Lessons

A project of this nature will teach many lessons.  Every day involves some level of learning process.  And some days one re-learns lessons previously taught.

A lesson  re-learned yesterday is that almost all metal fabrication processes are best undertaken wearing a quality pair of leather gloves.

One of yesterday's tasks was re-sharpening my collection of tungstens for the TIG welder.  Any time the tungsten in use becomes contaminated, such as touching the work or the rod, or the point is misshapen, the tungsten must be re-sharpened.  This involves breaking off the contaminated end with a pair of pliers and using a dedicated grinding wheel to put on a point.  I keep a collection of sharpened tungstens so that when I do contaminate one I can just pull out another one and install it in the torch rather than pulling the one out, breaking it off, re-sharpening it and re-installing it.

I was busily breaking off the ends of the ten tungstens I use in rotation and, being in a hurry, did not take the second to put on my gloves.  Predictably I jammed the end of a tungsten into my thumb.  It was (and still is) quite painful and bled profusely.  

SAFETY FIRST!!

Speaking of tungstens, a lesson I learned a few weeks ago is to be inquisitive about how things are priced.  At my local welding supplies store thoreated tungstens are sold 2 for $4.98 or 10 for $8.95. Wow!

Progress!

Finally!  After several months of study, practice, equipment purchases I have actually completed a fitting.  I am quite excited.

This is an aileron hinge.  You have followed the fabrication of the parts, but now they are all welded together and primed ready for paint.  The welds are not as pretty as I could wish, reflecting the state of my skill.  But they are structurally solid, which is my primary concern.

Now I just need to make five more of these.

Snow Day

The weather around here was such that I did not want to make the 40 mile trip into work and then get stuck there.

So I had a chance to work on the airplane.  With one hold up.  The flow gauge on the regulator for the TIG would not budge.  In fact, my first attempt at welding almost ruined the piece because there was no gas.

I can hear some of you now.  "Serves you right buying that Chinese junk".  Well, have your laugh.  Eastwood is convinced it is the regulator.  And I challenge you to buy a regulator from ANYBODY, that isn't made in China.  The upshot, Eastwood is sending me a new regulator AND a new gas solenoid valve, "just in case".  Free of wampum!  Now that is customer service.

I improved the day by completing all the components for the first aileron hinge.  It is a lot of work, and there are a total of six of hinges.

Here are the components:

The main component (the tube) is not yet finished. The bushing near the end needs to be welded and then filed/ground down to 3/4" wide.  That won't happen until the new regulator gets here.  The end of the tube nearest the bushing needs to be trimmed and rounded.  These two items were left long to make the welding easier.

This represents about six hours of work.  I am hoping that having one hinge under my belt will speed the fabrication of the next five.