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Post by craig on Jul 2, 2013 8:10:35 GMT 12
 Still progressing slowly |
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Post by craig on Sept 13, 2013 21:25:39 GMT 12
 Trail fitting of instruments today. This panel is original Cropmaster ex Wackett but was very bent. I have spent a fair bit of time getting it back into shape. To be fair it would have been much easier and quick to simply use it as a pattern and make a new one. But in an effort to preserve as much as possible I have persevered. I will now make some blanking plates to fit behind the panel to cover some of the unwanted spaces. Mainly in the top row. I still have to obtain a Altimeter and have not fitted the compass as it is a smaller size and will require the backing plate to support it. I have a relatively modern T & B which is away getting checked out, but have also purchased a much older one and yet to decide which will go in. Still not happy with the ASI and on the lookout for one more period. The tri gauge was a e bay score but wasn't cheap, dam it! You will notice the panel is very limited and as I have included a VSI, have now no room for the CHT and this will have to be located elsewhere. |
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Post by craig on Sept 13, 2013 22:04:12 GMT 12
 This is a photo of the sub panel pre restoration. This panel sits below the instrument panel (above) and basically supports the switches and fuses for various services. You will no doubt notice how primitive it is with not even resetable circuit breakers. I have stripped this back and will return to original, including the "old school" fuses. and tape labels. At the moment searching e bay for toggle switches (Cutter and Hammer) and so far not having any luck! The space at the bottom is for a a VHF radio and I have managed to get an older one (non digital) which won't look too out of place. Back in the day CTX didn't have a radio, the nav lights weren't hooked up and naturally the heater didn't work. You had to be tough to be an Ag pilot back then! |
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Post by craig on Sept 13, 2013 22:28:50 GMT 12
 Next on the program is the canopy. All the windows are buggered and will need to form new ones which will be interesting I'm sure! |
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Post by agalbraith on Sept 14, 2013 7:26:17 GMT 12
Great to see your progress Craig, you are doing a great job mate......a true labour of love, keep it up!!
Actually, quick thought. What are spares like in Australia? Has anyone picked up any of the old factory spares etc??
By the way, fantastic save on the panel too!
Cheers
Anthony
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Post by baz62 on Sept 14, 2013 9:53:44 GMT 12
Good to see another restoration thread ticking along! Nice work with that panel Craig. What goes in the missing holes? I have a few instrumnets in the remains of BRA which are modern so won't be going in BBZ. Let me know in case I have something you need.
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Post by craig on Sept 15, 2013 7:40:59 GMT 12
Cheers Baz. Main things I am still looking for is Altimeter and a more period ASI. The blank spaces are for the ALT, Compass and T&S. (The last two I have)
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Post by baz62 on Sept 15, 2013 7:44:12 GMT 12
Cheers Baz. Main things I am still looking for is Altimeter and a more period ASI. The blank spaces are for the ALT, Compass and T&S. (The last two I have) Bugger, the altimeter is the one thing missing out of BRA! I'll keep my eyes and ears peeled for one. |
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Post by craig on Sept 15, 2013 18:19:22 GMT 12
Dam it!!!! I have just discovered that even old instruments can kill you? Apparently there is Radium on the faces which over time can break down releasing radio active dust. Nothing is as innocent as it seems
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Post by baz62 on Sept 15, 2013 19:02:36 GMT 12
Dam it!!!! I have just discovered that even old instruments can kill you? Apparently there is Radium on the faces which over time can break down releasing radio active dust. Nothing is as innocent as it seems Yes I haven't asked about my ones yet but at the least might need re facing. However from what I've read you would have to eat or inhale the stuff for it to harm you........so no licking your instruments Craig!  |
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Post by raymond on Sept 15, 2013 20:19:37 GMT 12
What sort of radiation Beta?
Found out Gama Beta and Alpha as its Radium, so long as the inst is sealed and you dont sleep with the instruments u should be OK
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Post by craig on Sept 15, 2013 21:35:44 GMT 12
So sucking on to T&B vacuum port might be a bad Idea then?
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Post by lumpy on Sept 15, 2013 21:48:34 GMT 12
Saw a " thing " on TV about the health problems of women in factories who were painting the Radium on the instrument faces . Seems they used to lick their brushes to keep the tip nice and pointy ( but then they also used to sell Radium as a medicine when it was first discovered ) , most died a horrible death - but their exposure rates were very high and they were ingesting the stuff .
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Post by lumpy on Sept 15, 2013 21:56:26 GMT 12
So sucking on to T&B vacuum port might be a bad Idea then? Probably no worse than using a skill saw to cut up some asbestos roofing  ( but the reality is , that just smoking will likely kill you faster - but thats not recommended either ) ! |
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Post by ErrolC on Sept 15, 2013 22:00:31 GMT 12
Saw a " thing " on TV about the health problems of women in factories who were painting the Radium on the instrument faces . ... Known as Radium Girls. |
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Post by craig on Sept 17, 2013 7:21:15 GMT 12
While I'm on the job... The independent toe brakes have also been fitted. It is a very simple set up and utilises 2 x automotive masters. Just like you might see on a braked trailer. The seals however need changed to be compatible with hydraulic fluid used in aircraft systems.   |
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Post by nuuumannn on Oct 5, 2013 19:30:13 GMT 12
Terrific to read through this thread, Craig. Good luck with the restoration and enjoy the aircraft as much as you can before you are finished with it.
When I used to work in aviation museums in the UK we had to carry out readings on radiation emissions from the aircraft's cockpits once a year. We also had a large number of instruments in store, which had to be accounted for and their emissions recorded. The loose instruments were stored in an appropriately marked locker with the tri-foil marking prominently displayed. Each museum was allowed a specific reading of emissions based on the total amount of instruments and their readings and if there was any marked increase in this figure over the period of a year then the museum could be fined by either the National Radiation Protection Board or in our case at East Fortune, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The SEPA guys were okay and good about our emissions, but the NRPB guys were pretty strict. I was the sap who had to go round every aircraft and the instrument store and scan the instruments and collect the data. The Science Museum at South Kensington was fined several thousand pounds a number of years ago for exceeding their quota.
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Post by lumpy on Oct 5, 2013 20:11:15 GMT 12
While I'm on the job... The independent toe brakes have also been fitted. It is a very simple set up and utilises 2 x automotive masters. Just like you might see on a braked trailer. The seals however need changed to be compatible with hydraulic fluid used in aircraft systems. Just curious , whats different about aircraft brake fluid ? The original seals should work with Dot3 Dot4 and Dot5.1 , so I guess they must use Dot5 ( ie , silicon based fluid ) , or is it something else ? |
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Post by Bruce on Oct 5, 2013 20:41:37 GMT 12
Aircraft brake fluid is completely different to automotive and often the seals arent compatible. Aircraft brakes use mineral oil hydraulic fluid, closer to automatic transmission oil than any automotive brake fluid equivalent.
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Post by lumpy on Oct 5, 2013 21:55:00 GMT 12
Aircraft brake fluid is completely different to automotive and often the seals arent compatible. Aircraft brakes use mineral oil hydraulic fluid, closer to automatic transmission oil than any automotive brake fluid equivalent. Thanks Bruce , I did wonder if it could be mineral oil fluid rather than automotive type brake fluid , but figured it would be a fire risk if the brakes overheated ( must google it and see what it is and why its used ) . I have had to repair automotive brake systems where someone has put " hydraulic fliud " rather than " brake fluid " in them - the seals swell badly . |
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( but the reality is , that just smoking will likely kill you faster - but thats not recommended either ) ! 
