Carwill Compass

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Anyone have any Carwil Compass adjusting magnets with the phenolic?? I sure would like to find these parts, Thanks!!!! Call me at 405-909-6683.

[Mark Bowden]

I assume you are talking about a bubble compass compensator block with the N/S and E/W tubes for the magnets.

I have looked a lot for the little magnetic rods that I assumed to be orignal to the block type compensator module. I have two rods remaining of this size. I could not find any equivalent of that tiny diameter.

I would suggest you take steel wire or equivalent super small diameter rod and magnetize them with Neodymium magnets. When the steel looses magetisim over time, just reattach to your reference strong magnets, then reinstall to reswing the compass.

K&J Magnetics has a good selection of rods but the smallest diameter is 1/16".

https://www.kjmagnetics.com/

I was looking about 3 years ago so it has been a while. Perhaps a source of permanent magnet in the small diameter could yet be found with another search.

The challenge with the old bubble compass is that the orginal seeking magnets are so poor that the compass is little more than Vintage Eye Candy and not really to be trusted for navigation.

If you have some one working on the compass, remagnetize the compass magnets before reassembing. They need to be more powerful that the compensators.

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Thanks Mark

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Probably a bit of a waste of time to try. Is there any chance of getting a picture of the compensator block and rods? I’m needing to make or find one for a bubble compass.

Brent

[Mark Bowden]

Brent, attached are photos of two types of compensators. The geared rotating design is after the rod in block style. Also includes photo of rods in the block style.

Mark
Bubble Compass Compensators.pdf

[Mark Bowden]

Got out flying today and took some additinoal photos of the bubble compass compensator block. This block is the old style for rod magnets. There are brass cover doors to hold the rods in the holes.

I have yet to find any documentation on the procedure to swing a compass with the rods. I'm sure there are some tricks.

[Hank Jarrett]

I made a few of the Taylorcraft logo covers some time back when I was restoring my compass. I need to dig those up! I have an original on one of my compass' and a replica on the other. I don't know which is which.

Hank

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Oh I Love it! This is stuff I can work with. I'm still perplexed how you would make adjustments with the old style. This could be fun.
Appreciate the safety reminder about the Radium exposure risk on the compass dial and fluid. This one was already dry and had been worked on to some extent. Thankfully it cleared the sensors as it arrived via USPS without issue. I will need to read up on safe handling & exposure for these instruments.
Thanks so much for the information. Now I have to choose which I do next. Work on fuselage or compass ? Such decisions!

Brent

[Hank Jarrett]

Small stuff is great for those FREEZING cold days in winter. NICE days are for the hangar. Looks like a nice compass and you got the mount too! Mine had a dent in the exact same spot! It was fun spooning it out. The mount case is very soft aluminum. I stretched mine a tad getting the dent out and had to shrink it back. Go gentle!

Hank

[Mark Bowden]

It appears that you have some scratches in the glass dome lense which isn't uncommon. I had one that was really bad and went to different glass blower shops and found one that was willing to do a polish effort. And he did a quite good job. It's difficult to do anything in the concave side but fluid on that side will hid a lot defects.

Of course there is great risk in handeling them as they cannot be replaced. The glass blower stated he could try to hand blow one but it would be quite difficult, his recommendation was to make a mold. Which is of course expensive.

As Hank stated, go gentle.

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Yeah there are some scratches but at this point they are around the perimeter and do not appear to affect the clarity of the dial. Given the risk will save that for another day. I did work in a glass bottle plant for a while and if I go down that path may consult some past team mates. Some pretty talented folks there.
I found this while digging around the web regarding magnetic cylinders.. Thoughts?

[wmfife]

THANK YOU!

Just measured mine (block on Carwil) and the openings are exactly 1/16". Tested i.d. with a pair of antique clock hands same width and they dropped right in. . These should FIT.

Knew I didn't need to give up. Been wondering for YEARS how this was done and this answers (almost) all my questions.