Pietenpol-List: A Couple of Welding Questions
Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2014 9:16 am
Original Posted By: "jarheadpilot82"
Builders,There are only four things in Piet building I would like to make builders awareof, and let them choose to use if they wish:1) I want to show people that it is easy to build and fly a Piet in the published15 -20" CG range, even if the engine is as light as an A-40 or as heavy asan O-235, with pilot weights from 120-320 pounds. We did the testing, I will assistbuilders with the math, it doesn't cost any more nor take any more timeto build a plane in CG.2) I want builders to know that there are published locations for where to locatethe axle with and without brakes, and data on this directly from BHP. You don'tneed to guess. This info is with the W&B articles. When building, it doesn'tcost anything to put the axle in a better spot, nor take any more time.3) I give examples of better ways of building the cabanes, making them more likeBHP did in the 1960s rather than the 1930s. The original plane had one set ofcrossed wires and no diagonals. No one does that, I am only suggesting leapfrogging the 1930s light diagonals to the stronger 1960s ones. Again, when buildingit doesn't take any more time nor cost more than $5 more in up sized tubing.4) I would like builders to be aware that a hard aluminum fuel line, run from thetank to the firewall is likely to get severed, even in a very small accident.A better option is using a braided steel jacketed flex line. The material forthis costs $20 more than the 5052 hard tubing. It is actually easier to make,and does not require flaring tools. ------------------------------------------------------That is it, it is the sum total of my advice to Piet builders. Note that I am nottelling anyone to take even another 5 hours to build a plane, and the moneyI am speaking of is $25, maybe 1/400th of the cost of building a low cost Piet.---------------------------------------------------Please note: I don't tell people what engine to use, what airfoil, what kind ofwheels, what cover their plane in, what color to paint it, how to paint it norhow nor where to fly it. I don't have an opinion on 'what is a real Piet' orany of that. It is very odd to me that a guy who tells people "who the planeis for" or what engine to use, or that some kinds of covering are 'wrong' is notperceived as telling people what to do, but the four points I bring up above,are sometimes perceived as "Telling people what kind of plane they have tobuild". I strongly hold that it is your plane, and you have a right to build it anywayyou want. I don't even care if you follow the four ideas above. All I want isbuilders to be aware they exist, and the only people who I have heartburn overare the people who claim that the data doesn't exist, it is too much work todo correctly or it costs to much or somehow ruins the spirit of fun flying tofly in the CG range. Again, those people are trying to tell others what to dowith their planes, I just want builders to understand and choose for themselves.---------------------------------------------------------While some people hold that it is a "waste of time and money" to build a Pietenpolwith any type of modification, or adaption or even things like brakes or electricstart, It is my option that it is your time, and your money to waste.I don't like being told what to do with my time and money, I don't care what peoplechoose to do with theirs.Operative word in the last paragraph is Choose. That implies that the builder gotto read about the options, ask questions, hear about it and then picked forhimself.The one thing I do think of as a colossal waste of money and time is building aplane that is just OK, and 'works' and then flying it to Brodhead and findingout that a guy who took the same time building his plane and spent $25 more,can fly with a pilot that weighs 75 pounds more, land slower, and fully use hisbrakes, and doesn't worry about a small mishap dislodging his wing or rupturinga fuel line. My point is that each builder can either choose to be the guywith the better plane or the guy looking at it. It is a fee world, take yourpick.-ww.Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ___Subject: Pietenpol-List: A Couple of Welding Questions
Builders,There are only four things in Piet building I would like to make builders awareof, and let them choose to use if they wish:1) I want to show people that it is easy to build and fly a Piet in the published15 -20" CG range, even if the engine is as light as an A-40 or as heavy asan O-235, with pilot weights from 120-320 pounds. We did the testing, I will assistbuilders with the math, it doesn't cost any more nor take any more timeto build a plane in CG.2) I want builders to know that there are published locations for where to locatethe axle with and without brakes, and data on this directly from BHP. You don'tneed to guess. This info is with the W&B articles. When building, it doesn'tcost anything to put the axle in a better spot, nor take any more time.3) I give examples of better ways of building the cabanes, making them more likeBHP did in the 1960s rather than the 1930s. The original plane had one set ofcrossed wires and no diagonals. No one does that, I am only suggesting leapfrogging the 1930s light diagonals to the stronger 1960s ones. Again, when buildingit doesn't take any more time nor cost more than $5 more in up sized tubing.4) I would like builders to be aware that a hard aluminum fuel line, run from thetank to the firewall is likely to get severed, even in a very small accident.A better option is using a braided steel jacketed flex line. The material forthis costs $20 more than the 5052 hard tubing. It is actually easier to make,and does not require flaring tools. ------------------------------------------------------That is it, it is the sum total of my advice to Piet builders. Note that I am nottelling anyone to take even another 5 hours to build a plane, and the moneyI am speaking of is $25, maybe 1/400th of the cost of building a low cost Piet.---------------------------------------------------Please note: I don't tell people what engine to use, what airfoil, what kind ofwheels, what cover their plane in, what color to paint it, how to paint it norhow nor where to fly it. I don't have an opinion on 'what is a real Piet' orany of that. It is very odd to me that a guy who tells people "who the planeis for" or what engine to use, or that some kinds of covering are 'wrong' is notperceived as telling people what to do, but the four points I bring up above,are sometimes perceived as "Telling people what kind of plane they have tobuild". I strongly hold that it is your plane, and you have a right to build it anywayyou want. I don't even care if you follow the four ideas above. All I want isbuilders to be aware they exist, and the only people who I have heartburn overare the people who claim that the data doesn't exist, it is too much work todo correctly or it costs to much or somehow ruins the spirit of fun flying tofly in the CG range. Again, those people are trying to tell others what to dowith their planes, I just want builders to understand and choose for themselves.---------------------------------------------------------While some people hold that it is a "waste of time and money" to build a Pietenpolwith any type of modification, or adaption or even things like brakes or electricstart, It is my option that it is your time, and your money to waste.I don't like being told what to do with my time and money, I don't care what peoplechoose to do with theirs.Operative word in the last paragraph is Choose. That implies that the builder gotto read about the options, ask questions, hear about it and then picked forhimself.The one thing I do think of as a colossal waste of money and time is building aplane that is just OK, and 'works' and then flying it to Brodhead and findingout that a guy who took the same time building his plane and spent $25 more,can fly with a pilot that weighs 75 pounds more, land slower, and fully use hisbrakes, and doesn't worry about a small mishap dislodging his wing or rupturinga fuel line. My point is that each builder can either choose to be the guywith the better plane or the guy looking at it. It is a fee world, take yourpick.-ww.Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ___Subject: Pietenpol-List: A Couple of Welding Questions