Kirkham Skunk Works Project

[Robert McLinden]

Dave,

When I worked at Middle River Aircraft Systems I used to like to watch and talk with the boys in the stretch press department. I think we had three similar machines used to stretch the inner and outer skins for the Thrust Reverser Core Cowls that they manufacture. Just across the isle from a heat treat oven and quench tank. All the skins were 2024-T3 (0.032) either solid or perforated. Fast becoming a lost art.

[David Kirkham]

Originally Posted by Robert McLinden

Dave,

When I worked at Middle River Aircraft Systems I used to like to watch and talk with the boys in the stretch press department. I think we had three similar machines used to stretch the inner and outer skins for the Thrust Reverser Core Cowls that they manufacture. Just across the isle from a heat treat oven and quench tank. All the skins were 2024-T3 (0.032) either solid or perforated. Fast becoming a lost art.

Yes, metal forming is fast becoming a lost art--especially here in the US. That is one of the big reasons why I want to put everything on YouTube. I hope it will be profitable to someone in the future.

David

~~~:<

[mr bruce]

It's a friggin' crime the way these "liquidators" scrap this country's manufactering base, it's bad enough all the machinery is going, but the knowledge and skill to actually make "stuff" too. Kudos "K" bros.