V

VETE76

Well Known Member
i have the outline for the landing light drawn on the leading edge.
what are some ways to cut this out resulting in a professional looking job? what are the best techniques?
best tool, tools?thanks
fred
syracuse ny
wings under way RV7A
 
I used a Dremel with a cutoff wheel, followed by files and emery cloth. The amount of files depend on how brave you are with the wheel :D

Joe
 
Cutouts

I used a "zizz wheel" (die grinder with a 3in. cutoff wheel) for the long cuts then a Dremel with cutoff wheel for the corners followed by half round file then a one inch Scotchbrite wheel in the die grinder to dress up the corners and round over the cuts.

I found the larger wheel makes straighter cuts on the long runs than the Dremel.
 
Van's cutoff wheel

I used the cutoff wheel supplied supplied with the finishing kit with my die grinder.

First I masked off the area around the cutout. Drilled several 3/16" holes around the corner and filed the remaining material between the holes with a small round file. Then I cut about 1/16" away from the marked outline (straight cuts) using the die grinder and cutoff wheel. After that I used a series of files to remove material down to the outline.

Worked great and it took about 1/2 hr per cutout.
 
My tool of choice here would be the Ryobi 22" chainsaw with the oiler turned up high :eek:.

If my chainsaw was out of gas I'd use the cutoff wheel and files/sandpaper as the other gents have recommended. By the time you are done with your project you'll find that you've become a skilled surgeon with your cutoff wheels. I always know that I'm nearing the end of a project when my 3rd dremel is dying.

Here's what I do.......YMMV:

I took a 5" X 1" ID pipe nipple and beveled one end to a sharp edge. I use this 'tool' along with a good hammer and a block of oak to make 1" cut-off wheels for my dremel out of the SUPER STRONG 4" or 5" cut-off wheels for the larger tools. Just drill a small hole in the center(s) after you make 10 or so. They CUT and they LAST 20 times longer than the ones you buy for your dremel....plus they will NOT break.......and you'll save a bundle of $$$. It only takes a couple minutes to make 'em. It would take me about 5 or 6 of the 'cheap' dremel wheels to make the cutout for one light......I'd use one of the super duty homemade wheels and have enough left over to cut out the light on the other wing.
 
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Uni-bit

I used a uni-bit to make a lot of 1/2" holes around the inside perimeter of my mark. It drills fast and is sort of fun. No grinding dust either. Then I used snips to cut between the holes and then trim up close to mark. Then filed to perfection:D

dec82007027ih7.jpg


Mark
 
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Unibit for the corners and a nibbler to "connect the dots". File and done. Lots of ways to skin this cat. Spinning disks make me a bit nervous.

Jekyll
 
I used the dremel method (small disc) but cut well inside the line at the corners and used a snding drum (1.5" IIRC) in a small air angle grinder to get the corners perfect and to get the rest of it right to the line. Careful not to let the drum get up to full speed... not sure it's designed to handle the 20,000+/- rpm that air angle grinder can deliver. Mine came out looking pretty good. I might use a file on the straight parts if I was doing it again but but the drum/grinder worked really nice on the curves... fine grit, low rpms, light pressure.
 
Jekyll said:
Unibit for the corners and a nibbler to "connect the dots". File and done.....
Click to expand...
I worked sheet metal for a LOT of years and until I read a post here some months ago about the virtues of using a hand nibbler, I never even thought about it as an alternative tool. Well, you can teach an old dog new tricks. Like a kid with a new toy, I really prefer using that little nibbler when I can and now think about reaching for it first instead of knee-jerk going for the cutoff disk and/or rotary file....and....no aluminum dust wafting around all over the place either. If I was going to cut in another landing light, that's the tool I'd use to rough cut the opening too.
 
I used a jig saw, after first using a unibit to make the starting hole and covering the aluminum skin with some paper to prevent scratching. Using a fine, metal cutting blade I sawed just inside the line all the way around. Next, I used a sanding drum in my cordless drill, and that made quick work of smoothing out everything. A straight metal file cleaned up the straight edges nicely. It all went pretty quickly and looked pretty good.
 
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