Rafael's introduction

[Botijo]

Hi:
Im restoring a 1938 Aeronca Chief airplane. The cowlings are a mess and need repairs and to manufacture 4 new pieces. My experience in metal forming is almost zero but it sounds like lots of fun so I would liek to get as much knowledge as possible

[HEATNBEAT]

Hi Rafael and welcome!

[Peter Tommasini]

HI Rafael welcome to the forum
Peter

[invision]

Welcome to AllMetalShaping Rafael. When you get a moment share some photos of your project, we love pictures.

[Botijo]

Thank you for the welcome. Here is a link with pics of the work so far. I need to post pics of the cowlings Im trying to rep[roduce. So far I have used a laser to trace lines on the arts and using a profile gauge I got cross sectiosn every 1/4 and made a flexible patter from them. Beyond that Im going to need you guys help in where to go from there
https://picasaweb.google.com/Fearles...iators/NC21366#

[Oraclejacket]

There is a market for someone to make nosebowls and bottom cowlings for these Pre-war Chiefs. I have two of them (airplane pojects), which I've posted about before, and I know of several other flyers and projects which could use new cowlings, since the originals are worn out and no new ones have been made in 70 years.

Is there anyone out there who would like to lose a few dollars making parts for old airplanes. ;-)

Rafael, what are the other two cowl parts you need (other than the nose bowl and bottom cowl)? The top cowl shouldn't be *that* bad to fabricate.

[Botijo]

My nosebowl is repairable, the bottom cowl is a mess with 15 patches and even patches over patches. Here is a link to the parts I need to make. I friend let me borrow these ones which are orignal and undamge.
https://picasaweb.google.com/1037476...eat=directlink#
I have no idea about metal working so Im trying to absorb all I can. So far I have used a profile gauge and have made templates fevey 1/4 of and inch with the idea of making a buck of the pice, dont kno what to do with it afterwards tho. I have also made the plexible templates of the entire pice but dont know what to do with it either.
I figure I try in these 4 pieces and then move to the bottom cowling. I was told of making a concrete mold male and female and just let the ewight do the forming but I dont know how to do that either.
Any ideas?

[David Gardiner]

Hello Rafael, Welcome to the site. I am not familiar with making plane parts but if the parts can be made with welds in them it should not be too difficult to reproduce the parts. If you intend to make them yourself you will have to learn aluminium welding, other than that its fairly straightforward work. (like I said providing welds are OK).

Start another thread requesting help in regard to making the parts and I am sure you willl be given advice.

David

[weldtoride]

Hi Rafael, welcome to the site. Have you seen John Glover's "Aircraft Shapes" video? In it he builds a nose for an Aeronca Champ, not exactly a Chief, but not too far off in the skillset used. I have seen the vid several times actually, what the camera quality lacks is made up in the wealth of knowledge presented.

Here's one place to buy a copy: http://www.metalcrafttools.com/video.html or maybe borrow one from a Fellow EAA member?

[MetalShaper]

welcome Rafael..im from SoCal as well.Look forward to seeing your progress.Is that wing your making from 2024 t3?