metal door frames

[jgerard]

Anyone know much about the metal door frames? I may consider replacing my wood ones with the metal style when I recover the fuse. What are the pro's/con's of doing so? Are there any patterns out there to make the metal door frames? Are they made from steel? Which came first, the metal or wood ones? My ship is s/n 7302 built in April 1946.

Jason
N43643

[taylorcraftbc65]

Metal doors

I'll let you know the answers to some of your questions next week. My friend had a pair of BC-12 doors (metal), and asked me if I'd like to see if they would fit on the plane. I said yes, and I'll put them on sometime this weekend.

[jgerard]

Just to clarify, I am talking about the frames - not the doors them selves. I have the built up spotwelded aluminum doors.

Jason
N43643

[taylorcraftbc65]

Metal FRAMED doors

The doors that I have are skinned in aluminium, and framed in steel. It looks like they will fit even better than the fabric skinned doors that are on the plane now, I will give you a "pirep" (Ha,Ha), Mon. or Tues..

[Hank Jarrett]

There were 3 types of doors I have worked with. The first were wood on pre war planes and had what looked like an old style screen door type door latch (I have these on my 41 and really like the flip-up windows for cross venting the cockpit). The second type were welded tube (actually pieces of flat steel bent into a "P" shape) framed and fabric covered. I have these on my 45 and again they have the flip-up windows and are supposed to be the lightest doors Taylorcraft installed but were expensive to build. The door latches were flat pieces of steel on the inside that just dropped into a tab on the frame. The last type were on the 46 and later and were made of sheet metal. They "Look" bigger but that is because the diagonal tube that is covered on the others is left open and the door covers it on the sheet metal door planes.
I tried to see if the doors on my planes were interchangable and they were NOT. I don't know if that is true for all models and SNs but I don't know why you would want to get rid of the wood doors. I love the windows on mine and the sliding windows on the sheet metal doors don't work nearly as well.
If you put metal doors on your plane I will take your old ones no matter their condition. Let me know what you want for them.
Hank J

[jgerard]

Let me clarify what I am asking about. I am looking for information on converting my wooden framework on the fuse to metal. I do not want to replace my "doors". My aircraft has wooden framework (part of the fuse) that makes up the door sill - perimeter - structure - door jam - hole in the side of the fuselage? or what ever the proper term is, and I wanted to know about converting that wooden framework to metal like some of the other t-carts I've seen. I believe the later 46' BC12d airplanes and model 19's used metal framework to make/shape the door openings in the fuse.

Jason
N43643

[Hank Jarrett]

Oh, NOW I get it! Problem is the frames on the wood door planes were wood because it was so easy to work with. I would think you will need a 337 to change the frame to metal and that could be a bit hard to get. You would need to have an analysis showing that the metal frame was as strong or stronger than the original and be able to convince the FISDO you know what you are doing with the analysis.
Of course you could do what most seem to do and just change it and not tell anyone. The great majority of IAs and A&Ps I have run in to haven't the SLIGHTEST idea what was used originally. I had one mechanic claim my plane was out of configuration because it had a Taylorcraft exhaust and the only one he had ever seen had a Cub exhaust on it. He thought mine was a very nice home made unit to eliminate the muffler. The IA I use now seems to get a surprise at every annual because I have removed some illegal modification and taken my plane closer to the correct configuration. This year it will have the original 4-piece flat panel windshield. Boy is he going to be surprised!
Hank (Glad he trusts me) J

[jgerard]

Do I still need a 337 if all I am doing is replicating what the factory did on the last of the bc12d airframes?

Jason
N43643

[crispy critter]

Jason,
I think I can help answer your question.First,if your bird is a 1946 model then you don't need a 337 to use the metal doors frames.Someone has probably replaced them in years past during a rebuild or maybe even perhaps changed the fuslage(check your serial number on the back side of your throttle quadrant).It they has just made wood frames to match the original metal doors then all you will need is to locate some metal or aluminum frames(some were steel and some alum),however if they have changed the doors too then your doors will not fit the metal frames so you would need both the doors and the frames.
As for the pro's & con's,the metal or aluminum are a little stronger,seal up better(when properly fitted),stay shut better,hold up longer,and they don't swell or deform with the season changes,....but they are heavier and hard as hell to find in usable or rebuildable condition.
I spent 2 years trying to find a set that was repairable and at the same time affordable...I finally found them and had to buy the whole airplane to get them.
If you have any more questions just ask.

[jgerard]

Thanks Kevin, I may try to use my wood ones as templates to fabricate metal ones. Believe it or not my left front door frame is made of 4 plys of masonite glued together.

Jason
N43643