Original Posted By: "Greg Cardinal"
Pietenpol-List: steering controls
RE: Pietenpol-List: steering controls
Original Posted By: owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
Ray, it's the same problem we've discussed before on this forum. The wooditself is strong enough to do the job, but by the time you've drilled holesin it for the bolts to attach it to the torque tube, it is significantlyweaked and prone to split the first time a buzzrd suddenly appears in yourwindscreen and you have to haul back on the stick with more than your usualfeatherlight touch on the controls. Having an emergency situation requiringquick maneuvering is NOT the place to suddenly be holding the stick up inyour hands, no longer attached to the rest of the airplane.If you insist on changing the design and substituting wood for steel (fartrickier than this week's discussion of substituting aluminum for steel),don't use a pine broomstick. At least use a hardwood, preferably ash orelm - something that won't split easily. Hickory or oak can do, but theyare much more prone to splitting. Orient the grain so that the bolt holesare running across the grain, not parallel to it. And bush the holes.Don't allow a 1/4" bolt to ride in a 1/4" hole in the wood. In the end, Idoubt you will save any weight, since your wooden stick must be solid and4130 thinwall tubing is pretty light. You will have avoided some of theeasiest welding in the project, which is generally a good warm up to thetougher welds ahead of you.The cost of enough 4130 to make the two joysticks is approximately $3. forthe fittings and bushings add maybe another $1. Just to be generous, let'ssay both sticks end up costing you $5.00. Assuming you order all your steelat one time to save shipping costs, your total cost should not be much morethan this. Why are you worried about saving costs on a five doolar itemthat is the your means of piloting this craft in the air? If you are thatconcerned, don't put the front stick in. You could save quite a bit by nomaking that stick, or the front rudder pedals, or the linkages between thefront and rear controls. This would save weight, too, and I can tell fromyour earlier posts that you are going to need all the weight savings you canget.Jack -----Original Message-----
Ray, it's the same problem we've discussed before on this forum. The wooditself is strong enough to do the job, but by the time you've drilled holesin it for the bolts to attach it to the torque tube, it is significantlyweaked and prone to split the first time a buzzrd suddenly appears in yourwindscreen and you have to haul back on the stick with more than your usualfeatherlight touch on the controls. Having an emergency situation requiringquick maneuvering is NOT the place to suddenly be holding the stick up inyour hands, no longer attached to the rest of the airplane.If you insist on changing the design and substituting wood for steel (fartrickier than this week's discussion of substituting aluminum for steel),don't use a pine broomstick. At least use a hardwood, preferably ash orelm - something that won't split easily. Hickory or oak can do, but theyare much more prone to splitting. Orient the grain so that the bolt holesare running across the grain, not parallel to it. And bush the holes.Don't allow a 1/4" bolt to ride in a 1/4" hole in the wood. In the end, Idoubt you will save any weight, since your wooden stick must be solid and4130 thinwall tubing is pretty light. You will have avoided some of theeasiest welding in the project, which is generally a good warm up to thetougher welds ahead of you.The cost of enough 4130 to make the two joysticks is approximately $3. forthe fittings and bushings add maybe another $1. Just to be generous, let'ssay both sticks end up costing you $5.00. Assuming you order all your steelat one time to save shipping costs, your total cost should not be much morethan this. Why are you worried about saving costs on a five doolar itemthat is the your means of piloting this craft in the air? If you are thatconcerned, don't put the front stick in. You could save quite a bit by nomaking that stick, or the front rudder pedals, or the linkages between thefront and rear controls. This would save weight, too, and I can tell fromyour earlier posts that you are going to need all the weight savings you canget.Jack -----Original Message-----
Pietenpol-List: steering controls
Original Posted By: Larry Neal