Aviation Sheetmetal Work

"Dan" wrote in message ...
Brian Whatcott wrote:
wrote:
... buying a lot of metal-working tools doesn't mean
you'll be turning out usable parts. ... So
instead of day-dreaming about a 48" metal brake from Harbor Freight
that you'll probably never buy anyway, why not pick up a piece of
angle iron and start LEARNING how to do metal-work....

-R.S.Hoover


There is another outcome possible at Harbor Freight - other than the
day-dream ending. Like me, you may BUY a tool.
I am thinking of the tube bender I bought. I KNEW that the usual tube
bender that features a ram pushing a forming tool against a pipe while
two side rollers hold it in place - is a disaster - it is about
guaranteed to collapse the wall unless the tube is loaded with sand, ice,
eutectic - whatever. So I bought the BETTER type tube bender on sale.
This has a roller that pulls the tube round a die - this provides the
motivation to stretch the tube wall on the outside, rather than ripple
the tube wall on the inside of the turn.

So fine: I bought it, and I bought a tube drilling jig, to make those
nicely fitted tube joints at 90deg, 45 deg etc....and plenty of other
things too.

What's wrong with that? I haven't used these tools at all. Not once.
And now I covet a machine lathe too (there could hardly be a more bargain
deal for $400 after all). Trouble is, Momma would have conniptions if I
put it in my study, and I would not dream of putting a machine lathe in
an unheated workshop where the ways might attract a layer of rust.
That would about break my heart.....

Brian W

One of the advantages in living alone in a house is one of my bedrooms
is my machine shop. It's more comfortable than a garage and cheaper than a
climate controlled shop.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired
Dan: One of the disadvantages I would have is sometimes my wife comes out
takes a look at what I'm doing and says " Wouldn't it be better to do it
this way?" She doesn't have any training or knowledge about machining but
she does have a totally fresh view from some other planet and sometimes she
catches me cold. It has happened a lot more than just a few times.

Stu

Bryan Martin wrote:
In article ,
cavelamb wrote:

Peter Dohm wrote:
"Brian Whatcott" wrote in message
...
wrote:

I would not dream of putting a
machine lathe in an unheated workshop where the ways might attract a
layer of rust.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
You might also try LPS-3, if I recall correctly--or was it LPS-2. In any
case, I believe that the one that gets waxy is also fairly popular for
spraying in pick-up truck beds before istalling a bed-liner.

Peter



That's LPS-3. But I can't find it anywhere locally.


There's also a product called Dow Corning (or Molykote) metal protective
coating. It's an organic wax dissolved in a solvent in an aerosol can.
It seems to only be available from industrial supply companies. I did
find a place to order it online but they only sell case lots.

McCmaster sells individual cans.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

wrote:
On Feb 16, 3:00 pm, Brian Whatcott wrote:
It says it leaves a
sticky surface. That's better than nothing.....

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Most of the comments are coming from people who have never used
kerosene & a flit-gun to protect their machine tools. I suggest you
try it before wandering off in all directions. Kerosene is called
'paraffin oil' for a pretty good reason: As the kerosene evaporates
it leaves behind a layer of WAX. It is the layer of wax that protects
the surfaces of your machine tools. Cleaning it up is no problem.
Simply re-spray and wipe it off.

Some times the 'old ways' are best. I think you'll find this is one
of those times.

-R.S.Hoover

Kerosene can also be used for cutting oil.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

Morgans wrote:
"Anthony W" wrote in message
...
Brian Whatcott wrote:

I understand this objection. But I have an objection to WD-40 or straight
kerosene. It evaporates. Then here comes the FeO2

(At least, that's what I have in mind - I would be pleased to hear I'm
wrong on this one...)

Brian W
Try a 50/50 mix of automatic transmission fluid and kerosene. You will be
amazed how well it both lubes and protects against rust.

And if there is paint on the machine that is not bake on, epoxy, or powder
coat, it can also remove the paint.

And stings like a ******* when you get it in a cut or scratch.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

Stuart Fields wrote:
"Dan" wrote in message ...
Brian Whatcott wrote:
wrote:
... buying a lot of metal-working tools doesn't mean
you'll be turning out usable parts. ... So
instead of day-dreaming about a 48" metal brake from Harbor Freight
that you'll probably never buy anyway, why not pick up a piece of
angle iron and start LEARNING how to do metal-work....
-R.S.Hoover

There is another outcome possible at Harbor Freight - other than the
day-dream ending. Like me, you may BUY a tool.
I am thinking of the tube bender I bought. I KNEW that the usual tube
bender that features a ram pushing a forming tool against a pipe while
two side rollers hold it in place - is a disaster - it is about
guaranteed to collapse the wall unless the tube is loaded with sand, ice,
eutectic - whatever. So I bought the BETTER type tube bender on sale.
This has a roller that pulls the tube round a die - this provides the
motivation to stretch the tube wall on the outside, rather than ripple
the tube wall on the inside of the turn.

