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doorgunner · 11-27-2006, 04:12 PM

Lets see if this works. I tried to PM and Email this to you with no joy. try it here.

Aerowood · 02-27-2007, 01:55 PM

Well the weather has improved enough for me to start re-skinning part the Globetrotter. I removed the aft lower skin this morning and will take to work tomorrow to fab a new one.

Aerowood · 02-27-2007, 01:58 PM

pics didn,t post, will try again. Guess I'll have to try later, got a server to busy message on pic upload

Aerowood · 02-27-2007, 04:44 PM

here's the pics that wouldn't post earlier

Aerowood · 03-10-2007, 04:16 PM

I got the rear most skin primed on the inside and drilled. Started the replacement of the streetside rear corner skin. Started to get cold and dark out so will finish up this one on my next day off.

Aerowood · 03-13-2007, 09:02 PM

I finished up fitting up and drilling the left rear corner skin today. The original was a compound curve skin so I had to do some flanging and shrinking to get everything to fit and line up properly. I also fitted up and drilled the stringers on the rear skin. The right rear skin is going to be a lot easier now that have done one already. I will start the right rear this weekend.

Aerowood · 03-23-2007, 04:10 PM

Most of the rear compound curve panels on my globetrotter have many dings and small dents. I was curious if I could remove them without using a hammer and dolly and this is the tool I came up with, Its like half of an English Wheel and in some places I had my daughter's boyfriend Ryan back me up with a bag of lead shot. I then removed the rt rear corner for replacement

enduroryda · 03-23-2007, 04:42 PM

That is looking really nice...Thanks for taking the time to post all the pics. Can you explain what flanging and shrinking is?? This is exactly what I need to do...although I would be buying the preformed panel I believe...I just am not brave enough yet.

Could you do a panel replacement without removing the interior and just working from the outside or would it be impossible?
Did you put sealant on in between the panels before you did the cleco's or is that something that comes after it's riveted back up?

Sorry so many questions.... More pics more pics!!!! Thanks

Aerowood · 03-23-2007, 05:12 PM

I'll try to answer your questions one at a time. A flanging tool just bends the edge of a piece of metal over. unlike a brake that will only bend over a straight line a flanging tool will brake the edge over on a curve. I only broke over about 1/2 of the panel on the upper and lower edge at the corner. I then had to shrink that edge in order to roll panel around the corner. The shrinker tool has jaws that grab the metal and compress it, forming the flanged edge around the corner. I also had to shrink the panel when it mates with the aft most panel. The original panels are compound curve panels.

It is very possible to change skin panels without removing the interior, You would just have to use "Olympic" blind type rivets.

Sealent is added to the mating surfaces of two panels just before they are riveted together. I am waiting to rivet things back together untill I have the rt. corner panel fabricated. I still need to fab two pieces of the banana wrap and then I'll have to buy some beer to get one of my co-workers to help me shoot rivets. He said he would only buck for beer. A small price to pay, besides, I think he owes me, for me helping him hang drywall.

tinbender · 03-23-2007, 07:12 PM

Yesterday I discovered that the rear center panel and the last frame member that is visible from inside the bumper storage box must be replaced. From anyone who has removed the panel and or floor in this area, I would like to know if the steel piece that runs on the inside at the bottom is a straight run or does it goes under any part of the floor or channel? It's a goner also.

I hope to have a welder take a look at it on Monday and I won't be able to take anything else apart for a clearer view before then.

Thanks, TB

tinbender · 03-23-2007, 07:18 PM

I'll try the photos one more time. Having a hard time with the site tonight. Could be my computer???
Thanks

Aerowood · 03-23-2007, 07:54 PM

the one I removed from my Globetrotter ran under the floor and was made of galvanized Steel. It was a bent piece that ran 3 inches fwd between the frame and sub floor. Mine stooped in width just short of the vertical frames. I replaced mine with .063 2024-T3 aluminum. A picture of the one I removed is on #29 of this post.

tinbender · 03-24-2007, 05:49 AM

Thanks Aero that info will help a lot in figuring out what has to be done. I too plan to replace with aluminum. I have already started looking for the metal I need but it looks like I will be running uphill on finding some alclad to do the panel with. It sure would be a good time to be near a base, suppliers for all that are usually easy to come by. Finding supplies is gonna hold up the repair.
Even after all I've read on this forum I was taken back a little and wondered if no one had ever heard of dissimilar metal problems in the '70s. Since I have minimal floor rot, I'm sure that is what caused this.

TB

enduroryda · 03-24-2007, 06:14 AM

Flanging and shrinking sounds a little out of my league but thanks for the clarification. I have another question for you...Once you drilled out all the rivets how hard was it removing the panel with all the sealant in there and what tools did you use to separate the panels??

