Van's Air Force
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Threading aluminum tube. Need help.
- Thread starter charosenz
- Start date
wirejock
Well Known Member
BillL
Well Known Member
+1 or make a long slit, but this is cheap non-marring and universal.
charosenz
Well Known Member
Thank you to all who posted. Great tips. The unusual part for me what that the flap rods are so dang short (3.5") that most of the techniques did not work well for me.
But I did get the part completed. The technique that worked best for me was to cinch it down in my Dewalt drill that has the typical 3 day chuck, then use tapped it by hand.
I used to have a good friend who was a master on the lathe, but he passed away. I personally have found it hard to find folks who have a lathe and are good with it.
Thanks again.
Charlie
But I did get the part completed. The technique that worked best for me was to cinch it down in my Dewalt drill that has the typical 3 day chuck, then use tapped it by hand.
I used to have a good friend who was a master on the lathe, but he passed away. I personally have found it hard to find folks who have a lathe and are good with it.
Thanks again.
Charlie
bruceh
Well Known Member
The flap rods on the RV-9 (and possibly other models) are hexagonal (part number VA-256), and they are pre drilled. I don't recall if they are pre tapped, but you could probably buy these. I just checked the plans and they call out this part differently from the tubing used in the RV-7. Not sure why (maybe the larger flaps on the -9 require stronger flap rods)?
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McMaster has them
I recall buying a set from McMaster-Carr - didn't end up using them, but they are available. Also, you can get rubber jaws for your vise that have shapes for holes vertical, horizontal, and 45 degrees from places like home depot and H.F.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/BESSEY-...-Jaws-from-3-in-to-6-in-Wide-BV-NVJ/204986223
I recall buying a set from McMaster-Carr - didn't end up using them, but they are available. Also, you can get rubber jaws for your vise that have shapes for holes vertical, horizontal, and 45 degrees from places like home depot and H.F.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/BESSEY-...-Jaws-from-3-in-to-6-in-Wide-BV-NVJ/204986223
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charosenz
Well Known Member
Bruce,
While I did end up tapping my own tubes, I did like the idea of the hex - pre-tapped rods the -9 uses. So I ordered them. I got them today and while they may be "too strong", I think they are a significant improvement over the thin wall AT that the -6a plans spec'd. (I'm not saying the original ones are not strong enough...).
While I did end up tapping my own tubes, I did like the idea of the hex - pre-tapped rods the -9 uses. So I ordered them. I got them today and while they may be "too strong", I think they are a significant improvement over the thin wall AT that the -6a plans spec'd. (I'm not saying the original ones are not strong enough...).
