Yoke centerpieces

[Robert Lees]

Re: Yoke centerpieces

I bought a set of Pretzels from Univair, and yes, they need to be bushed to suit the Taylorcraft control shaft.

[NC22211]

Re: Yoke centerpieces

Gents: Our 1939 B yokes/wheels had a homemade, round, slightly convex, aluminum button formed around the hub. Were factory yokes fitted with any sort of yoke trim button? Also, the spokes on the wheel were painted in the same medium brown I have seen on many a car interior of that era. The rim may have also been that way, but the paint was worn off. Was that a factory standard, or were the yokes painted complementary to the exterior paint scheme? Lastly, for now, I have seen the round yokes bound with thin, braided, white cotton rope, similar to a boat wheel. Is this cosmetic or a factory original? Thanks. I am impressed by the quantity and caliber of this forum. Great participants make a great forum! Bob

[3Dreaming]

Re: Yoke centerpieces

Gents: Our 1939 B yokes/wheels had a homemade, round, slightly convex, aluminum button formed around the hub. Were factory yokes fitted with any sort of yoke trim button? Also, the spokes on the wheel were painted in the same medium brown I have seen on many a car interior of that era. The rim may have also been that way, but the paint was worn off. Was that a factory standard, or were the yokes painted complementary to the exterior paint scheme? Lastly, for now, I have seen the round yokes bound with thin, braided, white cotton rope, similar to a boat wheel. Is this cosmetic or a factory original? Thanks. I am impressed by the quantity and caliber of this forum. Great participants make a great forum! Bob

That little aluminum cap is original, but most of the time they are beat up. I've heard of the wheels being coated with a plastic type substance, as well as painted. Sometimes to match the interior, and sometimes other colors. The shaft should be plated, and the paint stops 1.5-2 inches behind the wheel. Tom

[Robert Lees]

Re: Yoke centerpieces

I think the very pre-wars must have been slightly different?

As I recall, the "pretzel" yokes were also used on Ercoupes. Ercoupes use the same aluminium centre button, but strangely with "Ercoupe" on them instead of "Taylorcraft". The chances are thet these evolved from the automotive industry...after all, why change an existing design?

Certainly my 1945 Taylorcraft fuselage (constructed in Nov 1941) has Pretzel yokes, in black, with black hubs and the aluminium centre "button", but the colour on the yokes is a thick plastic layer on the steel members, almost like a modern plastic coating. Also. my 1946 Taylorcraft has Pretzel yokes, in red, with red hubs and the same "button".

The Pretzel yokes are still available (in red) from Univair, but I have never seen them on the market in any other colour. And depite my threats of violence, and the fact that they have a part number for the hubs, they are apparently not in a position to make any more.

Hank "When I Get The Time" J promised a while ago to research into when he could get the time to do repro plastic centres.

He is still researching the matter, I believe.

Not that I'm in a hurry, Hank!

Rob

[barnstmr]

Re: Yoke centerpieces

Could someone explain the difference between banjo and pretzell styles? What years were each? Photos would be helpful.

[dedrekon]

Re: Yoke centerpieces

The first one is the pretzel and the second is what I've always considered the banjo style.

[N96337]

Re: Yoke centerpieces

Seems to me I flew a 140 Cessna that had the pretzel style as well... always liked them... but those banjo ones are a bit classier. Mine had the cast, cold, standard ones.... thought they were gone (finally ) but Richard sent them back... hahahha
John H.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Yoke centerpieces

As I recall, the "pretzel" yokes were also used on Ercoupes. Ercoupes use the same aluminium centre button, but strangely with "Ercoupe" on them instead of "Taylorcraft".

Certainly my 1945 Taylorcraft fuselage (constructed in Nov 1941) has Pretzel yokes, in black, with black hubs and the aluminium centre "button", but the colour on the yokes is a thick plastic layer on the steel members, almost like a modern plastic coating.

Hank "When I Get The Time" J promised a while ago to research into when he could get the time to do repro plastic centres.

He is still researching the matter, I believe.

Not that I'm in a hurry, Hank!

Rob

Rob,
The "pretzel" yokes were also used on Ercoupes with "Ercoupe" on the button. I have a really warped up ball with one. The Ercoupe guys seem to have the same problem we do getting good ones.
The coating on the tubes looks a lot like the early version of "heat shrink tube" used around wires to me and in fact I re-did a wheel with shrink tube and you can't tell it from original. The little "bumps" on the forward side of the tube to make finger grip "ripples" are just screw heads in the tube. With the shrink tube they look really good and must have been easy to make.
No rush for me on getting the info out to make new Pretzel balls. I have been piled deep at work with the return of Stardust, launch of Pluto New Horizons and launches of Progress, Soyuz and STS-121. When it rains it pours, but WHAT A BLAST to be involved! When Stardust came back we thought 1,000 particles in the collector would be a roaring success. We got back over a MILLION, and one made a hole in the AeroGel as big around as your little finger! We were expecting DUST particles!
I also have one Banjo wheel for my 41, so if anyone has a spare let me know. I bought the first one thinking I could make a dupe from scratch. I know I could, if I had enough life span left. So many fun things to do and life is so short.
Hank

[Robert Lees]

Re: Yoke centerpieces

Here's my tatty old hubs, Hank:

[Tom Baker]

Re: Yoke centerpieces

yoke centerpieces i still have a set of hub covers that was made from the plug that hank has. i had a guy in calif. make them .but have not been able to get in touch with him.if some body is interested i would loan them out. tom baker

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Yoke centerpieces

Tom, I still have the master you sent me and the metal buttons are pretty easy to make with a wood plunger, a piece of hard wood with a hole drilled in it and a piece of soft aluminum. Just drive the plunger through the hole with the piece of aluminum and a button pops out the other side (as long as you trimmed the piece of aluminum right when you started, otherwise it gets stuck in the hard wood).
I can send the stuff necessary to whoever clears it with Tom to make them. I have been burried at work and more is comming in every day. We just got Pluto New Horizons off (I worked on the Atlas V booster and SRMs on that one) and am going to be trying to establish a Masters and Doctoral program in Aerospace Safety next through the National Institute of Aerospace. I never thought I would find anything more fun than flying a Taylorcraft but exploring other planets is making a good run on it! Seven days a week and I love it. Best job I ever had, if I don't drop from exhaustion.

[flybikefarm]

Re: Yoke centerpieces

Was just at my shop lookig for some stuff, came across one (1) yoke center cap. It is in pretty fair shape. Anyone interested? George

[N96337]

Re: Yoke centerpieces

I gotta ask George...is that your truck in your avatar?
JH

[flybikefarm]

Re: Yoke centerpieces

I knew some one would ask. No, I saw this truck on I-39 halling a ships engine back to Racine Wis. after the hurricane. The truck weighed 200,000 empty, the engine was 250,000 or 450,000 gross. It was 240 feet long. As an old truck driver it caught my eye. Not everyday you see one pulling-one puhing!!!! P.S. also found glove box door with handle. George

[Robert Lees]

Re: Yoke centerpieces

I'd like two really...

George, is yours good enough to use as a pattern to create a mould? Is it nearly circular where the two halves would meet?

Rob