Drill bits to drill main spar attach holes.

[sport65]

That bit looks 100% better than the McMaster Carr. You have much more surface contact! Plus more usable length(you loose an inch on the McMaster),and a non cutting pilot you don't have to dull and risk making smaller! No question which one I'm using! Thanks for finding it!
Now I might sleep half the night till I get this done.

Here are McMaster Carr pics for comparison.

[Bryan Cotton]

I wonder if the 3/16" bit works as well. Neat idea.

[Gunther]

Hello to all. I'm at the stage where I have to decide which method of drilling the wing blocks. Should I use the Sonex method with a piloted drill bit or Steve's alternative method of drilling the wing blocks to 3/8" early in assembly? Any and all thoughts are welcome. A big thanks to Steve for taking the time and effort to illustrate his method so clearly.

Gunther

[rizzz]

I went with the Sonex method and screwed it up, added about a month of extra work to fix things up.
If I were to do it again, I would go with the alternative method.

[Sonex1517]

Having gone through this twice, and now about to do it the third time, all I can say is pick your poison.

After long, detailed conversations at the ASA fly-in this weekend with people who have far more experience than I do, I made my own choice.

I will report the results once I finish the rigging - hopefully next weekend….

For all those who suffered through my endless questions this weekend, I thank you - hearing that others have experienced this frustration and how they worked through it really boosted my confidence to get it right this time. A very special thank you to Robert Frost for his patience and conversation.

[eppre]

I messed mine up using Sonex method but the second time I made sure that the pilot was completely dull. First time the pilot went off track.

Be sure to make the pilot is "completely dull."

Pete

[dtwolcott]

Where and what drill did you get that was different than the Mc Master drill you are showing in post? I will be rigging my wings soon and am not sure which way I am going to do it. This will be the second attempt to rig the wings.
Don
Waiex 132

[Rynoth]

I successfully rigged my wings on the first attempt last week. I was able to borrow Chris Madsen's drill bits that he posted on the first page of this thread, here's a link to the non-cutting piloted 3/8" drill bit.

http://www.fastenal.com//web/products/details/0350457

That drill bit was perfect. It followed the 1/4" hole without the pilot cutting, and the best part is the double-margins did no cutting whatsoever, so my entry holes did not get enlarged. I think that at the very least a double-margin bit is essential, since the bit will spend so much time in the hole you don't want it making the entry hole bigger as you go.

I also used a 6" long 1/4" drill bit to make the first holes, and a 6" long 3/8" bit to finish the hole (the double-margin bit was about 1/8" too short to finish the far side of the hole.)

[Sonex1517]

Ryan - thanks for the update!

I have been trying to think my way through the whole thing (far too much I may add) and that was one concern I had.

[dtwolcott]

Ryan
Thanks for the information on the drill bit. I can see how this may do a better job than the McMaster drill.
Don
waiex 132