Aicraft latch/fastner type question?

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  • wierdscience
    Senior Member
    • Jan 2003
    • 22085

    Aicraft latch/fastner type question?

    Customer brought me a little latch that holds a door or window open on a small plane.

    It's a couple pieces of spring steel about .035" thick with an offset bend on one end and a little rounded male tit on the other.The tit pushes into a little spring clip and that holds the door or window open.

    He asked me to make a couple,but I want to see if they can be bought first.

    Any suggestions as to where to look?
    I just need one more tool,just one!
  • KINGWELD
    Senior Member
    • Jan 2010
    • 106

    #2
    Trywicksaircraft.com oraircraftspruce.com.

    Good luck.
    JIM : You don't get a 2nd chance to make a 1st impression.

    Comment

    • Dragons_fire
      Senior Member
      • Jun 2007
      • 603

      #3
      Depending on size, some hobby shops carry them too.. they have a name but i cant remember what it is.

      Comment

      • ADGO_Racing
        Senior Member
        • Feb 2010
        • 408

        #4
        I have had specialty springs made in years past for different applications. Vulcan Spring in Telford, PA is/was a great source. If you can't find them off the shelf.

        Comment

        • bobw53
          Senior Member
          • Jan 2006
          • 607

          #5
          Rule #1, Make parts to prints.

          Rule #2, If you make parts for an airplane, make sure you don't know it's from an air plane.

          Rule #3, if you do know its from an airplane, make sure you make it from a drawing that has lots of signatures on it that aren't yours... and deny any knowledge of knowing what a C135, F15 or any numbers of anything that fly's is.

          Your time finding where they can be bought will be well served. I just asked my friend/business partner, as he was walking by, if he would reverse engineer and make what was described and he said, "call aircraftspruce, they have all that stuff". Call 'em.

          Comment

          • Black_Moons
            Senior Member
            • Aug 2009
            • 9096

            #6
            I seriously hope you got that right when you said its a latch that holds a door 'open' and not a latch that holds a door closed.

            One failing is comical when a door hits someone in the backside.
            The other failing is tragic.
            Play Brutal Nature, Black Moons free to play highly realistic voxel sandbox game.

            Comment

            • kbertoson
              Senior Member
              • Apr 2010
              • 139

              #7
              Thank you Bob. I was wondering how to say it. It is an airplane not a car. Many regulations apply. If you do not have a mechanics ticket. Stay away from airplane parts. The FAA takes a dim view of parts with no drawing or documentation. There are enough replacement parts from aircraft that he should be able to find one.

              Comment

              • wierdscience
                Senior Member
                • Jan 2003
                • 22085

                #8
                Originally posted by Black_Moons
                I seriously hope you got that right when you said its a latch that holds a door 'open' and not a latch that holds a door closed.

                One failing is comical when a door hits someone in the backside.
                The other failing is tragic.
                From what I've been told this just holds the lid open so it doesn't wack,smash,draw blood while your working on it.Think hood prop.

                It's a dinkey little part that probably would take 4 hours shop time to reproduce,but charging $240 for a part that weighs a fraction of an once doesn't go over well most times.Hince my looking for it.
                Last edited by wierdscience; 08-12-2010, 11:46 PM.
                I just need one more tool,just one!

                Comment

                • Herm Williams
                  Senior Member
                  • Feb 2005
                  • 325

                  #9
                  Iirc the name of the fastener you are refering to is a (DZUS). sounds like dutets. depending on size use a nickel or penny to turn.
                  re
                  Herm Williams

                  Comment

                  • gaston
                    Senior Member
                    • May 2010
                    • 131

                    #10
                    I think the part he is referring to is on the wing on a Cessna 105, 172 and pokes into a hole at the top of the door to hold the door open when entering/ leaving the A/C. there are 2 or 3 aftermarket companies making replacements of "improved "design. I had to replace them on both the Cessnas I owned.

                    Comment

                    • gaston
                      Senior Member
                      • May 2010
                      • 131

                      #11
                      As an aside... never put your mane on anything you work on that may end up on an A/C!! and if you do make a part charge 10 times what its worth or more. On myold 1963 150 the spraig? clutch on the pull starter was 200.00+ from cessna and less than 20.00 from the local electric motor repair. the only difference was a yellow part # from cessna printed on the A/C approved part.

                      Comment

                      • ADGO_Racing
                        Senior Member
                        • Feb 2010
                        • 408

                        #12
                        Originally posted by wierdscience
                        From what I've been told this just holds the lid open so it doesn't wack,smash,draw blood while your working on it.Think hood prop.

                        It's a dinkey little part that probably would take 4 hours shop time to reproduce,but charging $240 for a part that weighs a fraction of an once doesn't go over well most times.Hince my looking for it.

                        Don't feel bad about the price. If it says "Aviation", "Racing/Performance" or "Marine" on it the price is automatically quadruple or more what anyone else would pay.

                        I know what it is you are looking for, they should be available commercially (Aviation commercially). Probably rather pricey for all the more they are. I suppose that is why your buddy wanted one made by you, thinking it would be cheaper.

                        As for staying away from making them. I wouldn't worry about it. I have done quite a bit of aircraft work over the years. Some brake parts, landing gear parts, engine mounts, even some airframe work. I didn't do the work for a commercial operation, but for the Experimental Aircraft world, and privately owned aircraft, same liability. What the insurance company didn't know won't hurt them or me. I also pick and choose my battles. I only do work for people who are truly a skilled pilot, and have a firm mechanical working knowledge of what they are doing. I do not do that type of work for the ultralight crowd, or guys who are "working" on a plane for the first time.

                        As for a little spring that props the door open, unless the guy is flying the aircraft for hire, the FAA couldn't care less. It isn't very likely to be the cause of an aircraft crashing.

                        Comment

                        • wierdscience
                          Senior Member
                          • Jan 2003
                          • 22085

                          #13
                          Originally posted by gaston
                          I think the part he is referring to is on the wing on a Cessna 105, 172 and pokes into a hole at the top of the door to hold the door open when entering/ leaving the A/C. there are 2 or 3 aftermarket companies making replacements of "improved "design. I had to replace them on both the Cessnas I owned.
                          I think we have a winner,now we just need to figure out what they are called.
                          I just need one more tool,just one!

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by ADGO_Racing
                            Don't feel bad about the price. If it says "Aviation", "Racing/Performance" or "Marine" on it the price is automatically quadruple or more what anyone else would pay.
                            The difference with an aircraft part is the little tag that hangs off it. THAT'S what you're paying for

                            Comment

                            • luthor
                              Senior Member
                              • May 2003
                              • 464

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Herm Williams
                              Iirc the name of the fastener you are refering to is a (DZUS). sounds like dutets. depending on size use a nickel or penny to turn.
                              re
                              I think you need to read the first post again Herm.

                              Comment

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