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What have you fixed with airplane parts?

digidocs

Well Known Member
Long story short, one of the nuts that holds the toilet seat on fell off and went completely AWOL.

Hardware store is closed, but no worries--- I'm an RV builder!

Two AN3-10As, a few modified AN970s, and a couple of lock nuts later I had this:

photo-13_zpse17605e6.jpg


Which got me thinking, what have you fixed with airplane parts?
 
airplane parts

One time I came home from work and my two young boys where setting on a three wheeler that my wife picked up for almost nothing. It didn't have spark so I took a bendix mag coil and hooked it up to the ignition and it ran till those boys totally whore it out. My youngest boy thought it would sound like a airplane.;:D
 
Lots of gutter repair with squeezed rivets. Not sure I trust pop-rivets and sheet metal screws anymore on something as important as my gutters.
 
Long story short, one of the nuts that holds the toilet seat on fell off and went completely AWOL.

Hardware store is closed, but no worries--- I'm an RV builder!

Two AN3-10As, a few modified AN970s, and a couple of lock nuts later I had this:

photo-13_zpse17605e6.jpg


Which got me thinking, what have you fixed with airplane parts?

Not sure I want to see the log entry for that repair.;)
 
Flame Master to the rescue

Lots of gutter repair with squeezed rivets. Not sure I trust pop-rivets and sheet metal screws anymore on something as important as my gutters.

Try Pro-Seal ( Flame Master) on the gutter joints. :D So much better than the goop designed for it.
Only thing I have found that works in the NorthEast. :)
 
Long story short, one of the nuts that holds the toilet seat on fell off and went completely AWOL.

Hardware store is closed, but no worries--- I'm an RV builder!

Two AN3-10As, a few modified AN970s, and a couple of lock nuts later I had this:

photo-13_zpse17605e6.jpg


Which got me thinking, what have you fixed with airplane parts?

Torque-seal on the lock nuts? What kind of stresses is that seat subject to??? :D

I have a number of pieces of AN hardware on my lawnmower and mailbox.
 
Long story short, one of the nuts that holds the toilet seat on fell off and went completely AWOL.

Hardware store is closed, but no worries--- I'm an RV builder!

Two AN3-10As, a few modified AN970s, and a couple of lock nuts later I had this:

photo-13_zpse17605e6.jpg


Which got me thinking, what have you fixed with airplane parts?


During my tour in Iraq we came across this flight line tug that the Iraqi's were kind enough to leave for us. It wasn't running, but after a bunch of AN hardware, and a few Blackhawk helicopter parts, we drove it the whole tour. It was geared so low that it would only go about 15 MPH wide open, but it still beat carrying a bunch of junk 600 yards to the aircraft. Note the painted flames on the hood the Crew Chief's put on.
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Some RV-9A scrapped-out parts (HS spar, and others) became a swing arm TV mount. It is rated at 4.4 Gs, plus or minus. Probably saved me $50 and only took a couple days design and fabrication time. Well, maybe more than that...

Bob
 
J85 hot section bolts

Years ago as a T-38 Talon instructor pilot based in Del Rio Texas, my wife's 1970 six cylinder three speed standard Ford Maverick's clutch pedal went to the floor and remained there. I managed to drive the ten miles from Del Rio's little airport to Laughlin AFB without the benefit of a clutch. After pulling the tranny and bell housing, I found that the two flush steel rivets that held the pivot for the clutch lever had sheared. (Must have been assembled on a Monday) I could not find any parts in Del Rio Texas that would replace the high stress steel rivets. A simple bolt would not work because the head had to be flush to accept the transmission against the bell housing.

I went to the J-85 engine repair shop on base looking for a solution. I discovered that the flush head bolts and locking nuts that hold the "Hot section" together for the J-85 were a perfect replacement for the steel rivets in a Ford 200 CI three speed standard Maverick. I'm sure the two bolts and nuts cost a 1000% more than the two rivets they replaced, but they worked great!
 
Design improvement!

I got tired of a cheap dustpan that I was using that would be almost impossible to get the last bit of dirt because the "ramp" was steep and thick. Well after a little design improvement....it works fantastic!:D

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Have been wondering what to do with my left over pro seal. Now, thanks to this thread, I will have the best sealed gutters in the neighborhood.
 
