Strut Cuffs

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Hank I will trace the plastic cuff that Rob sent me as it is almost straight now after sitting under a weight for over a year. Or I could scan it in too if it is small enough to scan in on my standard letter size flat plate scanner. L

[cvavon]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Hank
will get to air port in next day or so will get some good photos of plastic ones on my ship will see how much work it is to disassemble and trace them to add to the drawing file of cuffs Chuck

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Strut Cuffs

There should be a hole in the channel the strut upper end attaches to. The cuff wraps around the strut and a PK screw goes through the sheet metal ends and into the hole in the channel.
When we pass out copies of the drawings I will get some pictures of the attachment unless someone beats me to it.
I never liked putting a PK screw into a steel channel, not because of damage to the channel, I just don't see why the screw wouldn't ever back out allowing the cuff to fly off. Maybe they do and that is why so many planes don't have the cuffs! It would be pretty easy to use a Tinneman nut and a machine screw. I will look into it.
Hank

[Ray]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Can someone post a picture showing the attachment points. I can see the outer screw on the plastic one in the previous pics but what is it attaching to and how is the cuff held together. Just seeing it on the plane does little to show how it goes on.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Strut Cuffs

If I can get a main (front strut) and small (rear strut) one I will make a drawing. What would be best if it is from a plane that still has the original small size strut tubes.
Someone on this thread said that the outside shapes for them is supposed to be the same and only the inner curve is different as the size of the strut tube increased. That makes sense and I don't know why it didn't dawn on me before except that the ones I have seen so far were all so different on the outside!
If I can get a couple that are original and the same we should know what they really looked like and maybe they will fit better than the ones I have been messing with. I have a pile of cardboard ones in the hangar that don't fit worth squat.
It really doesn't need to be the actual cuffs, a tracing would be fine with the thickness on it. it's a lot cheaper to mail a piece of paper than a couple of pieces of metal that don't want to stay flat. Curling envelopes that set off metal detectors probably freak out the postal employees!
My address is on one of the earlier posts if you guys can mail tracings. I will mail each back a copy of the ones that match the most often and throw in a drawing of the pieces that make up the lower end cuff. THAT one seems to fit well on my plane.
Hank

[skipilot]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Hank

I can also send one if you would like.

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Strut Cuffs

I have the originals off my deluxe. I made new ones since the strut opening needs to be larger. I won't have a taylorcraft without them installed. If you want me to send you one side I will dig them out

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Strut Cuffs

A photo is great but it would be even better if you could lay a front one and a back one on a piece of paper and trace them. Also can you check the thickness of the aluminum? With a tracing I can put it on velum and make copies to mail out.
We need to find a way to scan drawings so they can be printed out to the right size by everyone. Printing them at a drafting shop to mail can be a pain.
Hank

[skipilot]

Re: Strut Cuffs

I have the cuff off from my 1941 that are in good shape. Not sure if original or not. They are not going back on, i am putting the heavy duty struts on from airframes alaska. I could take a pic if interested.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Strut Cuffs

For me the cuffs are like the wheel pants. I want to have them, but I wouldn't put them on unless I was going to an airshow or taking photos. To me they are pretty but not worth the trouble for normal flying. I'm not interested in going fast anyway. :tup:
Hank

[Robert Lees]

Re: Strut Cuffs

I removed my strut cuffs when I rebuilt my Taylorcraft, and they made no appreciable difference to the performance (they do in theory, but it must be so miniscule as to be negligible in practice).

I would rather have pre-flight inspection access to the strut ends & fittings, and, importantly in my case, have access to the tie-down loops which are like Cubs and bolt directly to the strut end bolts.

[partyofone]

Re: Strut Cuffs

I have the patterns for the landing gear fairing too. I'll add that to the envelope.

Erik

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Strut Cuffs

I would appreciate it. I have several too, but none are originals (and none fit all that well either). Strut cuffs aren't a real high priority before I get the drawings and parts done that are needed for us to fly legally, but it is good to work on the fun stuff between sessions at the drafting board or under the panel applying a new coat of blood and hair on the tank bottom.
I also have the strut bottom cuff (that goes around the struts where they attach to the fuselage). That one DOES fit well and looks really nice. I will put all of the cuffs on one drawing when their turn comes up.
Or maybe sooner if I get a real good bleeder.
Hank Jarrett
805 Kings Creek Dr
Virginia Beach, VA 23464

[partyofone]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Hank,

I sent out a few sets of patterns taken from originals. Would you like a set to compare?

Erik

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Can someone who has an original set of 41 cuffs lay them flat on a contrasting color surface and get a picture to post? If you put a 6" rule or a Dollar bill in the picture for scale it would help a lot. When I can I would like to compare my template to the "real thing". If I can do a single drawing with various strut hole sizes maybe I can add it to the drawing list.
Hank