Builder Log for ...

Sonex 963

Building a Dream!

Double-click on photos to enlarge.

Page 6

Photo Courtesy of Sonex Aircraft, LLC

January 27, 2007 ...   No big accomplishments today; just some detail stuff. I ran a smooth layer of Bondo along the inside joint of the fiberglass tips to strengthen up the joints. Then filled in some of the imperfections on the outside seams with a glazing body filler. After they were cured, I sanded them out with 180 grit sandpaper, and then with 320 grit "wet and dry" sandpaper.

January 29, 2007 ...   I had to fit my build time in around a couple other things which really needed to get done today, I was able to put on a couple coats of primer, and "wet sand" the fiberglass tips. A little more filler (sanded out with 320 grit) was needed, then a final priming and "wet sanding" with 600 grit did the trick. Here you see the finished product.

January 30, 2007 ...  I made a final check for burrs, and cleaned the inside of the skins and put on a coat of zinc chromate. When everything was good and dry, I began re-assembling everything with Clecos. I am almost ready for rivets!

February 2, 2007 ...  I had an hour available, so I went out and finished assembling the Horizontal Stabilizer with Clecos, and began the process of riveting. As you can see from the photo (left), I am using protruding head rivets along the back  and top, and countersink rivets in the field (main skin areas).

Here are a couple views of the right side (bottom) of the stabilizer after riveting.