So fine: I bought it, and I bought a tube drilling jig, to make those
nicely fitted tube joints at 90deg, 45 deg etc....and plenty of other
things too.

What's wrong with that? I haven't used these tools at all. Not once.
And now I covet a machine lathe too (there could hardly be a more bargain
deal for $400 after all). Trouble is, Momma would have conniptions if I
put it in my study, and I would not dream of putting a machine lathe in
an unheated workshop where the ways might attract a layer of rust.
That would about break my heart.....

Brian W
One of the advantages in living alone in a house is one of my bedrooms
is my machine shop. It's more comfortable than a garage and cheaper than a
climate controlled shop.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired
Dan: One of the disadvantages I would have is sometimes my wife comes out
takes a look at what I'm doing and says " Wouldn't it be better to do it
this way?" She doesn't have any training or knowledge about machining but
she does have a totally fresh view from some other planet and sometimes she
catches me cold. It has happened a lot more than just a few times.

Stu


My war department was good for that too, usually when I was
thoroughly frustrated or when I have something set up and ready to go
and she'd point out the set up wouldn't do what I wanted. The latter
started before we actually married when I was making a tapered desk leg
and cut the first mitre on the wrong side.

This is the same woman who asked me to clean a repair kitchen sink
drain. I drained the trap into a bucket, removed the trap and got under
the sink. She asked if there was anything she could to help. I said she
could dump the bucket. I'll let you guess where she decided to dump it.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

On Feb 15, 8:05*pm, "Flash" wrote:

Back in the middle of the last century, we doped dry-flies in *- hold on for
this one -- * Ronsonol lighter fluid with parafin household wax dissolved
in it . *Hey, it worked.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ronsonol... and other 'lighter fluids' are in fact, naphtha, available
in quarts, gallons and 5-gal containers from a competent painter's
supply house.

Old-time sailors use a number of formulas containing paraffin wax
dissolved in naphtha and mixed with BOILED LINSEED OIL. The mixture
was painted on to CANVAS then allowed to dry in sunlight. The result
was known as OIL-SKINS. This was usually the top-most cover of any
battened-down hatch, the foul-weather gear you wore, covers for boats
on davits, and so forth.

Among airmen, a modern-day equivalent would be Johnson's 'Jonwax 50.'
This will waterproof a sewn canvas propeller cover, cockpit cover,
etc. But if you can't afford the Jonwax (or more likely, can't locate
a source), it's always handy to have the 'old fashioned' formulas as a
back-up.

If you have trouble finding real canvas ( for a water-proof cover you
want 100% cotton or flax [ie, linen] ) try the heaviest grade of 100%
cotton 'muslin' from your local fabric shop. And if that doesn't
serve, order the largest 'tool cover' you can find in the Harbor
Freight catalog. Most such covers are made from #8 canvas (ie light-
weight stuff; lighter than the fabric in a pair of Levis).

-R.S.Hoover

PS - Covers of various kinds are a fact of aviation-life. If each
flight returns to its point of origin then you would of course have
some provision for the temporary storage of such covers. But on a
cross-country flight that includes any RON's ( ie remain-over-night )
you should make some provision for carrying such covers with you,
unless you are willing to bet the flight will NOT encounter any
problems that would require you to RON for SEVERAL nights, especially
during foul weather.
Indeed, your cross-country flight-planning usually carries such
preparations a step further; to the inclusion of adequate survival
gear for each of the plane's occupants. It should go without saying
that the WEIGHT of such gear, plus the previously mentioned covers,
must be taken into account, along with suitable STOWAGE. - rsh

Anthony W wrote:
....

Try a 50/50 mix of automatic transmission fluid and kerosene. You will
be amazed how well it both lubes and protects against rust.

Tony

This appeals to my prejudices no doubt. But I just read Bob's thought
that kerosene retains the waxy fraction. If so, that would work for me,
just as he suggests

Brian W

Dan wrote:
....

One of the advantages in living alone in a house is one of my bedrooms
is my machine shop. It's more comfortable than a garage and cheaper than
a climate controlled shop.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired


But who cooks breakfast? Oh, yes. I do! :-)
(Unfair to my beloved - she cooks and washes up after me without cease.)

B

Brian Whatcott wrote:
Anthony W wrote:
...

Try a 50/50 mix of automatic transmission fluid and kerosene. You
will be amazed how well it both lubes and protects against rust.

Tony

This appeals to my prejudices no doubt. But I just read Bob's thought
that kerosene retains the waxy fraction. If so, that would work for me,
just as he suggests

Brian W

The 50/50 kerosene and ATF is an old formula for a gun oil and short
term preservative. I didn't even think about it being bad for paint but
it has worked great on my rifles for many years.

Tony

On Feb 16, 6:07*pm, Anthony W wrote:
Brian Whatcott wrote:


Brian W

Try a 50/50 mix of automatic transmission fluid and kerosene. *You
will
be amazed how well it both lubes and protects against rust.

Tony

If anything is siezed the auto trans fluid will free it up quick. In
addition to removing paing it also likes to clean up rust.

Joe S.