Author Topic: Buying landing gear (Read 3592 times)

Terry Bolin · « **on:** November 05, 2009, 07:29:10 PM »

Who have you bought aluminium landing gear from that are for profile planes?
I didn't really want to spend $9.00 plus freight . Just thinking out loud.
Thanks, Terry

billbyles · « **Reply #1 on:** November 05, 2009, 08:45:21 PM »

Quote from: Terry Bolin on November 05, 2009, 07:29:10 PM

Who have you bought aluminium landing gear from that are for profile planes?
I didn't really want to spend $9.00 plus freight . Just thinking out loud.
Thanks, Terry

Uh, $9.00 plus shipping doesn't sound at all excessive for a set of aluminum gear for a profile or a full-fuselage airplane. Just out of curiousity, how much did you think it should cost?

ray copeland · « **Reply #2 on:** November 05, 2009, 09:31:38 PM »

I am with Terry on this one! I am scratch building an OTS ship that calls for tempered alum landing gear, thought nothing of it cause i have some old pieces of aluminum i was going to cut and bend, not sure about the tempered part. Was buying some wood in the LHS today and came across some landing gear that looked perfect for my build, but to my surprise the price tag was $10.95! I will make my own or use 1/8 inch wire before paying that much for fifty cents worth of aluminum!! I would think 4 or 5 dollars would be plenty!!

James Mills · « **Reply #3 on:** November 05, 2009, 09:37:00 PM »

Terry,

I bought some KS aluminum sheet stock from Ace Hardware (.90" X 6" X 12"), enough for several sets.

James

Perry Rose · « **Reply #4 on:** November 06, 2009, 04:33:12 AM »

I get aluminum gear legs from Sig. Either the Primary Force gear, which is always on back order, or the Ultimate Bipe gear, which can be cut down to match the Primary Force. I tried making my own but the metal cracked no matter what I did.

Terry Bolin · « **Reply #5 on:** November 06, 2009, 04:42:17 AM »

it's not just the gear for $9. Unless you can use 3 or 4 sets of gear for inventory, you end up having quite a bit in Freight. ....Just getting info.
Thanks, Terry

Robert Mathison · « **Reply #6 on:** November 06, 2009, 04:53:34 AM »

Aluminum must be heated prior to bending or it will crack .
Bob

Bootlegger · « **Reply #7 on:** November 06, 2009, 05:57:27 AM »

Guy's you might check with Joe Mader at S&S Hobbies.com. He sells a lot of "goodys" for models and treats us right...
He is a sponser of Stunt Hanger also, so I patronize him..

SteveMoon · « **Reply #8 on:** November 06, 2009, 08:29:23 AM »

$9, really? That is not at all unreasonable. Steve

Brian Thwaites · « **Reply #9 on:** November 06, 2009, 10:20:24 AM »

Well just my two cents worth you take into account time and material cost its reasonable how much an hour do you get paid

??

billbyles · « **Reply #10 on:** November 06, 2009, 03:10:48 PM »

Quote from: SteveMoon on November 06, 2009, 08:29:23 AM

$9, really? That is not at all unreasonable. Steve

Absolutely; the cost of the aluminum is not at all the issue - it is the labor to make the parts. I used to make all of my own aluminum gear but with them available for ten bucks plus shipping it is just not worth my time.

Greg Howie · « **Reply #11 on:** November 07, 2009, 02:04:32 AM »

Once I had it down I could make one in about 35 minutes . With lighting holes mounting holes debured and polished . I would not sell them for 10 bucks . Make you own and see what you think they should cost. Note you don't need to heat aluminum to bend it correctly. If it is cracking your bend radius is too small or you have the grain the wrong way .

Terry Bolin · « **Reply #12 on:** November 07, 2009, 06:03:34 AM »

SSHobbies is where I get all my stuff. They're the best and I want them to stay around! I have decided to bend some wire gear and put pants on the wire. Thanks for the info. Plus, My hour or so for the first time cutting and bending is worth more to me than $9.95 plus freight on alum. gear. Plus, you will spend pretty close to that for the material at True Value.

