Aluminum sheet not PMA??

[mhorowit]

I'd like to replace the sheetmetal leading edge at the tip of my aileron. It's slightly over a square foot in size, so shipping would be more than the cost of the material.

My blueprints don't show the type of aluminum used; it mics at .021; anyone know the type?

If I can find that thickness at a metal supplier (non-PMA, if that term applies to sheetmetal), am I putting myself in an arkward position? - MikeH

[astjp2]

Re: Aluminum sheet not PMA??

What year of airplane? I have fiberglass molds for a prewar for the tip leading edge. If you need a post war, they are 2 pieces of aluminum that was pressed into shape. The origingal prewar was 5 pieces of .012 3003. At least mine was. Tim

Parts are PMA'd, metal is a specification, tire and radios are TSO'd

[VictorBravo]

Re: Aluminum sheet not PMA??

Mike, go to your metals distributor and tell him you want a scrap piece or cutoff of 2024 T-3 aluminum. .016" is the thinnest you can find nowadays, I doubt if you can find .012.

The key here is to get a cutoff that has the ink identification stamp on it, sating "2024 T-3 Alclad, Alcoa Aluminum, 250/QQ whatever".

If your piece of metal has the stamp on it, then you should not have any trouble with anyone, be that your IA or the FAA.

Of course, whatever you do don't go to DJ's inspector in Phoenix!

[flyguy]

Re: Aluminum sheet not PMA??

Whatever you do be careful you don't get any of the counterfeit Mil-spec aluminium from Hungchau province in China. I used some by mistake to make a hood scoop on my Camaro. One week later all there was left on my hood was a pile of dust. Freetrade will be the end of us all. JK, really.
Darryl

[mhorowit]

Re: Aluminum sheet not PMA??

Mike, go to your metals distributor and tell him you want a scrap piece or cutoff of 2024 T-3 aluminum. .016" is the thinnest you can find nowadays, I doubt if you can find .012.

Are youse guys making typos or is my micrometer Waaay off.
I'm getting .020 for the thickness, not .012 - Mike
or maybe it's these olives I've been chasing around the bottom of this glass.

[VictorBravo]

Re: Aluminum sheet not PMA??

Are youse guys making typos or is my micrometer Waaay off.
I'm getting .020 for the thickness, not .012 - Mike
or maybe it's these olives I've been chasing around the bottom of this glass.

My guess is that anywhere from .016 to .020 is plenty good for that application. Aircraft Spruce sells .016 for leading edges so I would assume this was a standard size for leading edge material. One guy said he found .012 on a pre-war, so I assumed that this might have been used on the early ships to save weight and cost.

Truth of the matter is that you can bang up .016 and .020 probably just as easily.

[Len Petterson]

Re: Aluminum sheet not PMA??

Someone here in Toronto was selleng Chines Aluminium alloys and a fellow bent a landing gear of a 6061 T6 for a Zenith 601. A expensive pice of aluminium scrap its what they ended up with, It cracked in the bends!
Chines metals are used in some airliners as parts are manefacured over there on contracts.
Hoppfully they have better qualety control from the contracting firm.
Len

[mgold]

Re: Aluminum sheet not PMA??

you might try the YARD STORE at 725 e. central. Wichita, ks.
www.yardstore.com. lots of luck

[flyguy]

Re: Aluminum sheet not PMA??

Yo Mike,
I didn't know you just needed a small piece. There is a HUGE roll of sheet aluminium in the hangar where I keep my T. It was probably bought by my friend for a rebuild that he did years ago. I just used some for my goofy vortex generator that I put a picture of here. Think it is .025--that is what I measured before, but there is more than one type, may be some thinner stuff also.
I could send you a piece just about any size that would be easy to ship via mail or UPS. You just repay me for the shipping cost. Say the word and I will check what spec and thickness it is.
Darryl

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Aluminum sheet not PMA??

.012 on the early ships , kind of hand-formed and nailed to the wooden bow; later on , the .016 was used it came in a roll as wide as the complete section around the nose ribs then it was bent a smidge on the top & bottom to prevent chafing and cutting. The tips later on were preformed . Mrs Feris could not locate nor did she make the one die so we had funny looking tips for a while that were not the same on each side. The .020 was used on our clip wing but is a bear to bend correctly , use .016 ......

[Guest]

Re: Aluminum sheet not PMA??

.012 on the early ships , kind of hand-formed and nailed to the wooden bow; later on , the .016 was used it came in a roll as wide as the complete section around the nose ribs then it was bent a smidge on the top & bottom to prevent chafing and cutting. The tips later on were preformed . Mrs Feris could not locate nor did she make the one die so we had funny looking tips for a while that were not the same on each side. The .020 was used on our clip wing but is a bear to bend correctly , use .016 ......

Hi Forrest, what alloy was used?

Dave

[Robert Lees]

Re: Aluminum sheet not PMA??

I used slip rolls to create a new tip leading edge. The old one is Cleco'd to the new to get the right contour. I used 0.016 2024T3.



More details here.

[mhorowit]

Re: Aluminum sheet not PMA??

I used slip rolls to create a new tip leading edge. The old one is Cleco'd to the new to get the right contour. I used 0.016 2024T3.



More details here.

Good HInt! - MikeH

[mhorowit]

Re: Aluminum sheet not PMA??

Yo Mike,
I didn't know you just needed a small piece. There is a HUGE roll of sheet aluminium in the hangar where I keep my T. It was probably bought by my friend for a rebuild that he did years ago. I just used some for my goofy vortex generator that I put a picture of here. Think it is .025--that is what I measured before, but there is more than one type, may be some thinner stuff also.
I could send you a piece just about any size that would be easy to ship via mail or UPS. You just repay me for the shipping cost. Say the word and I will check what spec and thickness it is.
Darryl

Darryl - would you please take a look at the thickness? The consensus seems to be .016 and I need a piece 13x13; appreciate the offer - MikeH

[flyguy]

Re: Aluminum sheet not PMA??

Mike,
Stormin cats and dogs here. Will check asap. Need to check the hangar to make sure not flooding. Likely tomorrow AM.
DC