[Jeffgould]

For anyone who may be interested, I have found a Midlands based specialist welding company who will carry out small or large scale welding repairs on aeroplane exhausts, tanks, brake parts etc. Please contact me if you want details.

[jollyrog]

Would these people be in Kettering? If so, they did a very nice job for me on an aluminium bicycle frame, something which you cannot usually get welded.

[Jeffgould]

No. Nuneaton.

[Rod1]

So what is the JG %

Rod1

[Jeffgould]

So cynical Rod. I am sure that we are all capable of helping each other out without the need of a bung.

[gfry]

Surely our maintenance organisations organise any welding required? Mine certainly do and do not seem to have any issues finding places to get it done.

[Jeffgould]

Yes but sometimes it can be a struggle to find the right expertise, particularly for older aeroplanes.

[gfry]

Lots of us don't use maintenance firms

Fair point.

[Crash one]

For them north of the Watford Gap there is one near me, (Fifeshire) did an excellent job welding filigree lace Inconel exhaust to stainless.

[Paul_Sengupta]

Can anyone recommend somewhere I can get my old exhaust cut open, the innards replaced, then sewn (welded) up again? I'd like to keep it as a spare. Someone will probably have to make some sort of jig (or have some sort of universal thing) to get it all lined up again.

[Jeffgould]

Try Keith at Harrison Randall based in Nuneaton. He is very accommodating.

[Paul_Sengupta]

Paul Grellier is the local man for that. His numbers are here.

http://www.lightaircraftassociation.co.uk/engineering/TechnicalLeaflets/Mods%20and%20Repairs/TL%203.04%20CAA%20Approved%20Welders.pdf

Thanks Marj, he's the one person I already got a quote from.

Let's just say there wouldn't be an awful lot of change from a brand new one! (though I think I may have bought the last-but-one brand new one available)

Thanks Jeff, I'll look him up.

[cockney steve]

Let's just say there wouldn't be an awful lot of change from a brand new one!

Really, you've just answered yourself......make a jig, dismantle, copy, rebuild and install baffles/ wadding, close, align and reweld casing.....
You're actually paying to dismantle an exhaust and to build one. It's less labour and hassle to scratch-build a complete new item, most times.

the same reasoning makes any restoration/ rebuild work soexpensive....yu're doing a dismantle and a build...notdouble the work, but not far off!

[Paul_Sengupta]

Nah, building a new one is a lot more work and a lot more jigging. I've approached some companies about this but they say it isn't worth their while at any sensible price. To disassemble it isn't a case of taking it all apart, you just remove the end, weld in the new bits, stuff it (if there is indeed stuffing!) and weld the end back on.

Of course the price of the "new" one is for new old stock, pretty sure the RAF would have been charged much more originally!

[Rob L]

I've used Harrison Randall at Nuneaton for quite a few jobs in the past and they are excellent (including, ironically, a dimensional change to the very well-made Paul Grellier exhaust when I upgraded from A-65 to C85 engine).

They repaired a gear leg crack without need to remove the fabric:



Their service is excellent.

Now while we're in the Nuneaton area, may I also recommend Leniks Motor Panels CV11 6RP.


They made my new nosebowl for my Taylorcraft (welded out of five hand-formed pieces; it was a shame to paint it).



They also did the compound curve work on a new chin cowl (English wheel):



Rob