Sonerai One - Serial Number 012412-1179

Aircraft Projects Underway or Completed

Moderator: Tailspin

User avatar
bobthebuilder
Pilot in Command
Pilot in Command
Posts: 923
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2008 8:00 pm
Location: Johannesburg
Contact:

Sonerai One - Serial Number 012412-1179

Postby bobthebuilder » Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:54 pm

Hi guys,

I am just starting a Sonerai One build.

For those who may be interested, the Sonerai One is a single seat, mid wing, racer designed in the seventies by John Monnett. (Yip ... you guessed it ... of Sonex fame) A two seat version of the Sonerai is also available in various configurations.

Image

The plans and some parts are supplied by Great Plains Aircraft Supply in the states. (http://www.greatplainsas.com) This is a scratch build.
It will be my first build, so any comments and suggestions are welcome. If something looks, .... well ..... k@k ..... please say so. Any advice and assistance will be appreciated.

Okay ....what's been done so far?

1) Plans and informational media obtained In March 2012.
2) Build number application from the CAA obtained. (Easy peeezzy ... thanks Braam )
3) Bought a book on tubular airframes to see how hard it could be. (oh f*@k .... lots of welding)
4) Maybe "AC 43.13-1B Acceptable Methods, Techniques, and Practices" aint a bad toilet read either.
5) Banished cars from garage and bought a few new toys. (AC/DC TIG welding kit, disc sander, compressor etc .... when it comes to tools, I'm like a chick in a shoe store!)
4) Bought a Dummies book on welding. (Not really sure why, because us home builders are only allowed to tack the bits together anyway ... oh right ... there were way too many knobs on the face of the welding machine .... that do WHAT?????)
7) Our dining room table was a tad small, so I built a longer one. (Wife removed it from the dining room though, not really sure why? ...... it's a MASTERPIECE!) Used it to learn how to cut tube, and practice making bird sh@# welds on square tube. This did take just a tad longer than expected, like .... THREE MONTHS! It was a whole bunch of fun, and is square and flat. (just don't look too close .... okay! ... no really!) Painting was also lots of fun, just not for our dom-es-teek Caroline. She cursed for days about the layer dust that settled throughout the entire house. (yawn .... Ja ... so what!)
8.) Marked up the centre lines on the table. After sitting on the table between the web of lines, I'm not entirely convinced that I'll fit in the cockpit. Nothing that a bit of dieting won't fix.... okay okay ..... A LOT! (I may have to revert to lipo suction or some other equally painful surgery closer to completion :shock: )
9) Started on the rudder pedals because they are small and cheap to remake if I really mess them up with my AC/DC bird sh@# making machine.
10) Started on the brake pedals.

...... and that is where we are at present.

Pics to follow.
Last edited by bobthebuilder on Sat Nov 24, 2012 10:43 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Byron Kirkland
User avatar
bobthebuilder
Pilot in Command
Pilot in Command
Posts: 923
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2008 8:00 pm
Location: Johannesburg
Contact:

Re: Sonerai One - Serial Number 012412-1179

Postby bobthebuilder » Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:04 pm

The table....

Image

and ....

Image
Byron Kirkland
User avatar
bobthebuilder
Pilot in Command
Pilot in Command
Posts: 923
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2008 8:00 pm
Location: Johannesburg
Contact:

Re: Sonerai One - Serial Number 012412-1179

Postby bobthebuilder » Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:07 pm

Think I'll fit?

Image
Byron Kirkland
User avatar
bobthebuilder
Pilot in Command
Pilot in Command
Posts: 923
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2008 8:00 pm
Location: Johannesburg
Contact:

Re: Sonerai One - Serial Number 012412-1179

Postby bobthebuilder » Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:21 pm

Rudder Pedals ...

Image
Image
Image
Last edited by bobthebuilder on Wed Dec 12, 2012 5:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Byron Kirkland
Jean Crous
Frequent Flyer
Frequent Flyer
Posts: 1259
Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2010 6:31 pm
Location: Barrydale Western Cape

Re: Sonerai One - Serial Number 012412-1179

Postby Jean Crous » Sat Sep 22, 2012 8:52 pm

Nice joints Byron, now we would like to see them welds old boy :lol:
Jean.
The new front seat solo Cubby MK2 powered by Rotax 912 S 100hp
Cubby Aircraft Factory
Suppliers of Nitrate, Butyrate, adhesive, Fabric
Email: cubbyaircraftfactory@gmail.com
0726716240
Jean Crous
SACAA Approved Person 402
User avatar
bobthebuilder
Pilot in Command
Pilot in Command
Posts: 923
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2008 8:00 pm
Location: Johannesburg
Contact:

Re: Sonerai One - Serial Number 012412-1179

Postby bobthebuilder » Mon Sep 24, 2012 7:41 am

Jean .... there is a reason I didn't post that pic. :oops:
Toe brakes started yesterday.
Byron Kirkland
User avatar
bobthebuilder
Pilot in Command
Pilot in Command
Posts: 923
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2008 8:00 pm
Location: Johannesburg
Contact:

Re: Sonerai One - Serial Number 012412-1179

Postby bobthebuilder » Mon Sep 24, 2012 9:34 pm

:oops: :oops:
Image

Brake pedals look like this ....

