Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Original Posted By: "TOM STINEMETZE"
Like some of you on this list, I was faced with rebuilding my Pietafter an unfortunate incident. Mine was not as bad as Gardiner's,probably not as bad as John Dilatush's, certainly not as bad asDouwe's, worse than Kevin's and probably Jack's. None of which isto say that I'm looking to compare the amount of sick feeling, oranguish, or disappointment, or disheartenment that any of us felt-but only to say that there will more than likely be setbacks for anyof us at one time or another and it is at that point that you findout whether you were intended to fly one of these things or not.In my case, it happened even before I had ever laid eyes on my Piet,sat in it, or heard the engine run. In the case of our friendCharles with his wing spars, it happened before he had even completedhis wings. It's different for every one of us who hits a big brick wallin our stint as a Piet builder, pilot, or owner.In my case, the rebuild after the nose-over incident was a veryeducational and important time. Sort of like a nurse who comes toknow and love a patient who comes into the emergency room in seriouscondition, over a period of months and years I came to know my airplaneintimately, and just as the patient one day is able to stand on hisown and take some steps, so it was with my Piet. One afternoon itwas time to start the engine, and it started! Didn't run for long,but it was a joyful time nevertheless. Then it was the first taxitest after rebuild, and then -what a wonderful day- that return toservice flight. Glorious. I loved every minute of the rebuild, eventhe frustrating days when I would find something else that neededattention or I had to order some materials or fabricate something else.How did Alfred Lord Tennyson put it? "I hold it true, whate'er befall/I feel it, when I sorrow most/ 'Tis better to have loved and lost/Than never to have loved at all".Oscar ZunigaAir Camper NX41CC "Scout"San Antonio, TXwebsite at http://www.flysquirrel.net ________________________________________________________________________________Date: Mon, 04 Apr 2011 08:28:43 -0500

Original Posted By: TOM MICHELLE BRANT
Axel-? You misjudge me! No ear for poetry? I am your non-typical engineer. I do not look down at my shoes when I speak to beautiful women but I find myselfcompletely at a loss for words when I stand in a cloud of blue smoke from abig radial engine when it starts up and I hear that stammering, banging soundof it clattering and chuffing to life. Airplanes, engines, and women all elicitsome of the most poetic things that I can express.I can wax eloquent when I find myself in the cockpit of my Piet early of a springafternoon with the smell of green growing crops filling the cockpit, mingledwith the sweet smell of 100LL, wood, fabric, and hot Aeroshell as they are whippedtogether by a laminated wooden prop into the richest blend of sights, smells,and sounds that I can imagine. Don't start me to lyin'... there is reallynothing better to pique all of the senses that a pilot has available to himor her, no matter what age.Poetry? You'll have some of that flowing from you after you get your engine buttonedback up and get Fat Bottomed Girl back in the air. Come back and talkto me about poetry after you are behind the stick again.--------Oscar ZunigaSan Antonio, TXAir Camper NX41CCRead this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... __________

Original Posted By:> jarheadpilot82(at)hotmail.com
Different Tom here...I have bought my wood (Doug Fir) recently from Youngblood Lumber in NE Minneapolis. It might be right up your alley if you're looking for something less expensive than aircraft grade spruce. If you'd like to see my project and check out the wood=2C feel free to contact me. 612-210-4103. I was looking for spar material at Youngblood. What I found was=2C well.... I can get spars from it with some ripping and gluing to remove areas with pitch pockets. The grain in some instances has slope of around 1/2" in 15" and some waves here and there but it seems to be within specs for spar material - like I said - as long as you're willing to rip and laminate your spars. I got (2) 16'-0" long rough cut 1 x 6 pieces for about $120 out the door. I bought only two so I could get them home=2C plane them and make a decision on their quality. I'm still waffling whether I want to laminate the spars or just face the music and pay ASS for aircraft grade spruce plus shipping. I wish I wasn't so cheap!Just for comparison=2C I recently got a quote from ASS for my spar material plus a shipping quote. Would be about $130 for shipping alone. So=2C figure if you bought material from MN and shipped it=2C you'd add that to your cost - maybe you're not saving much then???Tom B.> Subject: Pietenpol-List: Looking for a wood supplier in Minneapolis