DO NOT WELD AROUND DOPE COVERING!!!

[David Johnson]

Confession is good for the Soul, they say. Please excuse the yellow nature of my photo subject, I felt the lesson was too good not to pass along. I hope it sticks in someones head and they remember it before they make a mistake.

A word to the wise. DO NOT WELD AROUND DOPE FINISHES. NO MATTER HOW CAREFUL YOU ARE. I had the weld area wrapped with 2 new welding blankets(no holes). And still nearly burned down my house. Welding on the front wing fitting. Trust me, I was very safety conscious. Some even say paranoid. And I still had a very close call. I will not weld on this one again till the fabric is all off the frame. No way, no how. I was moving real fast. REAL FAST. And I had a 10lb fire extinguisher handy. Had it only been a 5lb, it would still be burning. This Cub belongs to an older gentleman friend who still loves dope. Poly Fiber won't do this.





Promised to help finish the structural repairs on this one, then I will get to working on my own stuff. David J.

[MikeB]

Ouch!! Sorry to see your troubles but glad it didn't get any worse. As they say "A picture is worth a thousand words".

MikeB

[David Johnson]

Serious Brown Out Conditions. And I don't mean sand either. David J.

[seaheli]

David,

I have turned away weld repairs for that same reason. Safety is the utmost importance! Hope the shop and you are OK!

TIG or Oxy-Acetylene?

Charles

[David Johnson]

Charles, I am a TIG guy. I was building a small jig to re-locate the front wing fitting after one of the bird cage tubes was replaced(before cutting the original fitting off) using a mig to weld the jig together. It thru a few sparks, as they often do, and that is what got me. On got thru the welding blankets. Poof, and the race was on! David J.

P.S. it didn't even soot up the basement ceiling, the flames were only a few inches high. Everything OK except the underwear. Still unable to locate it.

[joea]

Boy... that would get your attention!

Glad you and the plane are both ok!

Joe A

[kyleb]

Damn dude! I was just searching around for a good price on B/C extinguishers last night.

I'm more motivated now.

[David Johnson]

It is worth the price.Trust me. Do it now. I am now looking for a 20lb or so extinguisher for the basement. Years ago Lloyd and I nearly burned a 7KCAB Citabria of his. We went then and bought 10lb fire bottles. That was the one I used Saturday.....David J.

P.S. there is a company in Cartersville that handles this kind of stuff. I will email you the number tomorrow. I have it at work.

[kyleb]

It is worth the price.Trust me. Do it now. I am now looking for a 20lb or so extinguisher for the basement. Years ago Lloyd and I nearly burned a 7KCAB Citabria of his. We went then and bought 10lb fire bottles. That was the one I used Saturday.....David J.

P.S. there is a company in Cartersville that handles this kind of stuff. I will email you the number tomorrow. I have it at work.

No need. The company is H & (?) and is located on Hwy 20. Running by there will add about 1/2 mile to my commute..

[Lostdutchman]

Had the same thing happen to me while welding on hyd. master cyl standoff. tons of wet towels and a weld blanket and the little cherry rolled over the top of the mess and ignited the belly. by time i got up and grabbed the extinguisher 8 foot of the belly was gone and going up the left side. happens really fast. i decided to put off any more welding til the fuselage recover. ended up patching the belly.

[Jimmy Payne]

David,

Had a similar thing happen to me a couple of weeks ago while repairing a tailwheel bracket on another "yellow" airplane. I was cutting with a ziz wheel and the sparks hit the fabric and caught it on fire. I also had all openings and exposed fabric (I thought) covered. It burns quickly. I also had a fire extingusher close by but decided just to grab the smoldering fabric and snuff it out by hand.

I also had a "brown out condition"

I think I see a pattern. We have to stay away from yellow airplanes.

[joea]

I think I see a pattern. We have to stay away from yellow airplanes.

How about "yellow airplanes made by Piper!"

[mike newall]

Thankfully, it was a P*per, not a 'Ronca...........


Tin hat on - Incoming


Yea, I know - I have a J-5 that I am restoring, OK, go on, gloat

[shorty]

Dammit David!!

Far be it from me to rub it in.
But seems like someone made mention of such occurances as we were strapping it to the trailer.
just yankin' yer chain. Glad it wasn't a full conflagration.
And I guess Carol will get new cover on his fuselage, (as was mentioned as it was being loaded on the trailer)

I actually had a new welding blanket catch fire and burn voraciously.
From now on I buy full chap hides from Tandy. If it ain't cow it ain't a welding blanket.
So how's the project comming?

[David Johnson]

Shorty, fuselage all stripped down. Back to grinding and welding.....David J.