Visit our Popular Forums

sgschwend · 03-01-2016, 09:26 PM

if you send it up, just make a wooden box from thin plywood. Two rectangular pieces of plywood and 2" tall scrap wood for the border that you can fasten too. Use 1/4 crown staple on one side, sheet-rock screws the other. I received boat windows that way. The box is in perfect condition when it arrives.

twolanehwy · 03-02-2016, 09:10 AM

[QUOTE=reinergirl;1755348]

Quote:

Originally Posted by twolanehwy

Yep, that's it! Also do a search on Aerowood and panel replacement or pm him, I think he's replaced those panels....

tried that Citristrip last night on the removed panel and it did a good job.
Much less toxic than conventional stripper. I used it on some roasting pans and that worked well also removing that grease buildup.
thanks

twolanehwy · 03-02-2016, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanster

Maybe if you go up to Sonoma Airport or one of the smaller airports you can find someone that still has the skill set

Its funny you suggested that as my motorcycle mechanic uses a guy at the Sonoma airport.
I'm taking this one panel up today along with a motorcycle fender to be repaired.
He is supposed to be extremely talented. We'll just have to see regarding cost now.
http://normarcher.com/

vanster · 03-03-2016, 10:27 AM

The car shots were taken at the shops behind turn 10 at the track. ( i raced sports cars for 25 years) It appears that he does beautiful work and not too far for you to haul. I am going to use Avalon in Benicia to build my belly pan corners. I went up there a few days ago and it appears to me that for what I need their work is very good and they understand what I'm try to achieve.
Van

twolanehwy · 03-03-2016, 03:47 PM

well I just made the trek up there ONLY to find out that you cannot reshape or straighten T3 (tempered) skins. I can't believe that NOT ONE PERSON knew or mentioned this was the case. I had talked about this for months, talked to Colin, talked to Andy, talked to others on this site, talked to the guy at Sonoma airport who does this for a living. Not until I make the trip do I find out this. You MUST buy 2024 Zero (no temper) shape it to segment and THEN temper it. Even then he's 6 mos. out in fabrication and about $4 - $5 K for 5 panels, that is if supply the material.
This is all new to me (compound tempered aluminum segments) and of course I ordered enough 2024 T3 to do all the sections I needed.
This is the way it always works for me. I find out after the fact...after I've purchased what is not gonna work.

What I DID learn is that you don't purchase an AS with upper panel damage unless you get it REAL cheap as it will cost a small fortune to correct.

sgschwend · 03-03-2016, 06:39 PM

The material you refer to 2024 T3 is heat treatable. You can anneal it, at a fairly low temperature. One video showed the annealing method used was a low oxygen flame stroked over the material until it was hot enough for the soot to stick. I have used pine paint sticks to do the same thing, when the sap in the paint stick flows the aluminum is hot enough to anneal.

Good luck, my offer still stand to English Wheel your side panel to see if you like it.

twolanehwy · 03-04-2016, 07:21 AM

well thats what I thought I'd read somewhere. This guy put it on the air hammer and without the heat nothing happened.
He says "I told you it wouldn't do any good". Well what do i know. Maybe he didn't want to mess with it.
I'll send a PM and get your address. Maybe you'll have some luck with it.
I appreciate your feedback and offer as I'm dead in the water at this point.

truckasaurus · 03-04-2016, 09:41 AM

I have shaped 2024 T3 Alclad on an English wheel. Granted I haven't fabricated an entire segment on mine yet and really hope not to but an English wheel will shape the sheet specified. I will be running some of my segments with damage through mine this summer and making compound curve patches for said segments. Now what you're asking for is a way bigger and harder project and I'm quite surprised the tech you found was even willing to try it. I do hope you find a solution.

http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Techn.../dp/B00B8V8M82 I'm not saying the internet is always to be believed but a little more research will confirm that on a smaller scale it would be straightforward.

twolanehwy · 03-04-2016, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truckasaurus

I have shaped 2024 T3 Alclad on an English wheel. Granted I haven't fabricated an entire segment on mine yet and really hope not to but an English wheel will shape the sheet specified. I will be running some of my segments with damage through mine this summer and making compound curve patches for said segments. Now what you're asking for is a way bigger and harder project and I'm quite surprised the tech you found was even willing to try it. I do hope you find a solution.

http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Techn.../dp/B00B8V8M82 I'm not saying the internet is always to be believed but a little more research will confirm that on a smaller scale it would be straightforward.

I've left two messages for Tim up there at TM and have never heard back. Seems everyone is busy making money and have no time for these small dealings.
I've left messages everywhere and rarely get called back. That reminds me I had called Inland again to remind them to send me a list of segments they can get. The sales girl Liz assured me if I sent pics and info she'd get me a list to no avail yet.

sgschwend · 03-05-2016, 07:11 PM

Cleaned and oiled my machine today, ready to go.

twolanehwy · 03-06-2016, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sgschwend

Cleaned and oiled my machine today, ready to go.

