The first major repair task was to clean up parts, and fabricate new ones to replace the un-repairable parts. I tried to call and email people that I was told once serviced the PIK's, and might have parts, but after several attempts to contact the individuals, I was unable to reach them. I contacted other glider repair stations, and the answers to the availability of parts was the same,... NO. If I cannot get replacement parts, this project will come to a screeching halt!
I spoke with a few pilots and the local repair station, and found there were a couple of machine shops in town that could address the repair of metal parts, and possibly fabricate new parts matching the drawings of parts I received from the Finish Transportation Dept.
With that question put to bed, I decided to tackle the flap control, since this mechanism was partially corroded.
After removing the control from the fuselage, I photographed the control, and then disassembled the mechanism
During the disassembly of the handle, I noticed that there was a crack in the plastic grip due to being worn through over the years of use. As mentioned in a earlier post, replacement parts are virtually unattainable. So, I had a local machine shop at the airport make me a new one out of aluminum.
After cleaning up the parts, I was unable to get the scale toothed bar re-chromed, I repainted the bar and handle with DCC auto polyurethane, and the reassembled the flap control.
I also painted the back side of the disc gray to aid in keeping the parts cool when in the sun.
The pin hole inside ring of the disc was scratched up, so I buffed off the black coating and polished the exposed aluminum.
The finished flap control looks good as new!
Next, the horizontal stabilizer!
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