Tip: Shaping Camloc Flanges

[Ironflight]

We decided to use Camlocs for the cowl-to-firewall attachment on the RV-3 project (mostly because I was worried about how to do hinge pins with cheek cowls), so the other day I was busy fabricating the flanges out of 0.050? aluminum. After cutting out the shape, I was trying to figure out a nice way to put a consistent smooth curve into the strip without kinking them at the narrow points. Since I don?t have any fancy bending brakes or rollers, I had to hand form them, and bending them over the edge of the workbench was going to crease them, so I looked around the shop to find some sort of ?form? that would work, and this is what I ran across:




Yet another ?alternate use? for an existing tool!

Oh yeah ? after getting them to fit the shape of the top cowl, and match drilling them to the fuselage, I needed to countersink them for the dimples in the skin. I needed some way to let the pilot part of the countersink drop in to a hole while it cuts its way into the sheet. Usually, I just use one of the zillion existing holes in the workbench surface, but since they were already curved, this wouldn?t work. My solution? A chunk of 2x4 in the vice with some #40 hole drilled in the short edge. Worked great!





There are certainly other ways to skin these two cats ? just throwing these out there if someone is looking for an idea.

Paul

[RV7Guy]

Paul and others. The new Skybolt kits come with premade flanges that interlock and conform very easily. Check'em out.

This saves considerable time in the construction process.

[Ironflight]

Originally Posted by RV7Guy

Paul and others. The new Skybolt kits come with premade flanges that interlock and conform very easily. Check'em out.

This saves considerable time in the construction process.

Yes, they came out just after we ordered our kit. Still, if you need a large-radius bend in thick stock (for any reason), that grinder motor comes in handy!

[RV7Guy]

Great tip. We are an inventive lot, aren't we?