This thing practically builds itself! Seriously, if you are on the fence about building and wondering if you have what it takes. Get the tail kit and try it out! The Highwing tail kit is a bargain, and you’ll most likely learn it’s easier than you thought! All it takes it a little of your time.
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You are definitely making it look easy! Still incredible progress for just over a week.
Now, how many more tail kits worth of work to build the rest ? 
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That’s awesome Chris! I’ve been following along on your builder’s log. I know the other Bryan is wondering if you will start a cottage industry of building tail kits while you wait for the fuselage kit.
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It’s been fun watching it come together Chris!
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Most excellent project and progress….
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I’ve made a post, listing and picturing all the tools I used to build the tail kit on my eaa build log linked below.
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Thanks for pointing out the scotchbrite wheel replacement.
$130 isn’t all that much in the context of everything else involved but spending that much on a deburring wheel felt like a rip-off.
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That’s how I felt when I bought the first one. It’s paid me back in time saved! But if the cheap one works as well, why not!
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Yeah, the 3M one was a little salty for me. The Indiana Sonex Mafia turned me on to the Amazon equivalent and I really can’t tell a difference when using the 3M a friend has vs the Amazon version. I also use the harbor freight roloc scotch brite pads on the hand angle grinder.
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The fact that the scotchbrite wheel would be twice the cost of my grinder was part of what was giving me pause!
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I received the backordered tips a week or so ago. Then got the revised horizontal tip ribs yesterday. The vertical stab tip was cut and installed this weekend. Tedious cutting and fitting. Surprisingly, took me all day. But I like the fit. I think I’m going to try to paint these off the stab then rivet them in place. If I can get them re-installed without scratching the visible paint Hopefully the horizontal tips will go a bit faster now that I’ve done this once.
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Are you planning on adding lights on the tail?
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Lol, read your message in the other thread right after posting
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Well, I had just hours before the news sent off the second article to Avbrief for the HW build series. I guess that wont ever come out now. My heart goes out to you guys that are deep into your builds. I hope you can complete them. It seems there should be parts available going forward as more than 2000 kits were sold with around 8-900 flying if i heard correctly. I’m going to take the loss on the fuselage deposit and move on.
If anyone knows of a good airplane for sale let me know. I’d like to buy something flying, open to a lot of makes and models both certified and experimental.
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Hey Chris,
I had a question about the tail build…I guess you’re the expert now. I hope it’s not too much of a “sore” subject to talk about it. If so, I understand. I’m gonna’ try to move forward - not that it matters, but I took this on to learn so I might as well continue.
My question is about drawing SHX-H01 Horizontal Tail Assembly. Maybe I’m going blind, but I don’t find on the drawing where it tells you specifically to drill the hinge using the #40 holes in the tail skin, then updrill, cleco, deburr, and rivet. Detail C talks about positioning the hinge, but not actually attaching. There are 140 CCP-42 rivets specified in the parts listed so they must want us to attach but it doesn’t actually say that.
Also, I was surprised, looking at section B-B that the hinge attaches to the bottom of the bracket. I was expecting the hinge to go between the tail skin and the bracket. I guess the thicker (stronger) metal in the hinge is why they put the hinge under the bracket.
Another thing, I’d mentioned that I screwed up one of the elevators by cutting the angle for the elevator horn too deep. The result came out OK but the elevator is 5/16” shorter than it should be. At first I was going to split the difference so each side is only off a little when lined up with the edge of the tail skin. But thinking about it, that moves the elevator horn off center. So I’m thinking the good elevator should line up properly with the edge of the tail skin, which centers the horn, and I’ll just work the tip on the other side as best I can for looks. Does that make sense?
Again, thanks for your time.
Matt
918-728-4378
PS. I had only 6 weeks earlier put down the 50% deposit on the full quick build kit. Big chunk of change …. lost. What can you do?
Matt,
No hard feelings here business is business, in this industry if someone thought you were going under it will kill confidence and nobody would buy, Mark had to try his best all the way to the end trying to save the business. I also don’t believe he knew until the bank called it. He did not set out to screw anybody, he was trying to work on getting the product out that would hopefully carry the company on. Nobody likes to lose money but I only put out in deposit what I was willing to lose. It was in the back of my head as we have all seen it before in this industry. I’m out the fuselage deposit, I think 7K, not as bad as many others like yourself.
Yes, the hinge goes below inside the channel like you said. I at first also assumed it would go in between, it does not. A good rule about riveting I have heard is to not do so until you need to. Sounds like you are there. Yes, the fiberglass tip will have some fudge factor to blend in your 5/16 I believe. I write that thinking now that it wont be a flying part. If it was flying I’d probably remake it if it were me and hold off on hinging until the new elevator was made.
But as we’re all going for hangar decorations at this point, it will be fine. I too will finish mine, probably paint the tips still too. Then hang it. I learned and enjoyed the tail build it was worth its cost in that but I do wish I had that 7,500 back to put toward buying a flying aircraft.
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Chris,
I agree with all you said about Mark. I don’t believe he was trying to screw anybody either. He was trying to make it work until he couldn’t. It’s just a hard pill to swallow. Who knows…could be a white knight out there to pump some money into Sonex. But not holding my breath.
Thanks for the tip on riveting. Maybe I’ll hold off a bit until I’m ready to hang it in the hangar. The elevator looks good (except for being a bit short). I’ll have a discussion with the local TC. I don’t really think it would affect airworthiness or even cosmetics when the tip is mounted. But I’ll get some better minds than mine to confirm.
Thanks
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