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Cracked Spar Pictures, how to post here?

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  • #1

    Cracked Spar Pictures, how to post here?

    Finally took some pictures today of the cracked and rotten spars I replaced last year for a customer, and wanted to post them as an FYI/teaching tool or whatever. What's the prefered way of posting them here?
    Thanks,
    CJ
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    "I remember my first flight like it was yesterday, the sky was clear, the winds were calm, and my credit card had a zero balance."
    If you can read this, thank a teacher....
    If you're reading it in english, thank the military
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  • #2
    Re: Cracked Spar Pictures, how to post here?

    Ok, looked at Dano's post and will try that method. See if I can get them to come up.
    CJ
    If you can read this, thank a teacher....
    If you're reading it in english, thank the military

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    • #3
      Re: Cracked Spar Pictures, how to post here?

      Test picture post.................

      Photobucket
      If you can read this, thank a teacher....
      If you're reading it in english, thank the military

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      • #4
        Re: Cracked Spar Pictures, how to post here?

        Nice T-craft!

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: Cracked Spar Pictures, how to post here?

          Ok, figured it out. These are pictures from the Taylorcraft that made me quit my last "job" working for someone else. This airplane had been covered 14 years previously, and had 28 inspection rings installed, and NOT ONE had ever been cut. The big city shop I was working for at the time had annualed it 2 years previously. First thing I did was cut the holes and the following pictures are what I found. The left rear strut was obviously the worst, with 4 compression cracks, 2 of which were half way through the spar, both inboard of the strut doublers. The other 2 disappear behind the doublers. The root pictures are also of the left rear spar, the plywood and nails came off with my fingernail. The right root was the same. No cracks in the front spars, but rotten wood abounded. The right front was replaced when it was recovered and was fine after sanding and a liberal dose of varnish. The left front was rotten at the root as well, and the plywood flicked off with a fingernail. Though the inspection holes were never cut, the holes around the aileron hinges and arm were huge. Every mouse and bird within 50 miles had lived and deficated inside.
          The owner has owned this since 1975. He routinely does aerobatics, loops, rolls, and whatever else you can get him to confess to falling out of. Needless to say, he turned as white as a ghost, then got fighting mad at his previous "maintenance". He still does aerobatics, so I installed a 2 1/4" G meter where the origional compass was, and had his parachute repacked. Can't stop him, so might as well help him! And yes, the trim was his idea. He masked all of that and hand painted the aztec god on the boot cowl. He's a trip, but one hell of a nice guy.
          Thought I'd post these for educational purposes if nothing else. If you don't trust your mechanic, find another one. There are still some good ones around who are trying to save your life.
          CJ











          Last edited by PT13Pilot; 02-29-2008, 21:13.
          If you can read this, thank a teacher....
          If you're reading it in english, thank the military

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: Cracked Spar Pictures, how to post here?

            Thanks Dave, and yes, that was BEFORE using your bungee tool! I had just hung the wings after the rebuild and was cleaning out his hangar. He hand masked that stripe, I told him if we recover the fuselage, there isn't enough money for me to redo it. He said he'd take care of it.
            CJ
            If you can read this, thank a teacher....
            If you're reading it in english, thank the military

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: Cracked Spar Pictures, how to post here?

              Oh my goodness that is an incredible spar!

              Comment

              • #8
                Re: Cracked Spar Pictures, how to post here?

                I'm amazed she stayed together, rotten wood, cracks, aerobatics, it had every right to come apart and didn't. He should have bought a lottery ticket!
                CJ
                Last edited by PT13Pilot; 02-29-2008, 21:26.
                If you can read this, thank a teacher....
                If you're reading it in english, thank the military

                Comment

                • #9
                  Re: Cracked Spar Pictures, how to post here?

                  Inboard of the strut. On top, yes? Any comment on that. I would have expected just outboard. Negative G's and weakest spot?

                  Would you comment on the light horizontal line #2 left rear spar. What is that? Looks familiar.
                  DC

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                  • #10
                    Re: Cracked Spar Pictures, how to post here?

                    I suspect that is where the normal compression stress is very high from bending and in adddition to that it has the compression load and stress imposed by the strut.

                    The normal compression stress in high positive G's will be greatest on the top so that could explain it.

                    On the outboard side there is no added compression load and stress imposed by the strut.

                    Dave

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                    • #11
                      Re: Cracked Spar Pictures, how to post here?

                      Flyguy,
                      I think the horizontal line you're talking about is just a scratch from sliding the ribs off of the spar and isn't a crack.
                      Also, the root pictures aren't cracks, per say, this was a composite spar made of multiple pieces, the wood was rotten and the glue joints had given it up. I forgot to take a picture of the edge where I cut the spar in half, it was made of 6 pieces of wood where I cut it with laminations from top to bottom and front to back. Lots of leftovers pieces to make a spar, but I'm sure it was strong when it was new.
                      CJ
                      If you can read this, thank a teacher....
                      If you're reading it in english, thank the military

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Re: Cracked Spar Pictures, how to post here?

                        The "laminated" spars made by the Tolerton Co. here in Alliance were a very special process and Tolerton supplied Piper, & Aeronca also. It was a radio tube made by RCA to cure the glue in 2 min. time. I think the Tolerton stamp is in one of the photos.

                        I had dinner with Bob Tolerton last Wed.. he will be at the fly-in to talk about the process.... those spar drawings are very unique.
                        Those pictures are an example of the crap that can be out there....
                        Makes some of the Aeronca spars look like jewels and THEY had the big AD....
                        Taylorcraft Foundation, Inc
                        Forrest A Barber 330-495-5447
                        TF#1
                        www.BarberAircraft.com
                        [email protected]

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                        • #13
                          Re: Cracked Spar Pictures, how to post here?

                          I took far too few pictures of the rebuild, but here a are a few before and afters. And whoever covered it previously had used cheap duct tape for chafe tape, making the metal cleanup a long, and cussing affair.






                          If you can read this, thank a teacher....
                          If you're reading it in english, thank the military

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Re: Cracked Spar Pictures, how to post here?

                            Forrest,
                            I'll get a bigger picture of the makers stamp, I think is says Curtiss in the middle. When new and properly cared for, that spar was hell for stout with that many laminations, it's a shame it was allowed to rot. And this set of wings, like many Aeronca wings are the reason for these stupid AD's. You can't mandate common sense and good maintenance practices, but they sure are trying. Frustrating to say the least.
                            I figured these pictures are a lot clearer than the little pencil drawings in 43.13.
                            If you can read this, thank a teacher....
                            If you're reading it in english, thank the military

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Re: Cracked Spar Pictures, how to post here?

                              Nice looking work. May I ask what you charge for a complete wing rebuild and recover, say for new spars and assuming most of the other parts are ok?
                              Darryl

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