How many rivets in a Waiex?
Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2017 11:45 am
by Bryan Cotton
Hey all,
I’ve been asked to do a lunchtime talk at work this coming week. Looking for a bit of trivia - how many rivets are there in a Sonex or Waiex? To the nearest 1000 or so would be fine. I made a demo piece with three predrilled .040 holes and will pick a volunteer to updrill, deburr, and rivet them together. Goal is to show how easy it is.
Re: How many rivets in a Waiex?
Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2017 12:05 pm
by ScottM-Sonex1629
Bryan I thought it was right around 10,000
Re: How many rivets in a Waiex?
Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2017 2:11 pm
by samiam
Presuming the kit comes with about how many a builder would need
http://www.sonexaircraft.com/kits/scratch/rivetkit.html
Around 2k for tail and 4k for wings and fuse, puts the ballpark right around 10,000 plus the solid rivets for the spars.
Re: How many rivets in a Waiex?
Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2017 3:58 pm
by Bruce593SX
I used over 11k on my plans built Sonex,
Re: How many rivets in a Waiex?
Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2017 9:29 pm
by fastj22
I lost count at 9000, but that doesn’t include the 5000 I seem to have drilled out.
Re: How many rivets in a Waiex?
Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2017 8:35 am
by DCASonex
I often describe my Sonex as 11,000 stainless steel rivets held in close flying formation by a minimum amount of aluminum.
David A.
Re: How many rivets in a Waiex?
Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2017 9:42 am
by Bryan Cotton
Thanks guys. 10,000 it is. After my volunteer makes their part I’ll tell them they just have to do that 3,333 more times and they have an airplane! I’ll skip the part about drilling out rivets unless asked.
On a side note - hope to start up the Saturn tonight. With the car behind us it is back to the Waiex!
Re: How many rivets in a Waiex?
Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2017 9:56 am
by ihab
DCASonex wrote:11,000 stainless steel rivets…
Don’t forget that each rivet has 2 parts – a stem and a body – with a little bit of rattle in between. Someone on this group referred to it as a giant maraca.
Ihab
Re: How many rivets in a Waiex?
Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 3:46 pm
by Bryan Cotton
The presentation was well received. One guy in the audience has wanted to build a Sonex since he saw one at Oshkosh.
Re: How many rivets in a Waiex?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 8:16 pm
by Rynoth
Bryan, glad your presentation went well! I’m a little late to this thread, but I do recall taking this pic at the very beginning of my project. If I recall, the kit shipped with 10,000 rivets. I’ve bought at least 1000 more since then.
Re: How many rivets in a Waiex?
Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2017 6:43 pm
by LarryEWaiex121
Bryan,
Glad you were received well and the presentation was a success.
I often get asked how much my Waiex cost and I give them a figure that rolls their eyes. Most citizens of the non-aviation world have no concept of how much our toys cost.
I’ll give them and answer as best I can, and then top it off with 10% of that amount was shipping and handling.
Over the three years of my build, I ordered so many replacement parts and supplies that I drilled wrong, bent, dented, warped or whatever, that even though my figure is probably a bit excessive, it didn’t seem so every time I opened another invoice.
I think the money for a kit supplier is in the shipping and handling. LOL
Larry
Waiex121YX, CAmit 3300, Skyview