Ken's Sonex 1243

[Sonex1243]

Right panel coming along nicely. Piloted everything today except the motor mounts, flap drive mount, rudder tube mount and a clip in the back.

[Sonex1243]

Right side completed down to the motor mounts. Trying to think of a bushing / drill guide for them since they came piloted to 1/8". On to the left side, down to the gussets, motor mounts and rudder pedal mount.



Then upsizing and the dreaded deburring and polishing!

[Sonex1243]

Slowly moving along. Both forward fuse panels ready for up sizing and wing doubler fitting.

[Sonex1243]

I haven't posted in awhile because I, like others on a different post, have succumbed to "metal illness" along with vacations and flying. For now it was short lived as I only had it for a few days while polishing the forward fuselage sides.. It seems like a long time picking away at the construction of both sides at the same time, but, they are finally ready to be reassembled and riveted. I left the motor mount bolt holes one size under in hopes of finding a reamer to final upsize with in order to get the tight fit called for in the plans.


Everything upsized


Pilo "o" parts X 2


Finished up to 2 passes of "C".

[Sonex1243]

Finished the fuse sides tonight except for the rudder pedal mount. I wanted to leave that out until the phenolic bushings are made. I forgot I already made the flap bushings and cut another set from the remaining stock before I realized my mistake. New bar stock arrived yesterday from Wicks. Looks like time to dig the aft sides and channels back out for assembly.

[Bryan Cotton]

Looks great Ken!

[Darick]

Polishing I see, yes? Looking good.

[Sonex1243]

Thanks Bryan, yes Darick, I had a short bout with polishing disease! It won't be long and the aft fuse sides will be next..

I finished the aft tunnel web assembly. Is there really any reason not to rivet the assembly except the gussets even though the plans say not to? Looking ahead it doesn't seem to matter as the entire assembly is moved in and out during wing rigging.


All complete, clecod from the back side

[Bryan Cotton]

I remember asking that question. I think the one gotcha is near the end of the fuselage section of the plans. You have missing holes and they have one set of instructions for taildragger and another for nosedragger.

[Sonex1243]

The cross tie blues. I can't believe how crazy I have driven myself over these pieces. So much so that I had to mock them up with the cut off ends of the longerons just to make sure I was close.


bending and fitting everything

one set done

Anyhow, dug the aft sides out I started last fall / winter and clecod everything back together. The good thing is that I spent a lot of the winter edge finishing everything, just need to updrill, deburr and polish..


lower longerons ready for updrilling and vertical channel installs