Cabin woody panels and more

Steady working on the Stinson lately and getting a lot done.   I installed the first cabin heating ducts using SCAT tubing and the aluminum 2" diameter tubing, the long one which I painted in my recent post.  With 2" OD aluminum tubing and 2" ID SCAT tubing, it is tough to get attached, but I did it and clamped it with hose clamps.

I made these little kick panels for the back of the oleo strut cover.  Cannot attach them yet until I finish paint the oleo strut cover.  Need to do a small aluminum patch job on a spot Mike cut to install the tow hook handle system.

Next I started working on the rear cabin wood panels.  Even though our Stinson 108-1 is a Voyager model, I really like the wood interior siding of the Flying Station Wagon model so that is what I am making.  I am using the woody panel drawings from Dave Miller who posted them on his Stinson website.  I am making them out of 1/8" thick mahogany plywood paneling and 1/4" thick poplar.  First I check of rear cabin woody panel cut to size and with pencil markings for where trim goes. 

Rear cabin woody panel with trim pieces rough cut to size.  Have to cut these outside on table saw and chop saw to rough size during the day, and then can do finish cuts in the evening inside the shop.  I think it looks terrific!  I am going to attach with T-88 epoxy adhesive since these materials are so thin it doesn't leave much room to mechanically join them together.  T-88 is a structural adhesive which should give plenty of hold.  Besides, the hardware screwing these to the frame will hold it all together anyway.  My goal is to apply a varnish material made for wooden boats by brush or spray for a high gloss transparent, smooth finish that will be unbelievable.  

To set up the adhesive, I used some weights, bricks, paint cans and an aircraft repair book to hold down the trim while it sets up.  I leave it in the "press" for about 24 hours.

Dave Miller's rear cabin side panel dimensions is where I started, but found there were a few different dimensions.  I like having a template too, so I made one from cardboard using photos for reference.  Then I cut out the mahogany panels, check fit them, draw the trim on the panels and start to use my table saw and chop saw to cut the trim to fit.  I used T-88 adhesive for the trim except this piece on the back of the side panels that acts as an attach surface for the rear panel.  I used wood glue and air stapler for that piece.

For the trim piece next to the door frame, I was not sure how to make this piece until I remember a ramp queen 108-2 we found in Payette, ID when we were there in May of 2011 for a family reunion.  It was unlocked and I used the opportunity to take some photos.  It had woody panels and I happened to take a photo of the leading edge near the door frame so I found my answer in my own photo collection of Stinson 108s.   I bought a thicker piece of poplar and ripped it down to 3/8" thick and ripped a 1/8" thick part out of it to fit or wrap around the end of the plywood.  I also used a router to make a nice round edge.  Another note on special pieces, the middle vertical trim pieces I planed down to 3/6" thickness according to the original design.  Before glueing I sanded off blade burns and spots with 150 grit and then 220 grit sandpaper.

In one hour's work, I made the hardware attach points for the control column cover in the front floorboards using flat tinnerman nuts and rivets.  I also attached the small wooden pieces to the firewall frame that the front of the cover attaches to also.

I also got a lens cover for the cabin ceiling light from Mike Benoit.  It fit perfect right out of the box.  Thanks, Mike.

With the rear cabin walls, I couldn't resist trying out a rear seat sling.  I got out one of the old seats and set it up to see how it looked and felt.  I will use these as samples to make new ones.  This sling seat is comfortable (my first time sitting in the back seat of any Stinson 108).  

I am anxious to install the headliner soon so I got out the old one and removed the aluminum bows from it and really got out the headliner I got from John Baker when he parted out his 108-3.  I decided to dry-fit the headliner.  Even though it is written on it for a 108-3, it seems to fit pretty good.  A couple of the sleeves the aluminum tubing goes through are too long (longer than the aluminum tubes) so I don't know the difference between a -3 and a -1 or -2 headliner (if any).   I had it clamped at the front to hold it up.  I still need a couple more pieces of wood trim to attach the headliner to above the door, install the shoulder harness brackets, and install the windshield wooden brackets.  I'm not sure what kind of staples to use and I am studying the Yahoo Stinson group and Int'l Stinson club websites for clues how to attach the headliner.  

The old headliner.

I have more hardware and wood on order from Aircraft Spruce.  I also have some varnish, stain, and thinner designed for wooden boats coming which I will use on the woody panels to make them a mirror finish and stain the mahogany a little redder to go with the color scheme of the airplane.  I need to get more paneling and poplar trim to do the doors and maybe the kick panels near the instrument panel.