Compass Mounting

[cpirrmann]

Compass question. My compass has been moved to the instrument panel by a previous owner but the littleplate to mount it on the windshield tubes is still there. Does anyone know of a compass, compass mount or kit that it can go back there, or should Ileave it where it is or ????? I haven't found any equipment to mount one up there yet.
Thanks

[Winston L.]

Re: Compass Mounting

The compass was a large Airpath I beleive, in a mount made by Taylorcraft. Both the compass and the mount are very rare. If you are lucky and can find one they look neat. The compass glass looks like a fish bowl. My BC-65 has one.
Winston.

[cpirrmann]

Re: Compass Mounting

Thank you ,that gives me more to go on.

[selje]

Re: Compass Mounting

Attached is image of one I saw at OSH a few years ago. The first is one that was made to adapt a modern one and the second image is the one from OSH.

[mulwyk]

Re: Compass Mounting

Picture shows the compass mount (original?) that came with my project. The top part mounts to the tube-cross above the windshield. It looks as if two rubber O-Rings were installed over the mounting bolts to act as a vibration dampener.

The bottom portion, of course, mounts the compass. The mount seems to have originally been designed to mount a 3 inch compass. A previous owner added the plate shown to adapt the mount to fit an ordinary 2 inch compass.

This part was cast from some light material (aluminum?), but looks like it would be easy to duplicate by welding steel tube and a couple plates.

Bob Gustafson

[cpirrmann]

Re: Compass Mounting

This place has such a wealth of information, we should call it Taylorcraft University. Thanks Loads to everybody, keep em coming

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Compass Mounting

Hmmmm maybe this TAYLORCRAFT FOUNDATION discussion group WAS a good idea, Bob, Bruce, Rob, Jon, Bill and many other GOOD supporters what do you think? Keep it going in spite of the detractors? Sure why not!

[Richard Boyer]

Re: Compass Mounting

I have an S.I.R.S. compass in mine and it fits into the mount on the down tubes perfectly. The only problem is that the compass then only works when you go west. I'm not sure how to fix that one........

We ended up having to mount it on the dash above the instrument panel.

[paulnuss]

Re: Compass Mounting

It is very common to have a magnetized airframe in these old tube structures. I have two now, and had one before, where a compass placed anywhere near a steel tube structural member renders the compass all but useless, despite attempts to "swing" the compass with the compensating magnets.

Degaussing the airframe is a nearly impossible task, even when disassembled. I have had some semblance of reasonable compass performance by manufacturing an aluminum extension mount, attached to the original windshield area mount plate, but extending aft and down a ways. How far? I took an unmounted compass and held it in mid-air until I found an area least affected.

I never asked for permission from the Feds or anyone else; no inspector ever asked about it either. And I could tell which direction I was traveling, even on cloudy days or without my watch.

[Armstrong]

Re: Compass Mounting

I have the same mount and my compass says Airpath but the front glass is flat and the rear of the compass is flat , not rounded like the one in the picture. Is mine original to the BC12D?
Thanks, Rob

[Winston L.]

Re: Compass Mounting

I am not sure but I have seen about three and they were all bubble face including mine.


Winston.

[3Dreaming]

Re: Compass Mounting

I think the pre war airplanes used the bubble face compass. The post war airplanes used surpluss B16 panel mount compasses with a bracket to mount them in the windshield. Tom

[paulnuss]

Re: Compass Mounting

I have one 1946 BC12-D1 now, and had one before, that came with the bubble-face compass. Serial numbers 10074 and 10076, both relatively late production. Number 10074 for sure started out that way.

[Jim Meeker]

Re: Compass Mounting

[QUOTE=paulnuss;21346]It is very common to have a magnetized airframe in these old tube structures. I have two now, and had one before, where a compass placed anywhere near a steel tube structural member renders the compass all but useless, despite attempts to "swing" the compass with the compensating magnets.

I also had problems with a magnetized airframe. I mounted a vertical card compass http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...d_compass1.php
and found I could either aline it NS or EW but not both. I installed a balancing ball set (compass compensator) http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...ompensator.php
and it solved all the problems of alinement.
Jim

[paulnuss]

Re: Compass Mounting

I have seen those "balancing balls", actually in corporate aircraft (e.g. King-Air, C-525). I wasn't sure how and if they would function in a steel-tube frame that is already magnetized. The corporate jobs are of course not of steel construction in the windshield area. Are they actually magnets themselves? Would you please explain where you mounted them? How and if you adjust the balancing balls? Then what about the adjustment of the compensating magnets in the aircraft compass? I am very interested...