Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Original Posted By:
I just finished the rest of the welding on my torque tube and can't seem to getit to fit. From previous posts I new this was a problem so I mocked up the torquetube with wood and plastic. The fit was going to be tight but seemed to workout. Unfortunately the real thing wont fit. I know that Walt Evans and a coupleof others have notched the rear seat to clear the rear pulley support, butI hate to do this if their is another solution. Has everyone else run intothis same problem or is it just me? If you have what were the solutions? It lookslike if I make the side leg openings in the front seat wider than the 6 inchesshown on the plans, it may allow the aileron horn enough clearance to getthe torque tube in, but I don't want to hog out more wood if it doesn't work.Richard Schreiberlmforge(at)earthlink.net________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: Rick Holland
Richard,When you say your torque tube does not fit just where does it not fit? I had notrouble placeing mine in for a temporary trial fit. I have not as yet placedthe rudder bar as I am not sure as just what the distance from the seat frontsupport it should be positioned. Other than that, Where is your problem?I may have a problem and not know it. Happy New Year.Alex S.-------------- Original message -------------- I just finished the rest of the welding on my torque tube and can't seem to getit to fit. From previous posts I new this was a problem so I mocked up the torquetube with wood and plastic. The fit was going to be tight but seemed to workout. Unfortunately the real thing wont fit. I know that Walt Evans and a coupleof others have notched the rear seat to clear the rear pulley support, butI hate to do this if their is another solution. Has everyone else run intothis same problem or is it just me? If you have what were the solutions? It lookslike if I make the side leg openings in the front seat wider than the 6 inchesshown on the plans, it may allow the aileron horn enough clearance to getthe torque tube in, but I don't want to hog out more wood if it doesn't work.Richard Schreiberlmforge(at)earthlink.netRichard,When you say your torque tube does not fit just where does it not fit?I had no trouble placeing mine in for a temporary trial fit. I have notas yet placed the rudder bar as I am not sure as just what the distance fromthe seat front support it should be positioned. Other than that, Whereis your problem?I may have a problem and not know it. Happy New Year.Alex S.-------------- Original message -------------- I just finished the rest of the welding on my torque tube and can't seem toget it to fit. From previous posts I new this was a problem so I mocked up thetorque tube with wood and plastic. The fit was going to be tight but seemedto work out. Unfortunately the real thing wont fit. I know that Walt Evans anda couple of others have notched the rear seat to clear the rear pulley support,but I hate to do this if their is another solution. Has everyone else runinto this same problem or is it just me? If you have what were the solutions?It looks like if I make the side leg openings in the front seat wider thanthe 6 inches shown on the plans, it may allow the aileron horn enough clearanceto get the torque tube in, but I don't want to hog out more wood if it doesn'twork.Richard Schreiberlmforge(at)earthlink.net________________________________________________________________________________Date: Sat, 1 Jan 2005 10:34:07 -0700

Original Posted By: "Rick Holland"
Rick,That pic could have been mine. Just glued an ash block to the deck underthe horn arm, with a piece of leather glued to the top of each. The heightwas determined by the horn hitting the stop just before the aleroncontacted the bottom of the wing.My inspecting DAR liked it. Said it was simple and couldn't fail. (He is apylon racer in a Cassutt Racer)walt evansNX140DL----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By:
Alex,The fit problem I had with my torque tube was due to its length. When I tried tofit the completed torque tube (Pulley supports and aileron horn welded in place)the aileron horn and front pulley support hit the front seat back beforeI could get the rear of the torque tube to clear the front of the rear seat. What I finally wound up doing is putting a 3/4" grove with a rotary sander in thefront cross brace of the rear seat. Since the center of my rear seat is removable,I am going to just rebrace the seat and put a small cover over the hole.I think this is what others have done in the past that have had the same problem.The misfit was not off by much, so I am sure that on some Piet's the torquetube goes in fine.I spent today mounting my tailfeathers and trying to locate the ideal positionfor the elevator bellcrank to get rid of cable slack and rubbing of the cableson the horizontal stab.Rick----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: Rick Holland

