boot cowl photos 1

[Mark Julicher]

Photo essay of making a boot cowl.

[Mark Julicher]

Re: boot cowl photos 1

more pics

[Mark Julicher]

Re: boot cowl photos 1

even more pics

[Mark Julicher]

Re: boot cowl photos 1

yet more pics

[Mark Julicher]

Re: boot cowl photos 1

another bunch

[Pearson]

Re: boot cowl photos 1

Mark, you da man!!! All I can say is WOW! Very nice job! Thanks for posting the pics, very educational. I would like to see more of these photo montages of projects.

One question, did you have to do a lot after the first fitting to get it to line up right?

[Ragwing nut]

Re: boot cowl photos 1

Looks like some nice work

[bashibazouk]

Re: boot cowl photos 1

Really nice work and great photos. Your pics help explain why my doors don't fit very well! Thanks for posting them.

[Mark Julicher]

Re: boot cowl photos 1

One question, did you have to do a lot after the first fitting to get it to line up right?

The fit-up was actually easy. I attribute that to three factors.

First, we laid the old part on top of the new one and drilled one rivet hole near the gas cap opening using the original part as a template. All subsequent rivet holes were match drilled through the existing holes in the firewall into the new boot cowl part. We hand massaged the new part until the curve was nearly identical, drilled, then clecoed it to fit snugly, working our way around the perimeter.

Second, with the two new sides clecoed in, we fitted the firewall onto the fuselage and pinned it in place using the engine mount bolt holes plus clecos into the four braces. this assured the firewall was back in its original location.

Third, with the fire wall and two new side pieced fitted on the fuselage, we laid the bottom "trapezoid" piece in place and used side clamps to hold it at the correct spacing. If the trapezoid is too tight, the boot cowl won't fit snugly back against the fuselage tubing. If the trapezoid is really loose it is not so good either. So by working the mate of the sides to the trapezoid we were able to get a nice fit.

You are looking at about 10-12 hours of work, with 2/3 of that doing the drilling and fitting.

[Laz]

Re: boot cowl photos 1

Really nice work. What alluminum did yu use?

[Mark Julicher]

Re: boot cowl photos 1

Laz,
I used 3003 H14, .032 thickness like the original. 3003 is not prone to cracking on the sharp bends, and H14 hardness is tough enough to hold shape, but easy enough to hand form 6061 would be a good choice, or 5052 if you happen to have sheets of that. I don't recommend 2024 because it will crack along the 180 degree crease.

[Ragwing nut]

Re: boot cowl photos 1

3003 is the best to use and what I use. 6061 is way to hard even in "O" condition. 5052 "O" is good to use but harder to find in sheet form. 2024 is formable in "O" condition, but is also hard to find except tempered T3 which will crack if improperly bent.

[astjp2]

Re: boot cowl photos 1

Mark, try fitting your doors, my boot cowl was 3/8" difference at the hinge from right to left. I wound up with 5 different tries before getting it right. Tim

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: boot cowl photos 1

Taylorcraft fuselages are NOT symmetric! Neither of mine (41 or 45) has the doors exactly the same on both sides and the windshield opening is also not symmetric (they are also not the same with each other). Doors, windows, boot cowls, seats, glareshields, headliners....... are NOT the same on each airplane. You have to custom fit them. By the way, I have the Taylorcraft fuselage drawings and they aren't the same as either fuselage either.
As long as the whole plane trammels out straight, it doesn't make a bit of difference. I didn't realize this when I reworked my 45 fuselage and spent (wasted) a HUGE amount of time making every frame square and straight.
Hank

[Mark Julicher]

Re: boot cowl photos 1

I'm sure we will have some door fitting issues to work out.
Any tips or advice is welcome.