Thanks,
well I can't believe it again wasting materials. Just cut off that piece of T3 on Friday. Talked to Kip last night and he informed me that the compound panels are not T3 but 6061.
So now I've wasted a $110 sheet cutting that piece out. I'll send it anyway and you can experiment if you like.
I might have some 6061 around and if so I'll include that.
I'll let you know when it is on the road.
thanks Steve

truckasaurus · 03-06-2016, 06:08 PM

Kip has got to be the most skilled and experienced Aviation tech around here but Airstream are known for grabbing what they had on hand etc etc. I was pretty puzzled when I was taking my 33'er apart last year to find that my exterior end caps are, or at least are stamped as, 2024 T3 in .032".

Aerowood · 03-07-2016, 06:40 AM

Wow, that's new to me. i helped a lady a couple of years ago and her interior skins were 7075-T6. I think you're right Airstream must have used whatever alloy that they could get the best price on.
I stand corrected on my statement on the earlier models having 6061 for the end caps (none 13 Panel). See attachment. It says my 71 is 6061 but the marking said 2024-T3 on the flat sheet.

twolanehwy · 03-07-2016, 06:18 PM

Upon further inspection mine has marked 2024 all clad and unmarked compound panels. So yes it appears some are other alloys but not marked so maybe 6061?

Now does anyone know how these were formed in the old days?
Kip told me of a die system with water involved. Wonder if they were heated first or done with water as a lubricant?
Vern attached a video of the new panels being formed in one piece that was cut up from stencils. I'm guessing that the compound curves were a standard shape.

Interesting note that I found the one front panel at Inland for the front.
The sales lady says "its the holy grail as we only have one, and it's the ONLY one in the US". She also informed me that the two rear number 1 compound panels were available and they had a few. now the rear number 1's are bigger than the front.
I had sent a picture of mine missing the panel so maybe they thought it was totaled as the price for that one was $1495.00! The rears were only $495...hmmmmm..me thinks they tripled that one because they only have the one.

That right there pissed me off a little bit. I've spent other money there..pretty big as well but that was a turn off.
I may have bought all three if they were $500 ea. still steep but if they are proper well....

calais66 · 03-09-2016, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerowood

Wow, that's new to me. i helped a lady a couple of years ago and her interior skins were 7075-T6. I think you're right Airstream must have used whatever alloy that they could get the best price on.
I stand corrected on my statement on the earlier models having 6061 for the end caps (none 13 Panel). See attachment. It says my 71 is 6061 but the marking said 2024-T3 on the flat sheet.

When we stripped the interior skins on our '51 FC there were no less than three types of aluminum used. The center ceiling panel was actually mill finish, replete with what look like liquid spatter stains (acid?) and some sort of putty filler in what look like screw holes (there were also marks near these that indicate whatever they were they got ground off). It definitely was something else before it was a ceiling panel.

twolanehwy · 03-10-2016, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calais66

When we stripped the interior skins on our '51 FC there were no less than three types of aluminum used. The center ceiling panel was actually mill finish, replete with what look like liquid spatter stains (acid?) and some sort of putty filler in what look like screw holes (there were also marks near these that indicate whatever they were they got ground off). It definitely was something else before it was a ceiling panel.

thats funny, well it reminds me of the walls I remove in construction projects.
pieces of wood that were washed up on a beach, old crates whatever to piece together a wall. Once the shhet rock is on the wall you'd never know whats behind.

twolanehwy · 03-10-2016, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calais66

When we stripped the interior skins on our '51 FC there were no less than three types of aluminum used. The center ceiling panel was actually mill finish, replete with what look like liquid spatter stains (acid?) and some sort of putty filler in what look like screw holes (there were also marks near these that indicate whatever they were they got ground off). It definitely was something else before it was a ceiling panel.

thats funny, well it reminds me of the walls I remove in construction projects.
pieces of wood that were washed up on a beach, old crates whatever to piece together a wall. Once the sheet rock is on the wall you'd never know whats behind.

bruceboy777 · 03-10-2016, 09:00 AM

I plan on replacing quite a few of the panels on my 77 sovereign and all this is making a little nervous lol

sgschwend · 03-10-2016, 07:48 PM

Your metal came today.
First picture (I assume shows the bend near the edge) sight down the top edge and you can see it deviate.

The second picture show the bend center front:

Here is the part after the English wheel. The location of where the bend had been is in the front.

Here is a view of the top, the location would still be in the front left.

I did try the new material. I obtained about 1/2" of compound bend with one pass of the wheel. One measurement shows I need about 2".

Do me a favor and measure on the trailer the distance between the rivet holes on the long dimension. I really need to hold the original part as if it was mounted in order to get the same shape.

twolanehwy · 03-12-2016, 02:35 PM

Wow! that looks good Steve.
Interesting the guy at Sonoma airport ran it thru the air hammer and didn't even try the wheel. He said I told you it wouldn't come out.

I drilled a hole in a smaller tape measure with more flex and used a cleko at the 1" mark for top / bottom dimension running the length of the panel.