Control Wheel Tubes

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rusty
Posts: 61
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:13 pm

Control Wheel Tubes

Post by rusty »

Does anyone know what type of chrome Cessna originally used on the control wheel tubes? I was told it was called "New Chrome." Tanks in advance.
PS Ordered four of the original rivets.
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GAHorn
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Re: Control Wheel Tubes

Post by GAHorn »

If you are planning to chrome-plate your tubes.... be certain to "normalize" them immediately afterwards by baking in a 400-degree oven for 4 hours, then cooling to room temperature. This is to avoid "hydrogen-embrittlement", a common problem with chrome plating steel. Your plating shop should know about it (or you've chosen the wrong shop.)

NU Chrome is a process used on engine cylinders wherein the process is interrupted before channels are created. Your tubes should be chromed with ordinary chrome (which in some circumstances require copper-plating first.)
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
hilltop170
Posts: 3481
Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 6:05 pm

Re: Control Wheel Tubes

Post by hilltop170 »

I was told by the guy who re-chromed mine that they were originally "hard chromed" which is less shiny, more expensive, and requires a specilized process, but wears better. I went with regular chrome (like car bumpers) because the chrome shop could not do "hard chrome", whatever that is.
Last edited by hilltop170 on Wed Jul 26, 2017 8:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
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GAHorn
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Re: Control Wheel Tubes

Post by GAHorn »

"Hard" chrome is related to the Erin Brockovich controversy in that it involves "hexavalent" chromium, so many plating shops are either ill-equipped or reluctant to use that process.
Chrome plating uses hazardous chemicals as electrolyte and the vapors and waste is dangerous. A visit to a plating shop is an interesting tour we should include in a future convention.
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
hilltop170
Posts: 3481
Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 6:05 pm

Re: Control Wheel Tubes

Post by hilltop170 »

I agree, a tour to a properly run plating shop would be very interesting. The plating shop that used to be in Anchorage would have been a Superfund site if it had been a little bigger. It was absolutely nasty and would take your breath away when you walked in the door. The EPA finally shut it down. I would be surprised if the owner is still alive after breathing those fumes for all those years.
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
rusty
Posts: 61
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:13 pm

Re: Control Wheel Tubes

Post by rusty »

Thank you for the information, I have numbers for chrome shops in Ft. Worth will start calling tomorrow.
rusty
Posts: 61
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:13 pm

Re: Control Wheel Tubes

Post by rusty »

Checked with three chrome shops in Ft. Worth. All of the shops only do the regular bumper type chrome.
bagarre
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Re: Control Wheel Tubes

Post by bagarre »

Talk to your IA about replacing the tubes with stainless.
It's not as strong but more than sufficient for the task. And they will never rust again.
hilltop170
Posts: 3481
Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 6:05 pm

Re: Control Wheel Tubes

Post by hilltop170 »

rusty wrote:Checked with three chrome shops in Ft. Worth. All of the shops only do the regular bumper type chrome.
There is nothing wrong with "bumper chrome" if done properly. Mine have held up very well for 11 years now with no evidence of scratching or failure.

My original chrome had flaked off where pilots had placed their hand over the middle of the control wheel for years and the shafts were rusty (no pun intended). Even with the cleanup process to remove the rust which left some surface irregularities, they look great now. I would not hesitate to use bumper chrome again.
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
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GAHorn
Posts: 20967
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2002 8:45 pm

Re: Control Wheel Tubes

Post by GAHorn »

I haven't checked... so this is speculative... but I wonder if a cylinder shop that does chroming mightn't be a good source for "hard chroming"...??
The way they typically create "channel chrome" is to reverse electrolysis before removing the cyls from the vat. You'd likely want to remove the tubes before/prior to that.
Sentry cylinders in Ft. Worth still did channel chrome in the late 90s, I believe. Don't know who still does that process in the area.
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
hilltop170
Posts: 3481
Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 6:05 pm

Re: Control Wheel Tubes

Post by hilltop170 »

Aerospace Plating in Grand Prairie, Texas did hard chrome in the early 2000's but I never called to ask if they would do a small retail job.

You might try a google search for hard chrome plating in DFW.
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
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