Experimenter is a magazine created by EAA for people who build airplanes. We will report on amateur-built aircraft as well as ultralights and other light aircraft.
Issue link: http://experimenter.epubxp.com/i/513537
26 Vol.4 No.5 / May 2015 HINTS FOR HOMEBUILDERS Holding Nuts and Washers Dick Koehler demonstrates the use of tape, super glue, and EZ Turn lubricant to install nuts and washes in diffi cult to reach places. All About Washers Dick Koehler discusses different types of washers including tips for where to use different types and the nomenclature designations. Welding by the Numbers Dr. Joe Maj, an EAA AirVenture Oshkosh volunteer in the gas welding workshops and a SportAir Workshop instructor, shares his three key numbers for gas welding success. If you adopt these three key numbers, you will learn to gas weld much quicker and easier. HINTS FOR HOMEBUILDERS VIDEOS HERE ARE SOME OF THE LATEST HINTS FOR HOMEBUILDERS ADDED TO THE MORE THAN 450 HINTS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE HERE: SOMETIMES STANDARD tools just don't work in certain situa- tions and must either be modified or replaced with a shop-made one. Such was the case when cleaning (chasing) Loctite from the cylinder stud threads on my Rotax engine during an overhaul. A standard die holder was unusable in my situation where the studs remained in the case. When turning a standard die holder's handles, I found they interfered with an adjacent stud and were stopped. Turning the die alone by hand required ef ort beyond that which I could muster. Using a socket wrench or similar stock tool proved to be overkill and equally awkward. Being a woodworker as well as a pilot, I devised a palm-held die holder that proved ef ective. Others may fi nd this tool useful, too. Here is what I did: 1. Draw a circle approximately 2 inches in diameter on a piece of solid wood. Center the die by eyeballing, and trace its outline. Drill an access hole within the hexagon boundary, insert a scroll saw blade, remount it in the saw, and cut out the hexagon. 2. Although the outside dimensions of all the dies in a set are identical, their thread-cutting teeth are different. I made two identical hexagon cutouts for the two common thread sizes I needed. The die holders are identical except for the hole diameter in their backing plates. 3. From thin plywood, cut two circular backing plates a bit over 2 inches in diameter, one plate for each die holder. Drill a clearance hole in the center of each that matches the thread diameter to be chased. The backing plate serves as a die holder guide. 4. Slide the backing plate over the stud and then screw on the die. Spread glue on the mating surfaces of the backing plate and wood die holder and assemble them. Let this assembly dry; 5-minute epoxy works well in this application. By assembling the backing plate and die holder in this manner, the die will be centered on the backing plate's clearance hole. 5. Unscrew the assembly from the stud, and sand the backing plate and wood die holder until they are the same outside diameter. Break the edges and spray with a protective coating such as clear plastic or shellac. When dry, the tool is ready to be used. Total time should be less than an hour. In use, the die holder should be threaded onto the stud with the backing plate going on fi rst. The backing plate's purpose is to guide the die holder and keep it aligned. The palm-held die holder is intended to be used where other studs would interfere with a die holder's handles when chasing the threads. However, I fi nd it so handy that I also use it when chasing bolt threads when the head is clamped in a vise and no obstructions exist. Paul Fiebich is an occasional contributor of articles pertaining to AirBike Ace's adventures, humor, and shop tips. He can be contacted at fi ebichpv@aol.com or his website www.paul.fi ebich.org, or he can be found on Facebook. Palm-Held Die Holder A special tool BY PAUL FIEBICH Photography courtesy of Paul Fiebich