Stearman Airplane Spinner Repair
Work done using the TM Tech Air Power Hammer

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  • Stearman Airplane Spinner Repair

    This Stearman airplane spinner was sent in for repairs after being badly dented. Alloy is 6061 T-6 aluminum, .063” thickness.

  • Stearman Airplane Spinner Repair

    Measuring shows depth of damage.

  • Stearman Airplane Spinner Repair

    Using the TM Technologies Curved Frame Model 3000 Air Power Hammer to shrink and straighten the damaged aluminum, without any annealing at all.

  • Stearman Airplane Spinner Repair

    Our Air Hammer is well-known for having a wide range of adjustment – and this example shows how Kent was able to set both the BPM (blow-per-minute) rate and power so that the original spinning marks were left alone while the damage was straightened. Otherwise there would be stretching - and that would ruin the critical contour of the part.

  • Stearman Airplane Spinner Repair

    This image shows how the heavily damaged area of the part was hammered and shrunk straight and how much filling and sanding would be needed.

  • Stearman Airplane Spinner Repair

    Since spinners cover the center of the propeller and spin with the propeller, the damage repair must be very straight or it shows up right away. Templates (not shown) were used to gauge the repairs to insure trueness. The scrapes are still visible and must be brazed to fill. Sanding is very risky on any aircraft sheet aluminum part, so 320 grit is used only sparingly on the brazing, and gouges are either left alone or filled with Flux-core Aero Braze.

  • Stearman Airplane Spinner Repair

    Final appearance looks very nice, and the backing plate fit perfectly. Some little gouges were left in as a reminder of the incident, and for “provenance.”