How to & Builder Tips

Ever wonder how to make a certain part with fiberglass or sheet metal? Or fix an oil leak? These tips can guide you and reduce the amount of head-scratching.

GlaStar COM antenna placement forward of bulkhead B

GlaStar Antenna Installation Tips

Transponder ground plane: Make your aluminum ground plane for your transponder as large as possible for effective use. I placed mine under the pilot's...
GlaStar shearweb installation drawing

Shearweb Installation Tips

C/C inter-bulkhead shearweb: If you follow the manual when doing the C/D inter-bulkhead shearweb, you won't have any picnic when placing the DBM side...
O-360, fixed pitch, Van's induction system and baffling. Photo: Martin Baumer

GlaStar Air Induction Tips

Air induction placement: Place your air induction NACA scoop on the lower left side of the cowling. In tuft testing, this area had straight...
DEFT primer

Corrosion Protection with DEFT

Corrosion protection and the use of primers are topics with as many opinions as there are builders. Here are some tips submitted by our members. Deft...
GlaStar rudder in the construction jig

GlaStar and Sportsman Rudder Construction Tips

Tip fairing: You may need to cut the rear of the rudder tip fairing off if it is too long and glass on a...
GlaStar elevator construction start

Elevator Building Tips for the GlaStar and Sportsman

Keeping twist out of the aft elevator partial spar: There is a discontinuity between the aft edges of the elevator respective to each end...

Fiberglassing Tips

Working with fiberglass and resin is as much art as it is science. As builders gain confidence and get used to working with fiberglass,...
GlaStar bulkhead B

GlaStar Bulkhead Installation Tips

Bulkhead layups: On my last trip to Germany, I purchased special brushes designed for painting behind radiators. They are about 18" long with the...
pneumatic-drill

Drilling Tips

With so many holes that need to be drilled in a typical GlaStar or Sportsman, it pays to learn some tricks to do it...
Pneumatic rivet squeezer from Aircraft Tool Supply Company

Pneumatic Squeezer Tips

Mike Lauritsen from Cleaveland Tool responded to a query re: how to operate pneumatic squeezers. It might be of interest to a builder or two. Pay...