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Sourcing Material for Main Spar Cap Strips

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  • Sourcing Material for Main Spar Cap Strips

    On the LSA, the main spar cap strip material is 0.125" x 1" 2024T3 up to 12' long. These are available from Aircraft Spruce for about $30 ea. for 12' lengths plus $170 freight shipping to Kansas. I can also buy the material locally in 4' x 12' sheets and have it sheared into 1" wide strips and pay no shipping, but I don't need that much material. Do you think there would be enough builders willing to pick up at my Wichita, KS location that I could resell the material I didn't need if it was already sheared into 1" strips for cap strips? Any interest out there? The price would beat the $30 price a little and not have the cost of freight shipping because you would be picking it up. Possibly only $20 per 12' strip, but I don't know my shearing cost yet.

    Another related question is what size of material do the other Bearhawk models use for cap strips? If they use the same thickness, but a different width, I could have some of the sheet sheared in that width. Can anyone tell me what size of cap strips the Patrol and 4B use?

  • #2
    Nice idea but don't see how it would work for me here in Denver. ​​​​​​​
    Frank Forney
    Englewood CO
    https://eaabuilderslog.org?s=FranksLSA
    EAA Chapter 301

    Comment


    • David Swartzendruber
      David Swartzendruber commented
      Editing a comment
      My nephew may be coming to visit in May from Golden, CO. I'd have to figure out if 12ft cap strips could be secured on top of his Toyota Tacoma.

    • Jim Douglass
      Jim Douglass commented
      Editing a comment
      Have you considered Alreco in Henderson Colo (near Brighton) as a possible supplier for spar caps?

    • Frank
      Frank commented
      Editing a comment
      Thanks Jim I will check them out!

  • #3
    I would get a hold of Airparts in Kansas City and see what they can do. The Patrol capstrips are .125 x 1.00. I would not buy any extrusions or sheared strips from Aircraft Spruce. Everything I got was scratched. Went back and forth for months before I got scratch free extrusions. Never again. This subject has come up many times before. My guess is there are a lot of 2'x12'x.125 plates out there. I buy AL exclusively from Airparts. Think about your rear spars as well.
    Gerry
    Patrol #30

    Comment


    • David Swartzendruber
      David Swartzendruber commented
      Editing a comment
      I'll check with Airparts.

    • David Swartzendruber
      David Swartzendruber commented
      Editing a comment
      Airparts only has that size of extrusion in 6061 and they cannot shear material that thick. They would sell me a full 4' x 12' sheet, but at a price higher than I can get it in Wichita.

  • #4
    Wicks Aircraft Supply has the material in stock. Shipping is expensive but in the grand scheme of things still one of the cheaper items on the menu. I'm sure I would want an extra piece or two for mistakes. Question is, how much extra. I will have to play with their shipping calculator but the shipping rate seems constant: eight pieces ship for the same cost as four pieces. They offer "certification papers" for $10. I wonder if that would help ensure quality at all? Certainly I would want to order by phone to get assurances and questions answered.
    Last edited by Frank; 04-15-2021, 10:31 AM.
    Frank Forney
    Englewood CO
    https://eaabuilderslog.org?s=FranksLSA
    EAA Chapter 301

    Comment

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