Martin or Taylorcraft Clips Wanted

[Glmiddleton]

I just bought back my first airplane I ever owned from 40 years ago - a 46 BC12D - N43402 - and have started the restoration. Got lucky because it is in great condition and complete. I'd like to find Martin or Taylorcraft clips to use rather than rib stitching the wings. Anybody have some for sale or know where they might be available?

Gary
937-689-2160 or [email protected]

[senior]

Re: Martin or Taylorcraft Clips Wanted

Aircraft Spruce has Martin Clips & also a separate listing for Taylorcraft Clips.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Martin or Taylorcraft Clips Wanted

You DON'T want to use the Martin Clips on a Taylorcraft. The spacing is wrong.
Hank

Yes, I know you can "joggle" the wire, but the Taylorcraft clips actually FIT.

[Glmiddleton]

Re: Martin or Taylorcraft Clips Wanted

I will check aircraft spruce. I was told by another guy restoring one that nobody made them. Thanks for the help.

[M Towsley]

Re: Martin or Taylorcraft Clips Wanted

That's right, nobody is making the wire. You can hopefully find someone with a roll, I had one at one time years ago that I sold. Or you can put a 'Z'-bend in Martin Wire to make it work. Someone else on here advised you can also use screws.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Martin or Taylorcraft Clips Wanted

With the number of planes we have in the tribe we need to make a tool to bend the Taylorcraft wire. Anyone familiar with the machine originally used to make the wires (either type)? If we have that we can reverse engineer the mechanism and make our own.
The wire was first used in an era when the machine was probably made for pretty simple manufacture. Most of our garages are better equipped than the Taylorcraft factory of 1946.

Hank

[M Towsley]

Re: Martin or Taylorcraft Clips Wanted

Makes you wonder if it is in Texas at the Factory.

[Dick Smith]

Re: Martin or Taylorcraft Clips Wanted

One of the Tribe who is an old-school machinist could probably knock something like this out...! see the first link. The second link shows something a bit more modern!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMULcX2bTmg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQIYZ-iKuG4 Dick

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Martin or Taylorcraft Clips Wanted

The second machine is an NC controlled wire bender that could make what we want by the mile. Problem is it is also kind of expensive. The first is very specialized for one thing and can't really be modified to what we need.
I have a feeling that Martin Wire and Taylorcraft Wire may have been made on the same machine with the wire feed and clip form changed slightly (to keep each other from using the others wire).
I am pretty sure we could make the manual equivalent with a hand operated machine that could make Taylorcraft wires while sitting in front of the TV. The sound would probably drive a spouse crazy!

Hank

[senior]

Re: Martin or Taylorcraft Clips Wanted

Has anybody actually tried the wires Aircraft Spruce has specified for Taylorcrafts?

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Martin or Taylorcraft Clips Wanted

When they actually ARE Tylorcraft wires they work. When They substitute Martin wire, you have to "S" curve between each clip to get them to fit.
Hank

[M Towsley]

Re: Martin or Taylorcraft Clips Wanted

Hank,

Remember, someone used a Z-bender that you would usually use in modeling on the control wires. They would just throw a light bend in, not a full bend, to take up the space.

[senior]

Re: Martin or Taylorcraft Clips Wanted

When they actually ARE Tylorcraft wires they work. When They substitute Martin wire, you have to "S" curve between each clip to get them to fit.
Hank

Are you saying that's what Aircraft Spruce does, substitute Martin wire for Taylorcraft specific wire?
Curious cause I have another Tcraft to do in couple yrs & would like to know whether you get the proper wires when you use the Taylorcraft wire part number.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Martin or Taylorcraft Clips Wanted

My understanding was that ASS actually carried Taylorcraft wire at one time. Don't know if they still do, but there is a photo of both types of wire on the group somewhere.
Hank

[Steve Green]

Re: Martin or Taylorcraft Clips Wanted

Here is a thread with the pictures.

http://vb.taylorcraft.org/showthread.php?8779-fabric-retainer-wire&highlight=Martin+wire