Anyone ever used a laminated spar instead of the standard 1 1/4" x 5 spruce? Seems to have its advantages of going this route. Claims to be 40% stronger, no...
Why are we to braze the piper channel on our control surfaces? Can they be Tig welded to the Rudder spar? Or is spar warping the big issue here. I feel more...
Mike I think the issue was that this was at the limit of what normal humans could do with gas. I've tig welded the whole airframe and did some of the piper...
We Tig welded all Piper channels and used laminated spars ( spruce ) Hope the fotos shows it. The bird has not flown yet! The wings were stress tested ( see...
Mike, Wittman was worried about the amount of heat imparted when welding.  I too used TIG and you should try Silicon Bronze rod for the TIG. This is a...
If I built a second one I would try my best to avoid the piper channel. Especially in the fuselage. There isn't a whol lot of it in the fuselage and it...
I did try the Silicon Bronze brazing with Tig. I had some warpage of the rudder spar and try to straighten it. The Spar tubing cracked at the brazed joint. I...
I'll be TIG welding the Silicone Brone like I did with my Wing tips....( Piper channel ) Â Â Structual stuff I'll put in steel rod... Â Â I also tried...
Here are some pics. Mike Mckenna ... From: TailwindForum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:TailwindForum@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of Mike Mckenna Sent: Friday, May 01,...
Can't tell what's going on there... Some of it looks cut... Â Â When you were doing it... did you clean the area first.... Â Â some times if it's not...
I'm fitting the fuel tank and have brazed in the top steel strips. I'm using 1" x .032 steel strips for the bottom tank straps riveted to steel tabs on the...
I was looking.... tried some different things and finally bought the "8" I needed...   Yeah , $160 bucks....   There.... now you should feel better...
Yes it was clean. I had practiced on scrap and tested to destruction first. On this part I was having trouble getting it to flow the way I expected and...
Jim B, Â Buy his manual or search the Tailwind Times for Jim Stanton's directions on how to do these tank straps with the aft ends of the straps bent 90...
Mike; The only to straighten 4130 successfully is to heat to red or a little more and then quickly put a wet cold rag on it, you may have to do this a few...
Me too.. I got ask.. what happened? From: TailwindForum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:TailwindForum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Jim Clement Sent: Friday, May 01,...
Now that is what I call a destructive test! I guess that old Piper Channel is tougher than I gave it credit for... To: TailwindForum@yahoogroups.com From:...
Mike; I think from the pics, you have just seen what the book on metallurgy was talking about.. I also know that if you get 4130 to hot with a torch , to...
Everything I have read or heard about 4130 steel contradicts the notion of cooling 4130 too fast. No drafts or quenching. It causes cracks and effects the...
Ditto. Get it hot(Not too hot), keep it hot and cool slowly.... Jack ... From: Mike Mckenna To: TailwindForum@yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, May 01, 2009 7:09...