Original Posted By:
Rick,Are you building the extended fuselage? That is what mine is and perhaps thathas something to do with it. I have no problem installing my torque tube controls.Alex-------------- Original message -------------- Alex,The fit problem I had with my torque tube was due to its length. When I tried tofit the completed torque tube (Pulley supports and aileron horn welded in place)the aileron horn and front pulley support hit the front seat back beforeI could get the rear of the torque tube to clear the front of the rear seat. What I finally wound up doing is putting a 3/4" grove with a rotary sander in thefront cross brace of the rear seat. Since the center of my rear seat is removable,I am going to just rebrace the seat and put a small cover over the hole.I think this is what others have done in the past that have had the same problem.The misfit was not off by much, so I am sure that on some Piet's the torquetube goes in fine.I spent today mounting my tailfeathers and trying to locate the ideal positionfor the elevator bellcrank to get rid of cable slack and rubbing of the cableson the horizontal stab.Rick----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: "Rick Holland"
Hello Rick,I am certainly not a metal man, but I would guess that you flatten it cold, My GUESS!!!J.C.Signature of: J.C. Wheeler, The EC-47 History Site.----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: "Rick Holland"
RickNo don't do it cold as this may cause cracking of the tubing. Also, don't just whack it with a hammer. Been there done that. Basically what you want to do is take some angle iron, I used about a 6-inch chunk of an old bed frame. Then I cut a 2-inch (ish) slot at the vertex (?) and bent one of the sides into a gradual curve, probably a 3-inch or so radius. I played with it until it looked right. Take a mount this in your bench vice, I had to secure it with some duct tape. I marked where I wanted the end of the tubing to go on the tape before heating the tube. I then heated the tubing until it was red hot and squished it in the vice. Worked out nicely but I ended up with the squished ends a bit wavy. Perhaps if you don't squish them so far or put in a piece of flat metal in the tub while you a squishing it might work better. Make the tube longer then you need an cut it after you squish the ends.here is a small picture of metal brackets I describedFile Squish 1 is the setup to only squish one side of the tubing, like on the rod connecting the two sticksFile Squish 2 is for squishing both sides of the tubing like on the rudder bar.Also you need to read the articles by Tony Bingelis called Making Fittings - part 1, 2 and 3. They are on EAA's website under the members section on their website.......look for (also in his books if you own them (if not you should))homebuilders building articles basic construction.or here if it workshttp://members.eaa.org/home/homebuilders/building/basics/articles.htmlChris Tracy former "metally" challenged still not metally giftedSacramento CA----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: Richard Schreiber
I left off the plywood face on the bottom front of the seat and came up throughthe floor. Works great for now. I plan on figuring out some way to make thispiece of plywood removable in the future.Chris TracySacramento, Ca ----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: "Phillips, Jack"
Rick, thanks for asking the question and Chris, thanks for an answer. I stuffedtwo lengths of tube yesterday trying the "cold squish in a vise methood"!!!!!Regards,Mike GreenRomseyVictoriaAUSTRALIA________________________________________________________________________________Subject: RE: Pietenpol-List: General metal working questionDate: Mon, 3 Jan 2005 05:25:00 -0800

Original Posted By: Michael D Cuy

Original Posted By: alexms1(at)comcast.net
What if you install the torque tube before the seats are installed? Does thiscreate some other problem?I noticed that in the original plans, an aileron horn is not mounted on the torquetube. Instead, the control cables attache to lugs welded to the stick. Itlooks like this installation can be completed after the seats are installed.Would appreciate any comments you folks have on these thoughts, so I'll know ifI'm missing something.Thanks for all the great info passed along on this site.John S ----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: "Phillips, Jack"

Original Posted By: Michael D Cuy

Original Posted By: Clif Dawson
Alex,I am also building the long fuselage. As I said before, the torque tube came reallyclose to fitting. If I had made the leg openings a little wider, or the triangleopening under the front set a little higher it would have probably fitjust fine. The notch I put in the middle of the rear seat is only 1/2 inch deep.When I put the set bottom back on it is virtually invisible. Rick________________________________________________________________________________Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2005 00:13:59 -0800

Original Posted By: Jim Ash