Sopwith Snipe Project - Page 17

NostalgAire · 19 June 2008, 12:19 PM

For those who need thinner terne plate, I just got off the phone with the tech rep at Follansbee Steel. They make a product called "Terne II". Old terne plate was 80/20 lead/tin. Terne II is 50/50 zinc/tin and advertised as "Terne II is a new and improved version of historic Terne metal, which was used extensively throughout both colonial and modernistic America. While it retains all the time-tested qualities of the original, Terne II has improved capability for resisting corrosion in all environments. Terne II also has excellent formability, solderability, and affinity for paint. Terne II offers its enhanced corrosion-resisting capability without compromising mechanical characteristics. It can be used in flatlock, standing seam, vertical wall designs and virtually any other application in which original Terne has been used. It is strong and ductile, having high yield and tensile strengths as well as workability." The tech rep told me that their Terne II will take a little more heat to solder, compared to old terne plate, due to zinc replacing lead. Pure tin solder is recommended.

Follansbee makes Terne II for roofing. Currently available in .012" and .015" thicknesses and available through your local roofing suppliers. Two national suppliers are ABC Roofing and Allied Roofing. Look in your phone directory. I have samples coming. I'll keep everyone informed.

Scott

Nick · 20 June 2008, 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NostalgAire

Nick,

Thanks for the Wicker Works link. There's a link on that site for a wicker restorer who is just down the road from my new Oregon address!

Scott

That's great, I'm sure you'll find he'd enjoy doing something a bit different.

Cheers, Nick

Nick · 26 June 2008, 04:47 AM

Nearly finished making the fittings for the Main fuel tank and the header tanks. Just have to knock out a mandrel to hold the filler bases so I can cut the threads on them. Also have to cut the grooves for the cap washers to seal on. School's out for a couple of weeks so I'll have to wait till next month.

Have been having a go at making the Cabane struts. They're quite short so have basically just planed them up and then ran a long length of wood with sandpaper on it to sand more accurately to shape. There's probably much better ways of doing it but this seems to work okay.
Please excuse the rather agricultural way of holding the workpiece but my workbench is covered in junk. I'm really going to have to tidy up my workshop
someday, I'm running out of space.

At some stage , maybe next year I'll have to make the main struts which are very much larger of course. Does anyone have any advice on the best way of going about making them?

Cheers, Nick

greatwarpilot · 26 June 2008, 05:05 AM

Hello Nick,

We've already made most of the struts for our Camel, and they're pretty similar. I'm sure Brisfitworks will chime in with some comments on how we did our struts. Afraid I wasn't around when they did them, otherwise I'd give you the run down.

I'm finally home btw, and will be getting the digital copy of that Snipe Parts Manual off to you shortly.

Cheers,

Nick · 26 June 2008, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greatwarpilot

Hello Nick,

We've already made most of the struts for our Camel, and they're pretty similar. I'm sure Brisfitworks will chime in with some comments on how we did our struts. Afraid I wasn't around when they did them, otherwise I'd give you the run down.

I'm finally home btw, and will be getting the digital copy of that Snipe Parts Manual off to you shortly.

Cheers,

Hi Edward,
Many thanks, much appreciated. Hope your trip to the UK was successful.

Cheers, Nick

Nick · 28 June 2008, 11:18 PM

Finally got round to finishing off all the fairleads, flaring the springs etc, and have temporarily fitted them. Once fine tuned they get a small brass screw through the centre to ensure they don't move.

I'll probably fit the main fairlead later as am bound to keep knocking those long springs and damage them.

Nick

Nick · 28 June 2008, 11:36 PM

Okay time for another dumb question.

Am currently gathering all the materials to start making the rudder bar, control shaft etc etc. There are two "Foot steps" attached to the counter shaft control. It's probably obvious but what are they for? They rotate with the shaft. Are they just for stepping on getting in and out or what? Do other Sopwiths have a similar arrangement?
A taildragger with foot rests!!!!

Cheers, Nick

Jeff Brooks · 29 June 2008, 04:13 AM

I thought they were for hooking your foot through so you could pull with one foot as well as push with the other. I know that once sitting in the cockpit of my Fokker, my legs get in the way of the control column when my feet are on the rudder bar. once I remove my foot from the bar, I have more clearance to move the controls.

j ferguson · 29 June 2008, 05:50 AM

Hi Nick,
Do those steps (pedals?) operate with the stick in pitch, or are they linked to the rudder pedals?

Nick · 29 June 2008, 03:03 PM

Thanks Jeff & John for responding.
The parts are listed as "Footsteps". They are only about 7 inches forward of the fuel tank so no room to get a foot underneath. They are mounted on the counter shaft control that rotates with forward and aft stick movement. This shaft is quite separate to the rudder bar which is further forward. I can't think of a practical use for them except for maybe standing on them as you climb into the cockpit. Even that doesn't sound like such a good idea, can just imagine standing on one then the stick moving and collecting the old wedding tackle on the way through!

Maybe once in place, like Jeff's experience, their use will become more apparent.

Nick