Aluminum at work. Many of you may think this is Martha Stewartish, but to me , it is the foundation of our club. Thank you Darrell for finding these excellent websites on sheet metal and Aluninum.
Two years ago at the EAA fly-in , Oshkosh Wis, I attended the Airstream
Rally at the fairgrounds for a week. Every day, we would drive the 3 or
4 miles to the airport to secret parking, then bus in, to the Air-Show.
After a week, I still hadn't seen everything, its Just too BIG!! The airstream
rally was wonderful and full of other streamers that enjoyed old aircraft,
new aircraft, and the aircraft industry.
While there, I met Kent White, the "Tin Man, " while he was conducting
daily seminars on Aluminum welding, shaping and building for the EAA, (the
Experimental Aircraft Association) and others interested in sheet metal.
When you look at his website(TM Technologies) you will see some
examples of Old-Time craftsmanship at its finest. Take a look at those
wheel pants on that replica BEE GEE, now that is nice work. The purpose
of this digression is to give you a sense of, or just a taste of the complexities
involved in the construction of our little silver bullets. It is also the
reason why they are so expensive, and timeless.
I would like to know one other thing, Darrell , or Dan, or maybe Charlie Burke would know. What type aluminum sheet was used in the early construction of the 50's , 60's, and 70's coaches?? I used 2024 T3 Alclad as a replacement for one rear section on my Tradewind. It polished up nicely, and it is hardly noticeably as a replacement. I'd like to know the early designations, so as to stop some of the myth and misinformation about the "Skin". Thanks again, and please look at those Tin Man gallerys.
Bill Scott
Cooking with Aluminum, at Large
Subject: [airstream] Re: al work
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 1999 09:05:08 -0600 (CST)
From: Darrell
Kachilla <drk@mutt.mdacc.tmc.edu>
Reply-To: airstream@airstream.net
http://www.fournierenterprises.com/toolsxxx.html
especially see their sheet metal books under auto restoration in bookstores
which have extensive discussion of al work and specifically address the
needed goggles.
http://pweb.netcom.com/~dwelding/aluminum.htm
sci-engr.joining.welding
rec.crafts.metalworking
i'm learning to play with al too :-)
darrell