Alan Pennington Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Hello again, Sorry I need your help again, living here in France can and is a problem some times. I'm now looking for Dural Aluminium for my Pacer landing gear. Can anybody say where I could buy some in the UK, as I'm coming over next month. Thanks Alan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxfan Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Alan, you'll find that most of the aluminium you buy from whatever source is Dural, or Duralumin to give it its full name. It is in fact the more common type of "usable" aluminium, pretty much everywhere. Pure aluminium is rare and not much use as it's too soft. Some older people refer to everyday aluminium as "alloy", which is actually more correct since Dural is an alloy of aluminium, copper, chromium and other trace elements in different proportions. Aircraft skins are Alclad, which is Dural, with a thin coating of aluminium. So, I'm sure you can find what you need from an alloy stockist in France. MrTin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Hi Alan, Can I ask what you want it for? ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Pennington Posted August 25, 2015 Author Share Posted August 25, 2015 Hi Ernie, I'm building a Pacer model. The landing gear sweeps forward and so normal landing gear that is on sale will not do and it needs to be 4mm thick. So I'm looking for a sheet about 12" x 24" with this I can get 2 sets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Pennington Posted August 25, 2015 Author Share Posted August 25, 2015 There is another thing I would like to know. How do you bend this Dural? I did read in a model mag that you rub soap on it then apply heat wait till the soap turns black then you can bend it without cracking it. Do any of you out there have information on bending Dural. Thanks Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Berriman Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 A suggestion the Chris Foss undercarriages sweep forward or maybe a Carbon Copy swept forward unit ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I am sure that if you gave the dimensions to DB Sport and Scale they may have one that is similar from their range of pre bent jobbies. I got one for the Bistormer and it was very reasonable. I wouldn't use any heat as you may change the metals properties and it lose its springiness Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Etherton Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Be careful on what you buy. The grade you want is HE 15 . HE30 is softer and does not have the tensile strength you are looking for. Try Noggin End Metals on line. Robin👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Whybrow Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Posted by Alan Pennington on 25/08/2015 09:35:37: There is another thing I would like to know. How do you bend this Dural? I did read in a model mag that you rub soap on it then apply heat wait till the soap turns black then you can bend it without cracking it. The soap trick is the correct way to get to the annealing point without risking melting the metal; whether you need to anneal it or not depends on the grade you manage to purchase, -O is fully annealed, -H and -T grades are either strain hardened (work hardened) or heat treated and there are various levels of hardness. Aluminium alloys do recover their hardness with age, but a heat treatment process would be much quicker to re-harden the metal after it's been annealed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Southern Modelcraft used to have dural u/c at bargain prices. Ask them when you see them at a show -their stand is the one selling mainly glow fuel. I fear that DB now charge higher prices for custom u/c -35 pounds! perhaps realistic now but not the bargain they once were. Standard designs for DB plan packs might suit though at about 10 pounds. Dural can be identified by having a 'ring' sound when tapped sharply, ordinary aluminium has a much duller sound. Dural can be soften as stated - soap turning black temperature - and just re hardens by leaving it a few days. Magic! Pacer model is an RC Modelworld ( Traplet) plan MW2046 from quite a few years back. Looks an interesting design from Graham Tunstall.. ( I still have the magazine article and think I supplied Alan with a copy some time ago ) Edited By kc on 25/08/2015 13:08:25 Edited By kc on 25/08/2015 13:12:23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braddock, VC Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Thanks, Robin. You just sorted a big problem for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Of course it might be possible to put an angled block onto the u/c mount to rake the u/c forward and use a readily available u/c. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Hi Alan, You can mould one from carbon fibre to any shape you wish. I made one recently. If it is of interest, I'll see if I can find some pix. Its lighter, stronger, and not so difficult to make ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Ashley Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Alan, Try Ebay - there are usually many sellers that will provide the exact amount/thickness and grade you need. Most UK suppliers will ship to Europe too. Good luck with it. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Pennington Posted August 25, 2015 Author Share Posted August 25, 2015 Thanks to you all. Yes Ernie that does sound an idea any information would be nice and to Rob I will have a look on eBay as well. Cheers to you all again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max50 Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 The last bit of aluminium i bought , i got off e-bay from Aluminium Droitwich. Bought it for the Lizzy u/c. They sell in small sheets. But as above you have to get the correct type. The soft stuff just bends on landing. I bought HE15 but never used it , and it was dear stuff ,and they don't seem to stock it at present. £25 for a small sheet. Do a search for the types of different grades, but you may think again about buying ali sheet .I think i remember it does take some force to bend it , and you've got to get it right first time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Smitheman Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 "How do you bend it" I have done this successfully without heat treating. The key I found was not to bend it through too tight a radius. I put a block of hard wood with a radius on it in the vice against the work piece. Possibly 5mm radius. Bending the material directly against the sharp metal vice jaw caused it to fracture, I tapped it with a hammer, and pulled simultaneously, with a cloth wrapped around the work to reduce the pain! The first one I did in 1978 or so, it is still in working order and in occasional use! The material I used then I scrounged from the scrap bin at the airport metal working shop. Those were the days. Good luck with your project, Alan. Charles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max50 Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Duff info from my post above. They say your memory goes when you get older. I was going to get it from Aluminium Droitwich, but I went to one of the shows, ( Weston or Cosford ) , and there was a bloke selling metalwork there. I questioned him about what I was looking for , and I bought the plate off him. Just found the plate with the info written on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Bonjour Alan, I'll take some pix later today ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Pennington Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 Bonjour Ernie, Thanks, No rush through as we are off to the UK in about 2 weeks for about 3 weeks and I've still work to do on the fuselage, ie glass it and all the small things that seem to take more time than the major work or is it my clock that goes faster at these times. Oh where did you get the carbon from? Cheers Alan Edited By Alan Pennington on 26/08/2015 10:53:19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Wilson Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I saw an article in a recent mag about laminating up undercarriage legs. Seemed quite straightforward, So much so that I didn't archive the article. ((Oh! dear, I hope it was RCM&E otherwise I will be black balled)) Can anyone else remember the article, may be good background reading for Alan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Pennington Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 Hello Kevin, The article was in the RCM&E special, and I had forgotten so I will be digging it out and having a read. Cheers Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Hi Alan, Here you are. The mould is on the board. It's knocked up from ply, and given a good finish. I apply a coat of release agent, then a coat of resin. Then I lay up several layers of carbon. When It's all set, I trim the edges, and thats it. Carbon comes from a company in the UK called Carbon Mods. They do a very nice starter kit. I'm still using it for all sorts of bits ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Pennington Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 Nice one Ernie. I will look at Carbon Mods. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Pennington Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 Hi Kevin, I've looked through my magazine's and found the article in the Autumn special 2014 the one with Tony Nijhuis Vulcan on the front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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