First flight

[clear_prop1961]

Re: First flight

Regarding the yoke cap for the 1941 yoke, I would recommend talking to Jery Turner of Nostalgic Reflections... 509-226-3522. See the work they do at www.nostalgicreflections.com. They do great work. He will want to see an original cap to work from.

By the way the cap may not be chrome plated but nickel plated, but Jerry can tell which.
Jerry

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: First flight

Are you sure the plating isn't Nickel instead of chrome? Nickel was really popular around WW-II.
Hank

[crispy critter]

Re: First flight

I honestly think they are nickle plated but not sure. Usually chrome will crack & flake with age where nickle will usually not.

[flyguy]

Re: First flight

Is this of any use:

http://hubbardspring.com/index.php/category/43/cupped-plugs-and-cupped-plugs-pierced-catalog

DC

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: First flight

Close, but no cigar. The ones used for the wheel centers were domed, not flat. I have seen some in brass that were much smaller, but could never find any the right diameter. If you notice the edges are also larger in diameter at teh open end and taper towards the flat part. At first I thought they started with one like those in the catalog and just pressed them through a die.....presto, the dome would be there and the edges would be parallel. Didn't work. You could squeeze the edges in, but the flat part didn't dome.
I know they are out there, but maybe this should be a new thread since we have really taken over this thread!
Hank

[barnstmr]

Re: First flight

Mark - VERY NICE - I love the colors and your deluxe trim and your instrument panel and your bubble compass and your hub caps and...

[Mark Baxter]

Re: First flight

Hi Terry,
Thank you, it came out pretty good for a first time restoration. I spent hours and hours tapping and smoothing and polishing on those shinn wheel covers. The colors are not really correct for a '41 deluxe. My brother and I are partners on the plane and this was a color scheme that we both liked and was somewhat faithful to the time period. One of these days I am going to get going on those fenders that I bought from you. Again, not correct for a '41 but they should look pretty good on the old girl.
Mark

[wmfife]

Re: First flight

Mark -

...Yours is sooo much like mine - especially the wheel covers. And like you I have looked at wheel pants but pretty sure mine didn't come with them...

Have looked at the CAA plane and what I liked best is the white trim stripe - why I decided after the cd on mine turned up w /no color info and knowing mine was done in brown schemes for so long to go with Yellow and Black, as that's the only factory scheme that used a white trim stripe down the sides. Just love the way it looks. But one question -

Can you show us the seats in yours? The 54" leatherette trim remnant I ordered just arrived today. It's dark golden brown and looks *perfect* next to the lt. (read: "dirty medium") taupe mohair roll I got for the main seats and doors to go in mine. . . As with instruments, ya have to look at more than one photo from the period to get an idea. The contrast (& other details) weren't always the same.

Still looking for an upholstery shop to re-do these seats but believe I'm well on the way to getting it "Peek-original" according to the description in The Taylorcraft Story.
...Not "Brown Wine"? Then what "...wine" should it be?

Hey I'm trying. Have '41 will go down fighting.

All I can say -

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: First flight

Did anyone ever find the freeze plugs to make the center pieces for the Banjo wheels? I am still interested in finding a second Banjo for my plane. The wheels in it now are really nice and very comfortable to fly with, but not the originals.
I am also trying to remember who I gave the glove box door handle molds to. I need to make a couple more since it looks like I picked the wrong resin for mine and they got brittle and cracked. Next ones are going to have some glass or carbon fiber buried in them.
Hank

[wmfife]

Re: First flight

I have an extra glove box complete w /wood handle out of an AK C85 conversion BC12D and some more parts if anyone interested. Fraid I am stuck with these steel wing tanks though. They are bad to rust not like the aluminum ones-- But won't be using the BC12D instrument panel blank now. It's up for grabs - -

[shipljl]

Re: First flight

My wheel centers could use re-plating. How do you plate nickel onto brass? Anybody know?

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: First flight

Take it to a GOOD plating shop. It isn't something you do without the right equipment. They will be able to electro strip the old plating and re-plate it. Nice thing is you don't have to worry about embritilement relief on Brass with nickel.
Hank

If you don't have a good plating shop local there is a great one in Norfolk VA. Expensive, but best quality around.

[wmfife]

Re: First flight

I was thinking that same thing. Chrome does get brittle and besides nickel just looks nicer.
Anybody know the correct finish for the spokes? Mine are chrome and it's all flaking, even worse than the plug caps. Were they ever painted? Hard to tell from the B&W factory photos.

And BTW thanks for all the help, Hank! Hope the knees have healed. We can't afford to lose you now!

[jim cooper]

Re: First flight

they were showing on TV yesterday how things were chromed. They explained that its first NICKLE plated then chromed. If left just nickle it will tarnish quickly which is why it is then chrome plated, the thickness of a human hair. JC

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: First flight

There are all kinds of plating techniques. We used to plate with copper first and follow with chrome on some parts. Plating is pretty much a dark art. Our best plating technicians used to look at the bubbles instead of the the Volt and Amp meters. Drove us engineers crazy, but they sure did some beautiful work. Best thing to do is look at the work they do (especially after a few years).
Royal Silver is where I took my parts in Norfolk VA. Like I said, expensive, but really nice work.
Hank

Still looking for another banjo wheel. Maybe we could get a bulk rate if we had several wheels at once.