The International Cessna^® 170 Association

My plane is ramped at the Naknek airport, near King Salmon, AK. We have some fairly high winds that have done damage to my flap and aileron skins. The flap skins have been repaired by an A&P by installing a doubler near the flap attach point. It looks ok however there are other repairs and patches that I would like to see gone. Does anyone know where I could order a new set of skins or similar stamped aluminum from and prices? I would also be interested if anyone knew of someone who supplied the skins for the rudder as I have a patch problem there also. Any help would be appreciated. I am just trying to keep the plane in top shape! She deserves it!!!!!

Look in TAP under cessna parts for "Karl" in Bo, Washington.
His skins are excellent and are priced right. If you're going to reskin your flaps, Order his Bolb extrusion trailing edges too.

Karl Anderson 360-757-1946. There's also an ad for Air Metal fabricators in eastern Washington 509-923-2274

Eric

Do they(he) make skins for the Ragwing, thinkin of redoing the flaps and rudder.

You'd have to ask Karl & the other outfit. I think that they sell sheets of aluminum with the "corrugations" formed,but you have to cut out the exact size & shape to match the part you're reskinning.

Eric

Speaking of which, for folks who have done this, what's the
best way to cut this corrugated sheet metal / material? I mean,
hand shears won't work.... (because of the corrogations) Maybe
the world's biggest band-saw?

I've been thinking about re-skinning one of my elevators to
get rid of some hangar rash....

Bela P. Havasreti
'54 C-170B N170BP

zero.one.victor wrote:You'd have to ask Karl & the other outfit. I think that they sell sheets of aluminum with the "corrugations" formed,but you have to cut out the exact size & shape to match the part you're reskinning.

Eric

The rudder skins from Karl are beautifully shaped, both the upper and lower skins. You do have to cut the notch for the elevator, very little cutting.

Bela, my plan is to cut within a 1/16th inch of the final cut with a cutting wheel, and then hand file to the final shape.

Thanks for the help! I am looking into the skins now.

Good idea (the cutting wheel & then patience with a file).

Thanks,

Bela P. Havasreti
'54 C-170B N170BP

On my elevators the top metal is kinda Wavey. Sometimes bowed out or other times dipped in. Bugs me!
Is this stretched and should I re-skin them before gettting a new paint job?

AR Dave

If you're talking about a bow in the V area I've had some success on shorter lengths like ailerons and flaps in using a very long Phillips screwdriver small enough to stick in there and then work it with a little pressure back and forth Take it easy at first.

Maybe some other tool would work but it takes a bit of pressure and my Snap On is tempered.

The best way I've found to cut corrugated skins is on a bandsaw with fine teeth. You can cut right to the line.

I agree a fine-tooth metal and saw blade would make quick
work of cutting said skins.

I guess I'd like to know how "oversize" (dimension-wise)
the skins come for, say, an elevator panel or rudder.

Logic says the replacement/new skin panels wouldn't be much bigger
than required (minimal cutting / trimming required) in which case,
you're right... A decent metal-cutting band saw would work quite well.

Guess there's one way to find out (call Karl in Bo and ask him!).
I need a new upper elevator skin for a '54 C-180 as well anyway, so
I might as well do just that.

Bela P. Havasreti
'54 C-170B N170BP

N1264D,
I have used Karls skins for 170 ailerons, they are good.
There is a slight difference from the originals, kind of hard to describe, but on the original skins, the corrugations are cut with an angle at the trailing edge, whereas Karl's are cut straight. It is a subtle difference, but noticeable, and I'm sure that you would be hard pressed to find the original style today. (I still have an original 170B R/H aileron in decent shape for sale to anyone in need of one, if you don't want the hassle of re-skinning).
Max

I have found that a metal cutting band saw is not at all necessary when cutting aluminum sheet. I have, and regularly use, a ten inch Craftsman that must be at least fifty years old. Just use a relatively fine tooth blade for a smooth cut in the thin stuff.