Matt Colan · « **Reply #13 on:** November 07, 2009, 06:09:45 AM »

Here is something that could get you guys thinking. Instead of aluminum, make a 1/8 wire frame, and then put balsa over it, and voila, landing gear that could be made with some spare wire and some scrap wood.

john e. holliday · « **Reply #14 on:** November 07, 2009, 09:07:41 AM »

Terry, Terry, Terry,

if you think $9.95 is too much, don't even look at carbon gear. The set I have on my Primary Force you seen this year came from RSM Dist. aka Eric Rule. Already cut with the holes and polished. I think way back then it was $20.00 for the set. For the sport planes I make my own from material at Ace Hardware.

Ward Van Duzer · « **Reply #15 on:** November 07, 2009, 10:32:07 AM »

I get my gear from Randy. The material is properly hardened (tempered) for low bounce, no bendy landings as opposed to soft Home Depot material. Plus they have a nice tapered, and polished look to them. Sometimes you can even get them with lightening holes.

If you have need for a tempered, custom, aluminun gear, try these folks:

http://www.tntlandinggear.com/store/shop/composite_landing_gear.htm

I had them build a gear with a parrallel (non-tapered) LE & TE to it for my G' Nobler.

Ward_O

Mike Greb · « **Reply #16 on:** November 08, 2009, 05:28:45 PM »

Most of the time if you can find a part from a vendor that meets your specification, I find that it is best to buy the part rather than to manufacture it yourself. Then spend the time you save making stuff that you can't buy.

W.D. Roland · « **Reply #17 on:** November 08, 2009, 07:10:30 PM »

Quote from: Greg Howie on November 07, 2009, 02:04:32 AM

Once I had it down I could make one in about 35 minutes . With lighting holes mounting holes debured and polished . I would not sell them for 10 bucks . Make you own and see what you think they should cost. Note you don't need to heat aluminum to bend it correctly. If it is cracking your bend radius is too small or you have the grain the wrong way .

Saved me some typing Greg!!

A good bend radius is to bend a piece from the thickness you plan to use and then bend your part over that.
This is normal practice in full size formula car construction and repair on monocoque chassis.
The grain may be hard to see but it is there.

I have a pile of 6061 T-6 scraps that I wonder if would be suitable for landing gear?
Will find out soon.
Have same in T-4--less prone to cracking but may be to bendable.

David
51336

Alan Buck · « **Reply #18 on:** November 08, 2009, 07:22:51 PM »

9.95 is not much to pay for landinng gear for aluminun plus shipping is cheap when looking at carbon gear that looks better

PerttiMe · « **Reply #19 on:** November 09, 2009, 01:04:44 AM »

It is just like almost any product: you don't pay for the amount of plastic a dentist puts in your mouth. You pay for the time, skill, machines, rent, transportation, etc.

David M Johnson · « **Reply #20 on:** November 09, 2009, 07:59:36 PM »

I know I may be a little late on this thread but I thought I might share a tip for working "Hardend/Tempered" Aluminium. Years ago in a prior life I worked for the Lazy B as a "Hand parts finisher". What this amounted to was beating/ bending small aluminium parts into the correct shape or angle. Some of these part were hardened to T-6 or t-4. The best way to work them was too put them in a freezer with dry ice and once they were cold they would be malible until they warmed up. By freezing them you dont run into the cracking or the harding issues. With a part as small as landing gear you could put it into your freezer with a little dry ice come back in and hour or two and make your bends.

W.D. Roland · « **Reply #21 on:** November 09, 2009, 08:33:16 PM »

Now that's worth trying David.

I have annealed aluminum from work hardening using act/oxy soot and burn but would be afraid that would remove
the T-X hardening.??

Now how do I get that 6x4 sheet of .05 T-6 into wife's freeze and not have her know?

( race car chassis floor)

David

David M Johnson · « **Reply #22 on:** November 10, 2009, 07:03:35 PM »

Using heat does effect the harding but cooling it does only as long as it stays cold