FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Anytime my friend! Post office says Pinky and friend are expected to show Saturday.

Glowgeek

Mike, how close are you to finishing Pinky? Haven't seen pics in a while.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Not far as I like I have been finishing a plane for the grandkids.. I found a couple areas that look like they were damaged in handling and I want to go back and replace the wood before covering. I found the areas while shaping the leading edge and replacing a missing wing cabane brace. The Pink N' Poke has turned into one of those projects where you take two steps and one back. I decide to leave the wing cabanes stained wood after looking at other Pete N'Pokes.The engine mount wood was plywood that had delaminated and that has been corrected I just need to plug the old bolt hols and and add new T-nuts for the Saito mounting holes. I'm debating adding an extra layer of wood to the bottom of the engine mount for insurance.I didn't know the original builder so I'm a little skittish about skipping over build imperfections without seriously considering correcting them.. Lord knows I make enough of my own I would prefer not to take any chances on someone elses.

acdii

Well if anyone is interested, it appears Valley View RC will be selling test stands pretty soon. They aren't listed on their page yet, but it was announced in their mailer this morning.


Since I already have that really nice one, I really don't need it, but if the price is right, may get one. Due out in February

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Just out of curiosity what price range did they quote?

Jesse Open

Whaaaat?


Not wood?

acdii

No pricing yet since its not yet listed. Looks like it was just a heads up of what's coming next month. Looking at it, if I had a TIG, it is exactly the kind I would have made myself.

Glowgeek

Or out of steel. Must of us don't fly our test stands.

I'd also put in a couple of strategically placed larger openings for throttle rods, fuel lines and spark plug wires. Just say'n

acdii

True, but aluminum is easier to work with.

Glowgeek

For metal working all I have is a mig and torch. No spooler and no mill. When my old sawhorse test stand breaks a leg I'll shoot it and fab a wood test stand to mount up on an old vintage B&D Workmate. I have woodworking tools in abundance. Gotta "run whatcha brung" they say.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Compared to labor and materials that went into the test stand I bought I would think this one would be more reasonably priced.

Glowgeek

I agree, very simplistic design on that VV stand.

acdii

Yep! I have the mill and lathe, so making the parts isn't the problem, its gluing them together. LOL I could weld aluminum with the MIG I have, but then I would need to buy a bottle or Argon, get the proper tip, the wire, and then try to figure out the settings for it, in my garage where the welder has the 220v outlet for it.

Or get a 120v TIG that I can use in my shop instead.

Or, buy one already made.

Went with Option 3.

I someday would like to get a hobby TIG welder so I can make landing gear and other such stuff, but for now will stick to silver solder and steel for the struts. If storing Acetylene wasn't such a bad thing, I would get one of those small torches too, but Acetylene bottles need to be stored outside when not in use, and my use case is too light to bother, mapp seems to be working just fine so far.

Glowgeek

I've kept my O/A rig in my shop for 20 yrs and haven't blown my shop off the slab yet! Am I in danger of that happening or poisoning myself?

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Don't forget the darker lens for you welding mask. Aluminum welding is a lot brighter than steel welding. With steel a shade 8 was fine but aluminum you wanted to go to a shade 10 to 12 if I recall correctly.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Acetylene is safe provided you don't have something a sudden increase in pressure (there is a reason the dial on the Acetylene regular doesn't go past 30 PSI and the redline starts at 15 PSI.) then you get an explosion. I worked at a welding supply company and we kept our Acetylene cylinders out on the dock. Acetylene pellet canisters were stored inside in a very dry spot. I think they guys who are more likely to have an accident are the ones who use an Acetylene generator. You have to religiously empty and rise the water out before refilling the pellet hopper. Guys would be welding and run out of Acetylene and drop a handful or two in the generator to try and finish up. What would happen sometimes is a mass of pellets would sit on top of the waste in the water chamber and then suddenly drop causing a sudden increase of pressure and boom! Acetylene actually have a hard porous foam inside and acetone which absorbs the Acetylene to keep it stable.

acdii

My workshop is in my basement, so too much of a risk to store it there. My wife used to work for Airgas and had brought home some safety information, as well as had training on gas safety, so when she tells me she doesn't want it in the house, I tend to believe her.

Jesse Open

With some practice, aluminum is Oxy-Acetylene weldable too. Of course, gas welding or brazing steel is a snap.

Don't forget, screws, nuts and tapped holes work just great.

Glowgeek

Roger that acdii, better safe than sorry! My O/A is in an isolated low traffic area of my shop, the tanks are secured to the cart and the whole rig is secured to the wall. The gauges are top of the line Victor gauges. The shop is located down a steep hill 250 ft. away from the house, mostly to keep my wife from bugging me too often.

acdii

Yes it is, done that too, 1985. Haven't done it since 1987 though and don't have tools to practice it on either. There is a product out that can be done using a MAPP torch now, and I might give it a try, but for small items like struts, it might be too big for what I plan to do where a TIG torch can do intricate work.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

This discussion took me down memory lane. I remember old man Olmstead he had a one man machine and welding shop over in Yukon, Oklahoma. He taught me a lot about Acetylene generators. He used one exclusively for welding in his shop. He also had a 30 foot bed lathe! He had one restoration and 4X4 shop that was constantly bringing rear ends for him to straighten. They did a lot of Willy's panel trucks so they repaired ever one you could, Willy's wasn't making them any more.

Jesse Open

The brazing rod can be iffy, I prefer actual welding with the same alloy as the base. We did a load of that in our short production, aircraft parts operation. Gotta have those Cobalt blue lenses !

The icy-acetylene weld looks just as good on the backside as front. No need to flood the backside with argon either. This tank is an example of a gas

weld, first one in a long time too!

Glowgeek

Drool

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

I still say that tank is best looking fuel station I have ever seen!

the Wasp

My Feedback: (1)

I have seen that tank many times, yum yum ,

Jim