strut attach steel cutting

[Gary Wallace]

i am looking for recommendations for cutting out my strut attach steel fittings....what have you guys done to get these cut out. i just got the steel today and need to cut these and prep them for fitting to main spars before dismantling the spars , deburring, and setting aside ready for primer while i fab the rear spars.. thanks. gary i doubt a router would cut it?

[Gary Wallace]

gonna check into waterjet i think?

[sjt]

Cutting 4130:
I came up with a way of getting the blade speed of a bandsaw down into the 200 fpm range. I then bought a package of 24 tooth blades at home depot. The blades are 47 1/2 inches long and are essentially hack saw blade material. The package ($15) contains two blades each 47 1/2 . They were supposed to be used on the millwuake portable band saw.

I then cut the blade with a dremel and silver soldered them to make an 80 inch long blade. The blade has never broken. Silver solder is good stuff. The one thing that goes wrong is sawing thru a section of 4130 that cooled to quickly and hardened. When you hit the hardened material the teeth are toast. When I screw up I just think of it as a reminder not to let 4130 cool quickly.


There are bandsaw silver solder videos on youtube. I especially like the youtube videos on how to fold up a band saw blade.

I did a write up for my local EAA chapter:

http://www.958.eaachapter.org/Newsletters/2015/1015.pdf

[mswain]

I just cut mine out on a harbor freight band saw, cleaned up the edges with a belt sander.

[Gary Wallace]

hmm really...my friggin band saw blade hardly touches it ..maybe new blade would help....did u use stock blade that came with the bandsaw? thanks again.

[N3UW]

are you using a metal cutting bandsaw or wood cutting. The wood cutting bandsaws run to fast for steel,

[mswain]

hmm really...my friggin band saw blade hardly touches it ..maybe new blade would help....did u use stock blade that came with the bandsaw? thanks again.

The blade that came with the HF saw was not very good. I went on Amazon and got a "Lenox Diemaster 2 Band Saw Blade, Bimetal, Regular Tooth, Wavy Set, Positive Rake, 64.5" Length, 1/2" Width, 0.025" Thick, 14-18 TPI"

I just photocopied the straps from the plan and used some 3M spray adhesive....glued them on the steel and cut them with the Lenox blade. You'll want to match drill them in pairs so they line up with each other on each side of the spar.

[Gary Wallace]

Sounds good yes I am using a wood cutting bandsaw I will beslowing itdown considerably as well and tryinga different blade thanks all I will now get this sorted out.

[Chewie]

Sounds good yes I am using a wood cutting bandsaw I will beslowing itdown considerably as well and tryinga different blade thanks all I will now get this sorted out.

Definitely change the blade if you have any suspicion it's not doing its thing. Amazing what a difference a new blade makes.

I added a 6:1 reduction pulley set to my band saw. If you have the space to do this, it's a fun mechanical project. Pulleys from ACE or McMaster, v belts from anywhere.
Slow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPtZbKpDXUw
Fast (bypassing the 6:1 block): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWWDU1MbUFY

[Chewie]

Gary how did this turn out? Did you find a band saw setup that works well?

[Gary Wallace]

I built a belt reduction drive for my bandsaw and got a new metal cutting blade. All good. Got strut attach steel all cut out, front and rear spars completely primed and all riveted together, and as of midnight last night, I finished fabbing and welding all wing steel components excluding hinges. I will now sandblast and prime my wing steel and prep them for priming. Then...start my wings construction. All is going vvery well!

[DRLPatrol]

Where is everyone getting the material for these. .190" for the Patrol. ACS has it in sheets but not strips. The smallest sheet that would work would be a big waste.

Doug

[geraldmorrissey]

Doug, I've got a small sheet of that material (14 x 24) that I cut a couple of parts out of. If you want to pay the shipping you can cut what you need off it and ship back the rest. I should still have enough left over to do another airplane.
Cheers
Gerry
Patrol #30

[DRLPatrol]

Gerry,
Thanks for the offer but I got it covered. Chewie and I have gone together before on stuff and I did not realize he had already gotten enough for both of us.

Thanks again
Doug

[DRLPatrol]

Doug, I've got a small sheet of that material (14 x 24) that I cut a couple of parts out of. If you want to pay the shipping you can cut what you need off it and ship back the rest. I should still have enough left over to do another airplane.
Cheers
Gerry
Patrol #30

Gerry,

PM sent

Doug