Image
Image
Image
Last edited by bobthebuilder on Wed Dec 12, 2012 5:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Byron Kirkland
User avatar
bobthebuilder
Pilot in Command
Pilot in Command
Posts: 923
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2008 8:00 pm
Location: Johannesburg
Contact:

Re: Sonerai One - Serial Number 012412-1179

Postby bobthebuilder » Mon Sep 24, 2012 9:37 pm

Anyone know a good coded welder?
I would like to get the parts fully welded and painted before any rusting occurs.
Byron Kirkland
User avatar
JvTonder
Frequent Flyer
Frequent Flyer
Posts: 1356
Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2009 10:47 am
Location: Rhinopark

Re: Sonerai One - Serial Number 012412-1179

Postby JvTonder » Tue Sep 25, 2012 8:41 am

bobthebuilder wrote:Anyone know a good coded welder?
I would like to get the parts fully welded and painted before any rusting occurs.
Phone Monty Jeffries his welder that he used in the Bushbaby's is still around, just welded my frame for me, and he his certified aircraft welder. Names Reghard, sorry don't have his number on me.
Flying feeds the soul!
User avatar
JvTonder
Frequent Flyer
Frequent Flyer
Posts: 1356
Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2009 10:47 am
Location: Rhinopark

Re: Sonerai One - Serial Number 012412-1179

Postby JvTonder » Tue Sep 25, 2012 8:53 am

Monty nr: 076 044 6790
Flying feeds the soul!
User avatar
bobthebuilder
Pilot in Command
Pilot in Command
Posts: 923
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2008 8:00 pm
Location: Johannesburg
Contact:

Re: Sonerai One - Serial Number 012412-1179

Postby bobthebuilder » Tue Sep 25, 2012 12:36 pm

Thank you kind sir.
Byron Kirkland
User avatar
bobthebuilder
Pilot in Command
Pilot in Command
Posts: 923
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2008 8:00 pm
Location: Johannesburg
Contact:

Re: Sonerai One - Serial Number 012412-1179

Postby bobthebuilder » Sat Nov 24, 2012 8:53 pm

The Elevator Torque tube starts its life out as a round tube that is crimped on each end.
How hard could it be? .... cut pipe, squash each end in the vise, grind each end round, and drill a hole...... one hour should do it right .... TOPS! [this is so easy!)

Okay ...... well ..... the first crimp in the vise looked a bit crap!
Image
The reality is that trying to hold the pipe with one hand, the torch in the other and trying to use my elbow to turn the handle on the vise didn't work the way ..... BLAH BLAH BLAH!

The marks left by the vise jaws made it look real home made, but it was the stark change in radius that worried me more. This had to be a stress riser.
I WANT A RADIUS! .... how hard could it be ... i'll make a simple tool ... okay, add another hour.... (REALLY! ..... nah dude!!!)

Image
The plan ..... put this MASTERPIECE into the vice, and then squash the S@#t out of it!
something like this .....
Image

In comparison, it looks...... well better!
Image

A collar had to be made to get the length right. Still not happy though!
I'm starting to understand why it's called an EXPERIMENTAL aircraft!
okay .... tool number two coming up!

Make up some of these: Image
..... and weld it to all this stuff ..... and! PRESTO! ...... It's a-l-i-v-e!

Image

Once this had the s@#t squashed out of it, it came out looking a bit better:
Image
Image

This simple one hour job took THREE F@#$%^g WEEKS!!!!
Last edited by bobthebuilder on Thu Dec 13, 2012 6:52 am, edited 2 times in total.
Byron Kirkland
User avatar
bobthebuilder
Pilot in Command
Pilot in Command
Posts: 923
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2008 8:00 pm
Location: Johannesburg
Contact:

Re: Sonerai One - Serial Number 012412-1179

Postby bobthebuilder » Sat Nov 24, 2012 9:01 pm

The Aileron Torque Tubes were fun to make and went together a lot easier!

Image

As my eldest kid says ..... "Easy peasy lemon squeasy"
Byron Kirkland
User avatar
bobthebuilder
Pilot in Command
Pilot in Command
Posts: 923
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2008 8:00 pm
Location: Johannesburg
Contact:

Re: Sonerai One - Serial Number 012412-1179

Postby bobthebuilder » Sat Nov 24, 2012 9:32 pm

Getting into the swing of this now. Time for the Elevator Idler.

I had to make the side plates twice, because I cut them from the wrong thickness material. Dumbass!
The plate (4130) was ordered from the states which took a little over a week to arrive. (Shot Hennie!)
There was some cheating involved. The plates were laser cut! (don't tell anyone), and annealed afterwards.
Hard to put a timeline on this, but it took about two evenings to assemble after all of the parts were made. I guess it took about three weeks to make this.
Ahhh..... yes! I had to make a mandrel to crimp the tube end. This was used in conjunction with the last crimping tool.

Image


Image

Image

So far, I'm finding the build to be hugely enjoyable and very rewarding. Lots of late nights and grumpy mornings though.
Last edited by bobthebuilder on Wed May 15, 2013 9:03 am, edited 2 times in total.
Byron Kirkland
User avatar
bobthebuilder
Pilot in Command
Pilot in Command
Posts: 923
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2008 8:00 pm
Location: Johannesburg
Contact:

Re: Sonerai One - Serial Number 012412-1179

Postby bobthebuilder » Sat Nov 24, 2012 10:36 pm

Back to the Rudder Pedals.

They should look like this:Image

The brake cable tubes were milled with a 1mm carbide end mill. A band saw probably would have done the job perfectly well, but milling seemed way more over complicated [translated: fun]
They took around forty minutes to cut each, and caused some production delays and plenty of cursing at work. [BLAH BLAH BLAH!]

Image
Image

A few more bits:
Image
Image

And we get this:
Image

Unfortunately ..... Dumbass over here cut this tube about 2mm too short and will have to re-make it. It took two evenings to get it to this point.
Image
Byron Kirkland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 36 guests