Tapered pins (again)

On Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at 10:10:49 AM UTC-4, wrote:
Helped the new owner beat his 27 together, last Sunday.............he looked shocked when I suggested he "taper" at least one pin. Nothing too severe, just 15 degrees and only on the part that extends out the back side of both spars. Found a 40mm pin in the barn from K-21 and it has 5 degree taper that starts an inch from the end, that sharpens to 15 degrees about 1/2" from the end. Looks professional, did Schleicher ever offer a tapered pin? Anything would be better than their blunt pin that will only start when everything is EXACTLY perfect!
JJ

I've made a bunch of assembly pins. Diameter is .010 smaller that wing pin. End tapers to .10 smaller in diameter over 1-1/4 inches with smooth transition. Handle made to not look like a wing pin.
Works great.
UH

wrote on 4/24/2018 7:10 AM:
Helped the new owner beat his 27 together, last Sunday.............he looked shocked when I suggested he "taper" at least one pin. Nothing too severe, just 15 degrees and only on the part that extends out the back side of both spars. Found a 40mm pin in the barn from K-21 and it has 5 degree taper that starts an inch from the end, that sharpens to 15 degrees about 1/2" from the end. Looks professional, did Schleicher ever offer a tapered pin? Anything would be better than their blunt pin that will only start when everything is EXACTLY perfect!
JJ

What, did you lose your broomstick? Works for me on my 26E, and I got the idea
from you!

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1
- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Dec 2014a" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm

http://soaringsafety.org/prevention/...anes-2014A.pdf

On Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at 7:10:49 AM UTC-7, wrote:
Helped the new owner beat his 27 together, last Sunday.............he looked shocked when I suggested he "taper" at least one pin. Nothing too severe, just 15 degrees and only on the part that extends out the back side of both spars. Found a 40mm pin in the barn from K-21 and it has 5 degree taper that starts an inch from the end, that sharpens to 15 degrees about 1/2" from the end. Looks professional, did Schleicher ever offer a tapered pin? Anything would be better than their blunt pin that will only start when everything is EXACTLY perfect!
JJ

Hmm... the two 15's, two 19's and the 20 I've dealt with all had a moderate but helpful taper on the portion of the pins that extend out aft of the spar. None of them looked like they had been modified. I've helped one 26E owner who was having trouble taking the wings apart (he had previously owned a single pin type glider and at the end of a long day forgot to take the second pin out before derigging - as you can imagine the wings were most reluctant to come out) but I've never helped put one together nor did I take a look at the pins on that ship. Maybe they used to taper them more?

Yeah, I tried my broomstick, but the 27 pins are much bigger. ......got to be just under the pin diameter! On my ship I pull the wings together with the broom handle, then shove a tapered pin in the right side. After it's in, I raise or lower the fuselage with the jack as I feel the bushings come together with a finger in the hole. When she's perfect, pop goes the pin................usually!
:) JJ

wrote on 4/25/2018 6:48 AM:
Yeah, I tried my broomstick, but the 27 pins are much bigger. ......got to be just under the pin diameter! On my ship I pull the wings together with the broom handle, then shove a tapered pin in the right side. After it's in, I raise or lower the fuselage with the jack as I feel the bushings come together with a finger in the hole. When she's perfect, pop goes the pin................usually!
:) JJ

First thing I do is get the right wing into position, and at very close to the
right angle. I have a bit of wood on the floor of left side spar opening in the
fuselage - when the right wing spar stub touches the wood, the wing is at the
correct angle.

Maybe I'm not using the broomstick the way you do. It's 2/3 the diameter of the
holes. After the left wing is in place, I put stick in half way into the pin
holes on one side, then pull towards the center line. That levers the wing halves
together; then, raise/lower the left wing tip to get the holes lined up (mostly),
insert the pin, then insert the pin on the other side.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1
- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Dec 2014a" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm

http://soaringsafety.org/prevention/...anes-2014A.pdf

Mod-1 to the basic broom handle incorporates anti-lateral technology. On days when the wings want to be ****y........broom handle is inserted as far in as possible and therefore prevents left wing in - right wing out, syndrome. Mod-1 broom handle is 12" long and just under real pin diameter, one end is round, but the other end has a gentle taper down to 1/2 diameter. The tapered end is used to get things started after wings are within 1/2" of final destination. Shove it in half way, then apply lateral force (fork right, tongue left). After wings are within 1/4" pull handle out and shove rounded end in...........repeat above persuasive technique!
:) JJ

I need to make one of these high-tech broom handles. Is this made out of a hardwood (maple, oak) or a softwood (pine)? Thanks, John

On Friday, April 27, 2018 at 9:34:38 AM UTC-7, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
On Friday, April 27, 2018 at 8:09:15 AM UTC-7, OHM Ω http://aviation.derosaweb.net wrote:
I need to make one of these high-tech broom handles. Is this made out of a hardwood (maple, oak) or a softwood (pine)? Thanks, John

I just purchased a finely made set of alignment and rigging tools so I can get the bushings aligned PERFECT, still takes ten minutes or more. I am wondering where I can get a fine broom handle without having to purchase then destroy a new broom

More on alignment:
After the glider is rigged, draw a line with a Sharpie or similar on the end of the fork spar (or front spar if a Schempp, Glasflugel, etc) continuing onto the fuselage.
In a Libelle, you can mark the rear bulkhead and the bottom of the spar "box" at the same time for fore-aft alignment.
This will be your reference for the first wing going on.
When the glider is apart, mark a center line on the front side of the single spar, extending it to the tip of the spar. Easiest to do with the wing on sawhorses/trestles and/or the rigger.
When assembling the first wing, line up the marks on the spar and fuselage.
When inserting the second wing, watch for the center line mark through the pin holes, and adjust before inserting fully.
Then use the broom handle or delrin cam tool of choice.
In S-H gliders, Dave Nadler's triangulation technique really helps with fore-aft alignment of forward-swept wings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEUQ...ature=youtu.be
Jim

or ;-)
http://www.slugger.com/en-us/baseball/wood

Go to the hardware store and look for hammer handles.
UH

On Friday, April 27, 2018 at 12:23:56 PM UTC-7, Craig Reinholt wrote:
or ;-)
http://www.slugger.com/en-us/baseball/wood

Go to the hardware store and look for hammer handles.
UH

And if they don't fit.... emery tape! :-)