draftsman's (Enrnrr By Ron Scott Designee Director

±lAVE YOU EVER started your take-off run and discovered upon reaching 25 or 30 mph that your

of this, of course, is wheel/tire assemblies that are not in balance. It was decided to fabricate a wheel balancer these many years ago and it truly did help. Now we have decided to change wheels and tires on 01' Ironsides and the homemade wheel balancer cannot be found. I remember loaning it to someone but to whom it cannot be determined,

landing legs are doing the Saint

Vidas Dance and the vibes are making your toes dance to the Flight of the Bumblebee? Y'say you have? Then fear not, my friend, as we have the remedy right here in the name of a handy-dandy "wheel bubble balancer". Almost ten years ago I had this

however, the thing hasn't returned home as yet anyway.

very problem using a fiberglass gear leg which was susceptible to some

Now a new balancing unit must be fabricated. About the same time I was trying to remember how the first one was constructed, Andy Philipczak, Designee 982, Chapter 321, 1014 Crestview Ave., Reading,

torsional action. You won't believe

how a pair of relatively long wheel pants will exaggerate the dancing

motion . . . scary! The culprit to all

PA sent in the following letter . . . "Enclosed is a drawing of a wheel balancer I made using a Sears round level. I am flying a Daphne with 6:00 x 6 wheels and 18" tires. I am based at Reading. I had all the usual problems with the Wittman gear but maybe a few more because of the large wheels. Keeping the tire pressure low and balancing the wheels, the gear behaves pretty well on paved runways now." The unique thing about Andy's drawing is that it is almost exactly

like the one I had designed ten years ago. I might add that drawings were

never made for the one I con-

THIS FLANGE MAY BE EPOXIED OR SOLDERED TO TUBE DEPENDING ON MATERIALS USED.

SLIP FIT FOR 11/4" OIA. AXLES (1.245 DIA.) THIS PLUG TO BE PRESS FIT T

T

x^45» •.

.*|——

—•— «

——

10 1

i.-HS Of

fr.

f/A

PHONOGRAPH TURNTABLE ..

LEVEL OR SEARS

X^'CRAFTSMAN" ROUND BUBBLE LEVEL

BUSHINGS TO ACCOMMODATE 1%" OD AXLES

BUBBLE BALANCER ASSEMBLY

•f

MAKE 2 BUSHINGS TO FIT WHEELS WITH 11/Y' O.D. AXLES

"STICK ON" WHEEL WEIGHTS USED ON AUTOMOTIVE "MAG " WHEELS SEEM TO WORK WELL —

\ JAM NUT BASE — APPROX. 10" x 10" — WOOD OR METAL

20 APRIL 1979

structed. The drawing reproduction on this page is mostly Andy's, however, I've changed a couple of small things which worked on the one I made. Most of the materials needed for this project can be obtained from scrap in your own shop. Since there are no dynamic, and very few static, forces involved with the operation of this gizzy, materials composition are not critical. Whatever will fit should do nicely. I purchased the phonograph turntable leveler (bubble) from

Radio Shack and I imagine Andy bought his round Craftsman Bubble level from Sears. The weights Andy used were of the automotive "mag wheel" stick on variety. I used pieces of telephone cable lead sheathing cut to the proper contour and then trimmed to proper weight. They were affixed with liquid rubber which is available in tubes at most hardware stores. Never had a weight come off in almost 10 years. Good luck and happy balancing . . .

EAA Airspace Action Desk The generous response from EAAers as individuals and through Chapters has been very much appreciated. Headquarters staff have spent many hours in analyz-

ing reports, preparing material and answering queries and do appreciate the strong support that has been generated throughout EAA. EAA's leadership on this issue Paul H. Poberezny Don Taylor John Marks Alfred P. Scott Frank Christensen Richard H. Wagner Aircraft Spruce & Specialty EAA Chapter 284 Hal Shevers, Sportsman's Market Greg (Pappy) Boyington Aircraft Tool Supply Co. EAA Chapter 351 James Baker EAA Chapter 118 Michael Condra Garold R. Shipley EAA Chapter 512 May Ripley Dietrick Sales & Service Starfire Aviation Co. Carl Gearhart EAA Chapter 73 Evans Aircraft Gus Limbach William J. Besler Redfern & Sons, Inc. The Avemco Group John Turgyan R. O. Gettelman

has also prompted many requests for membership and

donations from non-members.

The direct cost incurred by EAA Headquarters to date for postage and printing exceeds $20,000 and donations now total $9,406.75 and are still being received. Following is a list of donors:

EAA Chapter 336 Stephen Hansen Robert A. Ruehle CWO Lewis W. Flowers Oakton Glass Monnett Experimental Aircraft, Inc. Aviation Products, Inc. Ultralight Flying Machines of Wisconsin EAA Chapter 113 EAA Chapter 320 EAA Chapter 407 Stits Aircraft Coatings Fred Goldstone EAA Chapter 380 Richard H. Birkholz EAA Chapter 579 George Dorrance EAA Chapter 62 B. J. Schramm, RotorWay EAA Chapter 507 EAA Chapter 221 K. Frobish EAA Chapter 48 Gartmann Stainless EAA Chapter 4 Paul F. Shinsky EAA Chapter 448 EAA Chapter 405

EAA Chapter 502 EAA Chapter 463 Charles and Beverly Turner EAA Chapter 59 W. J. Fike EAA Chapter 506 Thomas H. Black R. E. lelfield John Van Newenhizen George Pereira, Osprey Aircraft C. A. Kahl EAA Chapter 141 EAA Chapter 187 EAA Chapter 200 R. L. Johnson EAA Chapter 94 Doug Bell George Louden EAA Chapter 26 Arizona Council of Chapters — (EAA Chapters 28, 81, 128, 228, 538, 586, 598, 605) EAA Chapter 289 Robert F. Dee Vernon R. Lee Frank Kramen Joseph Piere SPORT AVIATION 21