match drilled, I feel more like a Ninja. Three levels of Ninja. Plans builders are top Ninjas. Un-matched drilled are second tier. Match drilled are just lucky. I'm not taking anything way from them, but damn, you match drilled guys probably never throw away a part. After replacing and refabricating many parts because I am an idiot, I would have definitely gone match drilled. Stop rubbing our nose in it. It just ain't fair! :lol:

[kmacht]

On the flip side, last night I spent about 4 hours in the shop and made 8 flap ribs and 2 flap drive plates with a few dollars worth of material. If I had bought them the drive plates would have cost me $35 and the ribs $126. So, one nights work saved me about $160. If you have the money there is no doubt in my mind that the matched hole kit is the way to go but if you don't have the money, scratchbuilding can still get you in the air with a little more effort.

Keith

[Sonex1517]

With all sincerity, I bow to those who scratch build. I have neither the skills nor the patience to do so.

I look at what I am doing as assembling - you are a true builder.

Each of us is perservering through something few people take on as a challenge.

This is a unique part of the Sonex experience in my opinion....build from a set of plans, build from a basic kit, build with fast build options from a kit.

All still pretty cool, but no doubt that scratch building is a lot more craftsmanship!

Robbie
Sonex 1517

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[Bryan Cotton]

I had been scratch building a hummelbird. In the height of my insanity, I wanted to make my own prop, glass cockpit, etc. I was accuses by some of mining my own bauxite to make my own aluminum, but this is not true. I like to build, as one of my friends and chapter mates back at EAA533 in NY used to say, it is therapy. This time it is matched holes, machined angle components, and prebuilt spars for me. I say it is for the sake of my 11 year old, but honestly it is for me too. After this, I will finish the hummelbird and next I have Skybolt plans. That will also be scratch built. Scratch vs quick build to me is a little like tailwheel vs trigear arguments - I am a diehard tailwheel guy but I still like to fly 152s, 172s, PA28s and so on and I also encourage folks who are lifetime nosedraggers.

You can put me in the cheater bin too, but I'll be back out in a few years!

Bryan
Waiex, quick build, aerovee, taildragger, polished.
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