F21/22

[Bonanza91K]

The nose cowl of my F21 is getting a little old and cracked. Are there new ones available? Are they specific to Tcrafts or did the use a more standard nose cowl on these later models?

[astjp2]

Re: F21/22

The Lycoming Nose bowls are pretty rare, you will have to probably get it welded and then do some good body work. Most of the nosebowls are 3003 alloy, it is malleable and weldable. Tim

[Pearson]

Re: F21/22

Find someone who is well versed in welding THIN aluminum. I found a welding shop that said they could weld aluminum. They were used to welding 1/4" material and kept burning holes in the thin metal. They finally got the hang of it, but my nosebowl has nasty scars on the inside where they learned how to weld again. If I had it to do all over again, I would find someone with Aeronautical welding experience. When they finished they said they were ONLY charging me $100. It only took them a little over an hour to do it. I would have paid double that to have it done correctly. Owning a quality TIG welder is one of the items on my bucket list. I could have done better with my MIG welder and a spool gun.

[astjp2]

Re: F21/22

Find someone who is well versed in welding THIN aluminum. I found a welding shop that said they could weld aluminum. They were used to welding 1/4" material and kept burning holes in the thin metal. They finally got the hang of it, but my nosebowl has nasty scars on the inside where they learned how to weld again. If I had it to do all over again, I would find someone with Aeronautical welding experience. When they finished they said they were ONLY charging me $100. It only took them a little over an hour to do it. I would have paid double that to have it done correctly. Owning a quality TIG welder is one of the items on my bucket list. I could have done better with my MIG welder and a spool gun.

Yes that is true, also look at getting them some .040 3003 to practic on before they butcher your cowl. Tim

[Robert Lees]

Re: F21/22

Or go to a classic car shop, they are used to this thin stuff. I had them make me a new nosebowl (admittedly for my 46 BC12D) and they did a lovely job.

Any shop that deals with aluminium-bodied cars might do you a repair at less than you could get a new one.

(In the photo below, I supplied the grilles for them to work around. Five pieces welded together...it was a shame to paint it.)

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: F21/22

I taught myself to weld aluminum (not true welding, I used LumaWeld which is more like torch soldering). It takes a LOT of practice, but while I was good at it I could weld together two pieces of Coke can and get a reasonable bead. If you strapped a piece of Stainless across one side it would be reasonably flat with the bead on the inside. I used the process to make the end fairings for the top cowl hinge. Once yo can weld a Coke can the metal for the end pieces was a snap.
Hank

Wish I had taken more photos of the nose bowl before I welded up the cracks and metal bumped the dents out. The whole bowl has less than 1/2 Tsp of filler on it.

[Robert Lees]

Re: F21/22

...And Bonanza91K welcome to the Forum! Lots of info available here.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: F21/22

OK, another of those days where I can't get the attachments to attach. @(&%@(&*)(!
Hank

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: F21/22

This is the nose bowl before and after.
Hank

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: F21/22

I don't know what you paid for that nose bowl, but it HAD to be less than the labor (labour for Robert) that I put into mine! Would they be interested in making more? Knowing what you are doing can cut the time to do it to a fraction! That thing is BEAUTIFUL! I spent MONTHS tapping on mine. The neighbors HATED me!
Hank

And years later the Parrot still makes the noise of me tapping out parts.

Or go to a classic car shop, they are used to this thin stuff. I had them make me a new nosebowl (admittedly for my 46 BC12D) and they did a lovely job.

Any shop that deals with aluminium-bodied cars might do you a repair at less than you could get a new one.

(In the photo below, I supplied the grilles for them to work around. Five pieces welded together...it was a shame to paint it.)

[M Towsley]

Re: F21/22

Hi,

I was going to welcome you, too, but I feel like I am welcoming a Bonanza to the group not knowing who you are.

Try this guy. I have bought his stuff and seen the other things he has made and it is all very nice. He could also probably repair your cowl. Give him a ring. Link to this site: http://vb.taylorcraft.org/showthread...david+wenglarz

[Robert Lees]

Re: F21/22

Bonanzas are good aeroplanes (apart from the tailwheel being at the wrong end!). They are of the right era, and still in production today. Robust, but not over-engineered. And they do what is advertised.

The American Bonanza Society (ABS) and more importantly their International brethren has been very helpful and good to me in the past, and an Oshkosh co-camper friend won Grand Champion with his ~1957 model.

Hank, my new nosebowl cost me £600 ten years ago (say $900). Having spent half that importing a used one from the USofA that did not make muster, I bit the bullet and had a proper job done. It is a gauge or two thicker (on purpose...to make it more robust).

Cowl hinge ends: I made mine out of steel (see pic below). Much more robust.

Thanks for your stimulating first post, Bonanza91K.
We also work on first names here



I use the word robust quite a lot...I want my Taylorcraft to last longer than CG Taylor intended.

[3Dreaming]

Re: F21/22

Does the F21/22 even have a metal nose bowl? For some reason I thought they were molded out of fiber glass.

[Bonanza91K]

Re: F21/22

My F21 cowl is aluminum with lots of cracks. I was looking for a source for new. I use this user name on other AC forums so why change. I back flying low and slow after 50 plus years flying the other stuff.

Jim Baker
Rochester, NY

Current F21 on wheels, skis, Baumann 1500 floats
Former S-35 Bonanza
Extra 300
Pitts S1T
Twin Comanche

[M Towsley]

Re: F21/22

Hi Jim,

I know Forrest Barber had a lot of different nose bowls when I was at his place in Alliance, Ohio a couple of years ago. I don't have his number handy but it is available if you search his info on here. Hopefully he has a better one for you. Don't forget to call David, really nice guy and super talented. Good luck!