Nail size?

[mhorowit]

Anyone recall the nail size for securing the LE to the spar for the ailerons? - Mike

[astjp2]

Re: Nail size?

They use brads and I think they are 19 or 20 gauge, length depending what the longest can put in. I like to dip into epoxy when I hammer them in because the new brads do not have the serrations that keep them from pulling out. Tim

Spruce has them, just get several size and put them on the shelf when you are done.

[Steve Morgan]

Re: Nail size?

Wag-Aero has some nails I used to attach ribs to the main spars of my Super Decathlon. They are a bigger gauge than the Aircraft spruce ones, and they have the rings on the shank so they will not work loose even if you want them to... ask why I know! Although you may just want the smaller nails from aircraft spruce for your task. I agree with the previous response about dipping them in epoxy... great idea and it never hurts to be safe!

[Guest]

Re: Nail size?

Its nice to be able to remove nail so that you can remove & repair ribs, remove the wing tank an so on.

I would stick with the standard nailing scheme and avoid rings and epoxy if I was doing it. It has worked for over 60 years the old way, hard to find fault with that.

Aeronca's have their own set of wing rib nail problems that's why they have those ring shank nails.

Dave

[mhorowit]

Re: Nail size?

perhaps I should have asked "What length?", as I have a collection of 'brads' from AS - Mike

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Nail size?

Use caution on those #14 ring shank on Aeronca ( American Champion) . I am finding them splitting the wood. They are too big going into older wood. Taylorcraft used the dipped nail and in todays age perhaps the epoxy is the way , I have done that on the Aeroncas .

[mhorowit]

Re: Nail size?

perhaps I should have asked "What length?", as I have a collection of 'brads' from AS - Mike

I know how I"ll do this.... insert a fine wire into one of the holes from whence a nail was withdrawn and measure the depth of penetration - Mike