Sourcing Material for Main Spar Cap Strips

[David Swartzendruber]

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?

[Frank]

Nice idea but don't see how it would work for me here in Denver. ​​​​​​​

[David Swartzendruber]

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]

Have you considered Alreco in Henderson Colo (near Brighton) as a possible supplier for spar caps?

[Frank]

Thanks Jim I will check them out!

[geraldmorrissey]

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

[David Swartzendruber]

I'll check with Airparts.

[David Swartzendruber]

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.

[Frank]

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.