Vic's Sonex 969 Scratchbuilt project

[vicdelgado9]

I started scratchbuilding in 2006, a few months before I even had a set of plans to work from. I was working on some homemade led nav postion lights to use on my project.. Here are a few photos from my project as I build. A more complete detail is available on my Expercraft builders log if you see something that catches your attention. I will be the first to tell you that I am a slow builder, and due to my occupation, my project sits idle for many months at a time.I am a firm believer that our group of builders log/ builder websites really helps me and all other builders with there projects and have viewed countless other builder logs for ideas and knowledge on how to proceed with my build. I think it is only right and a privledge that I should pay it forward and share some of the things I have learned myself.
Scratch built Tail end tips

This is the rough form for my homemade fiberglass tail tips


cellophane is used as well as a release agent to of carnuba wax to assist in the fiberglass release after it dries


Semi Finished tail tips, lacking only what ever finish coat I decide on.

[radfordc]

Nice work...I'll bet they are straight, too!

[vicdelgado9]

Spars finally completed and mated




Squeezing Solid Rivets in the spars with a hydraulic squeezer


Counter Sinking Spars for flush rivets


Flush Riveting


Mating the Spars


And here is the Victory shot!

[vicdelgado9]

gas welding control tube with micro torch


Control tube end and shot of the micro torch I used to weld it.


welding rudder pedals


Welded Corvair Engine components and painted


Welded Tail wheel assembly with Upgraded 5" tail wheel and steering arm.

[vicdelgado9]

Lots of ribs made... notice the forward root ribs have already been trimmed out for easy access.

[vicdelgado9]

These are my scratchbuilt rear spars. They were bent in one single piece, so no splice plate was required.

[Bryan Cotton]

Looks great Vic. I like gas welding. Very therapeutic.

[ihab]

Hi Vic,

gas welding control tube with micro torch

That looks like awesome handwork all around! True homebuilding at its best!

What micro torch are you using?

Also, n00b question: I've done MIG welding and gas brazing. This is gas welding, not brazing, so I imagine your filler rod is made of steel, just like the parent metal. How do you keep from melting too much parent metal?

Ihab

[Bryan Cotton]

Ihab,
There are better welders a than me here but I will take a shot at your question. Gas welding is all about controlling the weld pool. You have to have the right amount of heat going in and the torch is always moving - in a circle that always translates along. You hold the rod where it is nice and hot. You dip the rod into the puddle, which both adds filler and cools the puddle. Very fun and when you close your eyes to go to sleep at night you will see the welding and feel the motions. If I can learn how anybody can. Someday when I grow up I might get a TIG outfit but I like gas.

[vicdelgado9]

What micro torch are you using?

Ihab,
Brian pretty much did a great job of explaining it. I am by no means a pro myself. I took the Sport Air gas welding class and bought a set of tanks to do it. I did a little practice on some of the metal stools in my shop and a few other small items using coat hanger for welding wire, but I had the welding rod that Sonex recommends, I believe off the top of my head it is #8 welding rod. I started with the easier pieces first and my techinique improved as the parts became a little more complex. The micro torch I had was just a cheap $30 jewelers torch I bought from ebay. It worked well for the thin walled tubing parts, but had to use the full size torch on the thicker tubing and plate metal parts. The full size torch is the one that Harbor Freight sells and it did a good job for the work at hand.

Brian, I agree with the gas welding being relaxing. I actually feel like that when just working on my project in general. There is no doubt I will start another project when this one is complete and flying as much as I like building. I am thinking maybe a bear hawk or some other STOL bush plane maybe.