Small victories

Are the best some days.

Working on the frame of the feathercraft. At least a decade spent asssembled and her frame is purt’much glued solid. Bit the bullet and cut 4 of the 5 spreader bars that extend her frame out to fill the skin. They weren’t coming out any other way. The 5th one wasn’t an issue; it telescoped into itself just fine.

With the 4 out, I was better able to see what needed done. Talked online with the designer and got his advice. Sent a message to Boeing asking their engineers advice. The lubricant that was original is a Boeing product so I went to the source.

Both said the same thing. Soak the joint in the Bo-tech T-9 and pray.

Well, I don’t have any and at $15/oz and prayer, figured I would use some red-neck know-how and fervent prayer instead. Soaked the first joint in 3n1 sewing machine oil with a papertowel wrapped around joint to hold the oil. Made the two bar vises I showed in a different post. After two days and a nodding effort at prayer, slapped the tube in a pipe vise, and applied a pipe wrench to the other tube vise,,,

SQUeeee-eek! Free at last!!!!

I have tubing to splice the part back together and will TIG that point. Need to replace a few pop-rivets and brackets. All there, just need repaired. To keep with the red-neck side of things, I’m using a 20guage shotgun brush to ‘hone’ out all the old gunk: it fits perfectly and I don’t own a 20guage.

That’s the small victory! Now I have to repeat the process about 21 more times to restore the boat to its original folder status and be able to use her again.

She’s a fine boat and well worth the effort of restoration. I’ve even made plans to get the missing parts (and I think I already mentioned that previously .)