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Float fittings template or dimensions, Wag 2+2

RVBottomly

RVBottomly

PATRON
Asotin County Washington (KLWS)
As I'm at the fittings fabrication stage it seemed like a good idea to put float fittings on the fuselage I'm building.

But, other than a few photos of items for sale, I can't find any sort of dimension or template for them.

Right now I'm looking far down the road and considering Montana floats. After reading up on welded-on fittings, I'd like to do them now while I'm welding everything else. They don't look too complicated, but photos don't give a whole lot of info.

Has anybody run across drawings of such fittings? I'd buy them if I could find them.

Vic
 
Do you have the Northland PA-18 drawings DVD? They are on it. Both the weld on type and the EDO bolt on type.
 
skywagon8a said:
Do you have the Northland PA-18 drawings DVD? They are on it. Both the weld on type and the EDO bolt on type.
Click to expand...

Yes, I do. I'll have to look again. I was going through them last week and didn't see anything right off.

Thanks,
Vic
 
Follow up: DUH!

There is a folder titled "Float Brackets" in my Northland collection. It has exactly what I was looking for. Thanks again.
 
jimboflying said:
Remember that float fittings for a PA18 are not the same as the PA12-14.
Click to expand...
That is true for the bolt on fittings. The main difference is the length and angle of the wire pull portion of the fitting. The weld on fittings with the flexible wire pull and strut connections should work on all three planes.
 
skywagon8a said:
That is true for the bolt on fittings. The main difference is the length and angle of the wire pull portion of the fitting. The weld on fittings with the flexible wire pull and strut connections should work on all three planes.
Click to expand...


bottom cross to longeron to side tube angle is different....
 
skywagon8a said:
Which is why the weld on fitting would be best. Bend to fit, then weld.
Click to expand...

OK. I think I can fabricate them, but I'll still have to get angle information from whatever float maker I'd go with before welding them on, right?
 
RVBottomly said:
OK. I think I can fabricate them, but I'll still have to get angle information from whatever float maker I'd go with before welding them on, right?
Click to expand...
No, not necessary with the weld on as you will have adjustable fittings for both the struts and the wires, as skywagon said.
 
Thanks, supercrow. I was looking at pictures of weld-ons you could buy, and it looked like there were several degrees of freedom.
 
More that several degrees, the fittings that attach to your weld on will pivot to accept the strut and the wires. Piece of cake if you buy ready made fittings rather that fabricate you own; but you certainly could if you had some to look at. I also fly experimental and I bought fittings from Nick Smith Cubs for about half of what most cost and they are of good quality. And I know he makes them for most cub style fuselages.
 
Be aware that when the bolt holes in the fitting are not parallel to the center line of the fuselage, the blocks which connect the fuselage fitting to the rear float strut will be lefts and rights. I made up a complete set of attachment fittings out of wood for a test fit before making them from aluminum. This will be a fun project for your new mill.

It's no fun installing floats when the fittings are not made to the correct angles. When you have the plane hanging from a hoist with no landing gear while trying to push the attaching bolts through the holes and a tap with a hammer will not work. When you have to clamp a couple of long 2x4s to the strut in order to twist the strut without moving the plane. Then trying to imagine the stresses which will always be built into the installation. Sometimes I wonder why more of these installations don't break off fittings in the rough water use.
 
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