I chain-drilled a hole (USAF style) in he closet door that the cat's litter box is in.....trim and paint is TBD....
 
Guitar Hanger

Used the old brake lines and some clear tubing to whip up a closet guitar hanger to keep my travel picker out of harms way when not getting played....

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Corn feeder overhaul

Just last week I hauled a coffee can of parts out to Lampasas, TX to work on a corn feeder on the hunt lease. Used a square of left over alum sheet for backing as the bottom of the 55 gallon drum was getting thin, AN hardware to replace the rusted stuff holding the feeder spinner motor, made a solar panel bracket with left over alum strap and riveted it in place. Feeder is better than new and now throws corn 15' in 360*.
Bagged a wild hog that night near the feeder. Spicy sausage, pork loin and ham in the freezer.

Pat Garboden
Katy, TX
RV9A N942PT Phase I complete

Dues paid.
 
I have a hard time thinking of anything around the house that I've NOT repaired with airplane parts!

Years ago my brother had a modified Honda Civic (1976 vintage I think) which would gasp and die on the highway. Turned out it was getting carb ice! We fab'd an exhaust heat muff from aluminum, purloined a worn-out Cessna cabin heat valve and a semi-seized bowden cable, along with some semi-worn-out SCAT tube to duct warm air to the carb. Worked like a charm and was way cool to have a knob on the dash labeled "Carb Heat - Pull Hot"!

My tractors have all benefited from various bits of AN hardware. The garage door opener likewise functioned for years with an AN bolt as its primary pivot bolt. Even the hinges on the folding reloading stand I use for my muzzle loading pistols were fab'd from .040 aluminum scraps.

Yup, aircraft parts can be very handy indeed!
 
Long story short, one of the nuts that holds the toilet seat on fell off and went completely AWOL.

Hardware store is closed, but no worries--- I'm an RV builder!

Two AN3-10As, a few modified AN970s, and a couple of lock nuts later I had this:

photo-13_zpse17605e6.jpg


Which got me thinking, what have you fixed with airplane parts?

Not sure I want to see the log entry for that repair.;)

I can just see the FAA demanding they sign off on it confirming it is "airworthy". All in the interest of safety.

:cool:
 
Torque-seal on the lock nuts? What kind of stresses is that seat subject to??? :D

I have a number of pieces of AN hardware on my lawnmower and mailbox.

Did you torque those nuts for "load" in tension or compression?
(couldn't help but "pile" on)
 
I made a new meat tray for my meat slicer and a tv wall mount for a camper, both with flush rivets of course. I also just put a used Hobbs meter on my lawn mower.
 
a few years back when my son was about 3, we took him to sun n fun. we took the big wheel wagon with us to pull him around in. well, as anybody who has had a wagon knows the bolts that hold the front axle will rust out and the whole thing will pull through the wagon pan. It just so happened that it decided to do that on that day. a quick trip to the hardware tent for a couple of large washers and a couple of an-4's and an-365's and with a couple of borrowed tools we we were back in business.

the best part was all the people walking by saying good fix!

bob burns
N82RB
 
Bent brake line with the ends flattened made a great towel rack on the back of our new kitchen cabinet door. The store ones were the wrong dimension.
 
I made a picture frame.

I framed a painting with some leftovers. Most of the same tools were used as well, even had to deburr. :)

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Love the Picture Frame - I Fixed My Garage Door

Paul...that's the most appropriate picture frame for your magic carpet.

I had just completed my first Vans sheet metal practice kit and the next day had to use it to repair my garage door. Long story short, when I backed out of the garage, my tandem bike roof rack pulled the garage door travel arm out from the sheet metal. I drilled out the original rivets holding the brace to the cross members, dimpled and flush riveted a doubler plate on both sides of the original brace, painted it and then reattached the travel arm with AN bolts before riveting it to the cross members. Looked like it came from the factory that way and my landlord never knew. I used every skill learned from the practice kit and saved a $100 house call by the local Overhead Door repairman.
 
Honey do's

The down side of building and airplane, I have found, is when your wife finds out about all those new skills you have acquired there will be no end to the honey do's in your life. Run now, get in that new bird and go fly......
 
Lacing cord

Just finished today using almost a whole roll of lacing cord, same as used in my 8's FWF.
My GIB should have been on the ladder feeding me the cord from the bottom side but took a pic break....
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