Somebody should make a video on step by step panel replacement...this would be so helpful!!

Thanks again!!

Aerowood · 03-24-2007, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinbender

Thanks Aero that info will help a lot in figuring out what has to be done. I too plan to replace with aluminum. I have already started looking for the metal I need but it looks like I will be running uphill on finding some alclad to do the panel with. It sure would be a good time to be near a base, suppliers for all that are usually easy to come by. Finding supplies is gonna hold up the repair.
Even after all I've read on this forum I was taken back a little and wondered if no one had ever heard of dissimilar metal problems in the '70s. Since I have minimal floor rot, I'm sure that is what caused this.

TB

I hope you can find the aluminum locally. I did not use .032 when I made the new one on mine, I used .050 because it is what I had. Still 2024-t3, but I used bare instead of Alclad. It will still polish up, but with more efort on my part. I am epoxy primmining all mating surfaces and none visable surfaces, it's the best defense to preventing any future corrosion. Also check for a scrape aluminum dealers in your area, thats where I get some of my sheet and extruded stock.

Aerowood · 03-24-2007, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enduroryda

Flanging and shrinking sounds a little out of my league but thanks for the clarification. I have another question for you...Once you drilled out all the rivets how hard was it removing the panel with all the sealant in there and what tools did you use to separate the panels??

Somebody should make a video on step by step panel replacement...this would be so helpful!!

Thanks again!!

After all rivet removal I just used a thin putty knife with the corners sanded round (to prevent gouging). Sealant was minimal between the seams but heavy on the inside fillet seal. The putty knife with a hammer helping it made short work of cutting all the sealant

mikeberish · 03-25-2007, 09:30 AM

WOW!!

Aerowood and Boatdoc are my hero's! You are doing some great work.

I recently bought a '67 Tradewind 24' which I thought just needed a "little sprucing up". As I started to remove parts I found a great deal of rust on the frame.

Just aft of the axle mount flange the top and bottom beam of the main frame C-channel is rusted completely through! Arrrrgh!

Boatdoc's observation in another post is painfully true, the engineering at the Airstream plant was painfully lacking.

I was hopinign to just slip a little new plywood under the wall and be using it in a few weeks. Now I am at the point where it looks like I need either major frame repair or to build a new frame.

I have extensive experience as a mechanic and moderate experience as a fabricator (although not much in sheet metal) so I believe I have the skills to effect a first class repair.

I do have a few questions:
1 - I have no experience with bucked rivets and would like to use those as able in this restoration. Can you give me a good reference for a book or preferably a website which details the process of bucking rivets?
2 - Can you tell me the specific tools I need to buy to buck the appropriate rivets? I am assuming a bit for my air hammer and some type of hand held anvil. I checked with my local Snap-On dealer and he had a bit but could not tell me what size rivets it fit.

More questions sure to come!

Thanks
Mike

Aerowood · 03-25-2007, 12:23 PM

The process is pretty basic in theory and simple to do after some practice. Put the rivet set, which is in the rivet gun, on the rivet head, and the bucking bar on the tail, pull the trigger and push the bar and after the head swells up to form the bucktail let go of the trigger on the rivet gun, simple

. There are some really good aircraft S/M books out there and I will post the names when I find one off my old ones. As far as tools are concerned you will need a 3X rivet gun, 5/32 universal head set, bucking bars, good air drill 2500-2800rpm, cleco's and cleco pliers. That's the basics. I like using these people: Brown Aviation Tool Supply Co. Your air hammer will not work properly for shooting rivets, the piston stroke is not fast enough and will cause damage on thin skin. Snap On tools owns ATS (aircraft tools) and your dealer can get the tools you need but there's quite a markup on price. Alot of tools are available on ebay using aircraft tools on the search engine. I hope this helps.

Kip

Aerowood · 03-25-2007, 12:32 PM

here's a couple of good websites to get you started.

The Art of Sheet Metal Repair - March 2006 Issue - (Aircraft Maintenance Technology)
Aircraft Sheet Metal Books and Videos

mikeberish · 03-25-2007, 03:17 PM

Thanks for the info. I'm already through the web page and working on an order from Brown.

I thought it was relatively simple. I imagine it will take a few practice tries to perfect (or at least or at least not completely screw up) the technique.

So do I need to buy 5/16 rivets? Or is that the size of the head and the rivet is smaller? Also, is there a partiuclar alloy of rivet which is best to use? Are there various size bucked rivets used on the AS or just one?

Thanks again for your help. This BB is GREAT!!

Mike