Fabricating Wing Position Light Bracket

[seaheli]

The tooling for the light bracket started as laser cut profiles, welded together and finished with a peened surface. The brackets are made from .050 mild steel.

The material is hammer formed over the die, shrinking the outside radius and stretching the inside radius.

[joea]

Lets make this easy. Will you adopt me so I can come and work in the shop?

The stuff you make really makes me remember the old days when I had access to a nice workshop and could make things like this.

Beautiful work!

[seaheli]

I make a paper pattern for a guide for material size and directions in the process of shaping the part over the form die.

The slits in the paper pattern indicate the area that needs to stretch and the gathers indicate shrinking of the metal.

[seaheli]

The paper pattern indicated more stretching than shrinking of the metal. With the tight inside radius and greater stretching, I chose to define the inside radius first.

Hammer forming or caulking the material with a hammer that has a radius similar to the form block. Striking the caulking tool with leaded rawhide mallet.

[joea]

Would you stop playing around with us and show us the finished product!

It looks very nice in the fixture, cannot wait to see the end result!

[seaheli]

Laying down the flange and shrinking the outside radius.

[seaheli]

Joe,

I need a good camera man, will you work for Aeronca parts!

Charles

[joea]

Sure will but your photos sure look good from where I sit!

Joe

[seaheli]

Trimmed and the hole drilled. Trimming and deburing the edges is the tedious part. Need to polish and prime.

[Robert Henley]

Charles

Are you willing to sell a set of the position light brackets? If so, how much? Are these mounted on the tip bow with screws or are they welded on? I have a squirrelly bracket on my tip bows.



Regards

Robert

[seaheli]

Robert,

I sent a pm to you.

Charles

[seaheli]

When fabricating parts for older aircraft material issues arise, thickness and material makeup. The light bracket drawing called out .050" mild steel, in todays mill run that would be 18ga. material. The issue is the tolerance in the mill spec of steel, it is a broad range.

The material I first received was 18ga., at .045", the next gauge 17ga. material is not available, not a common mill run. There is a tolerance of 1/64" called out on the drawing, the .045" is within the tolerance and including 16 ga. at .055". I conveyed the issue to the customers and they agreed on the 16ga. material.

To flow the 16ga. material into the tight radius I used a rivet gun with K-Prene dies. A little extra power helps.

It takes time (research and tooling fabrication) to reproduce parts like this, I appreciate the patience that customers have in these processes.

[wisconsin7ac]

Does anyone know if Charles is willing to sell a set of these bracket's or if anyone out there may have a set of these brackets laying around they would like to sell. I am forming the bow's for my prewar Chief project and need to find a set. The one's that Spruce have I don't believe would work with the old Grimes model "A" nav lights with the Diamond shaped mount and holes about 1.5 inch apart. I did PM Charles a while back with no response, so either he was not interested or does not get on this forum anymore.

Thanks
Jim

[joea]

Jim,

Charles has been really busy with his "day job" the last couple of years, so might email him again and see, otherwise hope someone else will chime in.

Joe A

[flyer74]

I know this thread is a bit old but was anyone able to have a set of the 1-264 Grimes model A wingtip light mounts fabricated by Charles? I'm also on the hunt for a set for my Champ.

Scott