Compass rebuild and vgs

[skipilot]

Need to rebuild the compass in my 1941. It is the vertical mount one that mounts in the cross bars overhead. Where can i get a get anyone done one before? Pointers? Also have vgs to install. Im sure someone out there has put them on. What kinda difference did you notice? I have bc-12-65

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Compass rebuild and vgs

I got my compass done by Keystone and was very satisfied. One thing to remember is call them first because there is a code you need to put on the box that tells the shipper the object inside may show small residual radiation (from the Radium in the dial). You DO NOT want their sensors to think there is a security threat in the box and have them lock up your compass, or worse have them destroy it then send you a bill for radioactive material disposal. It DID HAPPEN to a guy I knew. He lost his compass and had to PAY THEM (the shipper) for destroying it! Keystone will clean all of the old Radium out, restore the case and all the seals, repaint the compass card inside and send it back filled and tested. Looks BEAUTIFUL when you get it back and GREAT people to work with.
Hank

[wmfife]

Re: Compass rebuild and vgs

... or worse have them destroy it then send you a bill for radioactive material disposal. It DID HAPPEN to a guy I knew. He lost his compass and had to PAY THEM (the shipper) for destroying it! Keystone will clean all of the old Radium out, restore the case and all the seals, repaint the compass card inside and send it back filled and tested. Looks BEAUTIFUL when you get it back and GREAT people to work with.
Hank

I really do hope they can be trusted to do this. I have a Pioneer T&B that glows very softly in total darkness and dates from the early forties, I am fairly certain. One feature I really like is the silver (chrome) ball instead of black. The only aircraft I can say for sure I've seen any like this in were the Winnie Mae and the Spirit of St. Louis! (How's that for rare?) Yet still period-original. And irresistable. So, no. I do not want to lose it.

[cvavon]

Re: Compass rebuild and vgs

I installed VGs 4 weeks ago and the big thing i found was how solid the controls are at very slow speed and to a lesser amount the plane wants to fly a little sooner then before I did not find any loss of speed at cruse and when landing at the slower speed the plane stays on the run way no float

[KewFlyer]

Re: Compass rebuild and vgs

Chuck:

Which VGs did you install?

Two cubs on the field have them and you can feel the difference when landing.

Thanks

Ralph

[cvavon]

Re: Compass rebuild and vgs

I bought the STC micro teck kit the kit is very very well put together only thing you need is step ladder and a bottle of alcohol and 6 to 8 hr to put on and go fly

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Compass rebuild and vgs

Bill,
I sent my compass with Radium to Keystone instruments ( http://keystoneinstruments.com/ ). They are NOT the cheapest (do you REALLY want the CHEAPEST?) or fastest (likewise, I don't want them to rush on a unique instrument) but their work is absolutely first class.
CALL them first and get all the processes down to ship the unit. You have to use special shipping (I don't think you can even use USPS) and the box has to have special markings so they don't have panic attacks when the radiation sensors go off. It costs extra, but they will remove all of the radioactive materials and repaint all of the markings (you might want to see if they can do fluorescent paint so it will still glow with a small black light bulb in the cockpit)
Like I said, they were a little slower and cost more than many others, but I had NO worries trusting them with some really rare parts (I have a bunch of friends who work on ORIGINAL WW-I instruments, aviation instruments don't get much rarer than that!) I will even use them for dirt common instruments from now on.
Hank

[baldeagle27]

Re: Compass rebuild and vgs

I use Dave Rogers at Legacy Instruments for all of my old instruments. He's done everything from World War 1 stuff to 1930s gauges for me. http://www.legacyinstruments.com/



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[wmfife]

Re: Compass rebuild and vgs

Well I have six instruments including a Carwil bubbleface compass (with dogear mount lugs I do NOT want to cut off AND already have a can-style mount for-) and this silver ball T&B with a hand-written overhaul tag dated 1944 as well as a Kollsman Scout nonsensitive altimeter Chet Peek himself asked about that has (unlike the original installed in the '41 T-Craft) a barometric adjustment knob (at the 6:00 o'clock position) IDENTICAL to the U.S. Gage O-400 H2 specified in the BC-12 manual with the exception of not having the moveable card but a barometric adjustment instead...

The only decision yet to make is whether to reinstall the original tach or find an angle drive (I have two but neither one fits-) for this Aeromarine, that uses up 100% of the dial surface and is calibrated in 50 RPM increments AND is from the same PERIOD. (AND if I may say looks GREAT...)

Hmmm. - Decisions, decisions...

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Compass rebuild and vgs

Bill,
You REALLY need to take some good photos of those instrument faces to post. I don't think I have ever even seen some of those.
Hank

[ajfriz]

Re: Compass rebuild and vgs

I agree with Hank, you really need to post some pictures. I have a Kollsman altimeter that sounds very close to what you described. I haven't seen another one like it.

[wmfife]

Re: Compass rebuild and vgs

...I have images stored to disk but for some reason am unable to transfer them to this forum.

Did I mention I also have a white-faced NOS ORIGINAL Taylorcraft Oil Pressure Gage (they elected to install black-faced instead on all production models-) that has NEVER been used, but would it look GREAT mounted on a *simulated* woodgrain panel - -

I have sources on both the panel colors as well as the wood-grain colors.

...I am SO glad this is '41 Deluxe and not a postwar.
I just hope I live long enough to see it fly again.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Compass rebuild and vgs

If you can email them send them to me and I will post them for you.
Hank

hjarrett
2
at
cox
dot
net

[wmfife]

Re: Compass rebuild and vgs

Will do, Hank.
We've been at this right at ten years now, right?
I just want to see it all get done.
And I don't want any of it to be halfway.

Dream of a lifetime.
First model at nine. Bought this bird nine years ago.
Need all the help I can get.
I just don't know what give up is about.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Compass rebuild and vgs

Slow restorations take a lifetime, but it is a good life.....if you have a second plane to fly. ;-)
Hank