Bungee replacement...en masse

[DanBrown]

I STILL think we should get together and do a mass bungee replacement!

Wow! What a noise we'll make when we all cut our cords in unsion.(;f

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Strut AD?

The problem is going to start hitting us pretty soon. Bungees for our planes are a small sideline product for the manufacturer. The main use for the small rubber bands in our bungees is the cores for golf balls. The bad news for us is golf balls are moving away from wound band interiors and the market is going away for the rubber.
The golf ball material buyers have been carrying us for decades keeping the price down (hard to believe considering how much the bungees cost). Once they are gone, the cost of our bungees will shoot up, while manufacturers will try and tell us the low quality rubber used in Home Despot bungees is "just as good". High quality rubber is getting VERY HARD to get. The Rubber Free Flight model flyers have already been hit when their market support went away and good contest rubber is pretty much an even swap for pure gold.
If we all coordinate our bungee changes there will be enough market for the manufacturer to do a production run every few years instead of just making a few at a time, all of the time. If we can coordinate the Taylorcraft group for mass buys, we should be able to draw in all the other antique users and a manufacturer can make a decent size run to make a profit without bleeding us dry.
We REALLY NEED TO DO THIS!
Hank

Maybe we should have a thread for this?

[Robert Lees]

Re: Strut AD?

It needs someone/organisation to purchase a batch of quality bungees of the correct type/length/thickness and sell them on at a profit.

I think this would be a good place for the new Factory owners to step up to the mark.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Bungee replacement...en masse

That, or coordinate with a current supplier. This may not be a good money maker for the new factory (if it is, that's good). The worst way to go from a component manufacturers point of view is the way we do it now, LOTS of individuals buying a few bungees each at random times. Bungees have a finite shelf life and if they sit too long the manufacturer looses his investment. If we can coordinate our changes so he can produce an optimum number for a group to buy all at once he can eliminate his waste while making the number of bungees that gets best usage from his machines. Our cost goes down and his profit goes up. We all win. Only problem is a group has to agree to all buy at the same time up front.
The fun part is we could have a series of regional get-togethers where groups of us have the tools (and extra experienced hands) and we could do our bungees all at the same time. Sounds like a lot of fun to me and a heck of a lot safer.
Hank

[mulwyk]

Re: Bungee replacement...en masse

Hank:
We need some kind of club or organization that could buy things like bungees in quantity for the members. We could call it "The Taylorcraft Club" or "The Taylorcraft Type Club" or something like that. The same organization could represent the members to the FAA in matters like proposed AD's, STC's, and vintage maintenance issues.

[RobertP]

Re: Bungee replacement...en masse

Hi,

I have just had a set made up specially by SBC Industries (Superior Bungee Company? ) 2134 Porter Road, Scottsboro, AL 35769 phone 2562596609 for my F22A. It was impossible to get the correct one's anywhere off the shelf.

They were an excellent company to deal with but obviously on a "one Off " not cheap in fact 115.80 USD to be exact! I had to wait a couple of weeks till they did a new run to produce them. They still had the original note with measurements for my model from when Forrest had ordered a set at some stage a while back

[lfries]

Re: Bungee replacement...en masse

In todays world $115 is cheap. I'm sure a lot cheaper than a nmew spring gear or rebuilding oleo struts.

[flyguy]

Re: Bungee replacement...en masse

Did I miss something here?

Aircraft Spruce lists 2 types of shock cords on line for Taylorcrafts. The part numbers look very familiar to me, as in, that is what I have on my BC12 now.

You are going to have difficulty getting people to respond and organize to solve a problem if they don't think the problem exists.

Darryl

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Bungee replacement...en masse

The problem isn't here yet, it's that bright light in the tunnel. As the golfing industry moves away from wound rubber golf balls the main user of the rubber in our bungees will stop buying the material and the cost for bungees will shoot up. Not many other industries use the high quality rubber we use in bungees. We are really just a side show to the major consumer. I just want to be ready when the manufacturers start going off line and would like to show them a way they can still make a reasonable profit from the parts we need.
Hank

Watch out for that light in the tunnel, it could be a headlight on a locomotive!

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Bungee replacement...en masse

[I] will call SBC this afternoon and arrange for 48 at a time like we used to do> 9090 , 9010HD , 9010HDX , 1110 are most popular . Perhaps I can work a deal for the Foundation. I will report back .... maybe 11104 & 1192 for the D models too....

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Bungee replacement...en masse

AS I mentioned in the past for the F-22 series, the 1110 IS used by the Goodyear blimp in the past perhaps a friend could find them... I have made the call they are to call me back this afternoon.

[shawn coleman]

Re: Bungee replacement...en masse

forest would you have a set of gear for f22 2022t i have a bend in what i think is right gear??
thanks
shawn coleman

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Bungee replacement...en masse

I do not but lots of folks are set up to repair them . Factory , Wag-Aero , Univair ...

[shawn coleman]

Re: Bungee replacement...en masse

thanks forrest that is an option am looking into . Luckily I have a top quality machine shop here in town
,

Shawn Coleman

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Bungee replacement...en masse

SBC responded, will place first order Tues doing 9010HDX and 1110,s first. pricing and order method to follow