Rafael's introduction

[Botijo]

Hi Kyle
No the wings are wood, the cowling is 3003 aluminum
Rafael

[Kerry Pinkerton]

Rafel, A couple things. First, you should read here a lot about basic shaping techniques. Second, you should buy David Gardiners "Shaping metal with hand tools" DVD. It will be the best $60 you spend on your restoration.

Now, regarding the flexible shape patterns or FSP, they are very powerful tools. They will tell you EXACTLY what has to be done to your panels. If they are loose in the center, you stretch, if they are tight on the edges, you shrink. You can shrink with a stump or tucking forks and hand tools. Again, do some reading. They will also tell you very quickly that there is NOT as much shape in the nose bowls as you think they are.

When you remove the FSP and lay it down on something flat, you'll see that while there is some shrinking required on the front portions, most of what you think is shape is actually just arrangement, that is, how the panel is bent and twisted. That is what the hard buck you made will tell you...how to twist and bend the panels to go into the proper arrangement.

If I recall correctly these are made from .050 3003 H14. Because they are so thin, I'd probably make them with shrinking techniques more than stretching techniques. If they were originally welded, it would have been with gas rather than TIG and you should be able to see the seams from the inside of your borrowed bowls. I could be wrong but it seems like I was told that the FAA will not allow TIG welding. Perhaps that only applies to structural components...

Originally Posted by Oraclejacket

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

Kyle, that is the heart of the matter. I'm not an airplane guy but we did take our machines down and set up in the vendor area of SunNFun for four years (last year was '07 I think...)...so I know what kind of parts you're talking about.

What I discovered is that a lot of folks came up talking about damaged cowls and wheel pants on their old planes. I actually cleaned up a set or two during each fly in just as a way of proving what could be done and because we were bored. However, MOST of the airplane guys were not interested in paying what it would actually cost to build or repair.

If you're serious about wanting some made, send me a PM.

[David Gardiner]

Originally Posted by Kerry Pinkerton

Rafel, A couple things. First, you should read here a lot about basic shaping techniques. Second, you should buy David Gardiners "Shaping metal with hand tools" DVD. It will be the best $60 you spend on your restoration.
.

Thanks Kerry!

David

[Botijo]

Thank you all so much for all the info an links. Im reading as much as I can and will look for that video. The cowls are made from .040 3003 and the more a look at them the less complex they look, that is till I try to make them I guess.
Question: Im thinking a solid buck of wood just like the original with all the cross secrtions I have. Id I secure one end downd and use a flow forming air hammer could I form the rest? (far out idea sorry, trying to learn).
The problem with us airplane guys is that maintaining the airplane cost so much that we dont have money to pay someone the full price to make parts for us. Ok so we are also I bit hard headed but thats another story