Dymondwood?

David Martin · Dec 22, 2016

Expounding on Desoto's last 2 sentences. Through strenuous test the military found that aluminum aircraft parts (think frame, i.e. spar) would flex under G force at max. gross and power. Climbing and fast decent. The character of aluminum is to flex SOME then return to it's original line. If flexed too much it did not return. But instead developed Stress, leading to a stress fracture. i.e. failure. Whereas the wood laminate did not show this conduct. Thus, it was deemed stronger. DM

Roamad · Dec 22, 2016

I'm a fan of Dymondwood. It's attractive, grippy, and really durable and stable. We have a kitchen knife with a Dymondwood handle that was in my wife's family when she was a kid. That makes it at least 40 years old and probably older. It's seen some really hard use and no special treatment -- and it still looks and functions great.

I just posted this in the older Dymondwood thread somebody linked to above, but I recently came across this company in New York making what they call Webbwood, which they describe as a "replacement for Dymondwood." It looks like the same stuff and I'm glad to find this new supply:

https://webbwood.com/

The Fort · Dec 22, 2016

Thank you to everyone who has responded so far, especially David Martin and DeSotoSky. That was quite an education!

Kansaswoodguy · Dec 23, 2016

David Martin said:
Expounding on Desoto's last 2 sentences. Through strenuous test the military found that aluminum aircraft parts (think frame, i.e. spar) would flex under G force at max. gross and power. Climbing and fast decent. The character of aluminum is to flex SOME then return to it's original line. If flexed too much it did not return. But instead developed Stress, leading to a stress fracture. i.e. failure. Whereas the wood laminate did not show this conduct. Thus, it was deemed stronger. DM

Continuing on this theme there is a industrial sifter manufacture in my home town that goes threw a lot of FAS hard maple for the sifters. They will not use metal for many of the parts it fatigues and breaks way to fast with the insane amount of vibrating these sifters indure. Looking at the new finished sifters one would think that they are entirely made from metal but they paint all the wood parts with some sort of industrial epoxy that is gun metal grey in color.

bozhidar47 · Dec 23, 2016

DM,

Curious about the Spruce Goose "not moved until just recently." The "recently" time frame surprised me. I lived in McMinnville, OR in the late 90s/early 2000s, and the plane has been on display in the Evergreen Museum in that town since I was there. I had a great visit to that museum, and the chance to get really close up to the Spruce Goose. It is something else to see -- beautiful wood throughout the aircraft! Here is a brief portion of the plane's relocation history on their web page at http://www.evergreenmuseum.org/the-spruce-goose

In 1992, Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum co-founders Michael King Smith and Delford M. Smith submitted the winning proposal to provide the aviation icon with a proper home. The Flying Boat was disassembled and transported by barge up the West Coast, then up the Columbia and Willamette Rivers, to Portland, Oregon. It remained there for several months, until water levels permitted the huge structures to safely pass under the Willamettes many bridges.

Finally, in February 1993, the aircraft was transported by truck for the last 7.5 miles to McMinnville, Oregon. Temporary hangars were built as housing for the aircraft, while volunteers worked on the aircrafts restoration. In 2001, re-assembly of the Hughes Flying Boat was completed in its new home.

I drove passed this museum often, and the front wall is almost totally glass allowing passers-by to see the plane from the road. When I visited the museum, a friend of mine worked there and we had a guided tour of the museum with him (lots of other planes housed there), and he also gave an interesting presentation about Hughes' wood plane. It's incredibly huge, and almost hard to believe that it did fly way back then.

If anyone is in McMinnville, OR, this wood plane is a "must-see!" You wouldn't be disappointed.

David Martin said:
I believe you're correct. My Father in Law has seen it and verified that. It flew one time and was put back in it's hanger in Long Beach. Not moved until just recently. Some commented that the wood laminates were still sound. DM

DeSotoSky · Dec 23, 2016

Its all age relevant..... to David and I, 1993 is recent.....

bozhidar47 · Dec 23, 2016

I wondered about that....

You and David are right, of course. And to me, 23 years ago just didn't seem as recent.

A short or long span of time -- depends on who is thinking about it.

DeSotoSky said:
Its all age relevant..... to David and I, 1993 is recent.....

David Martin · Dec 23, 2016

The Colonel's memory could need a new data board. As we discussed it I went thru his old Aviation Today magazines and tried to find the article. I could not find it. He has Stacks of them. In Air Force Officer, I found a short anecdote (paragraph ) about the Spruce Goose on display in Oregon in a newly constructed hanger. And that issue was like in 1999 or early 2000. We had other items to do for him and I couldn't keep at it. So, I'll keep digging at another visit. But that was the information my first hand historian recalled. DM

2TONYB · Dec 23, 2016

David Martin said:
The Colonel's memory could need a new data board. As we discussed it I went thru his old Aviation Today magazines and tried to find the article. I could not find it. He has Stacks of them. In Air Force Officer, I found a short anecdote (paragraph ) about the Spruce Goose on display in Oregon in a newly constructed hanger. And that issue was like in 1999 or early 2000. We had other items to do for him and I couldn't keep at it. So, I'll keep digging at another visit. But that was the information my first hand historian recalled. DM

I wish this thread would've evolved back in the Spring....I was only a few miles from that "newly constructed hanger" in June and didn't know it. Great thread.

bozhidar47 · Dec 23, 2016

Agreed, 2TONYB, this thread was quite interesting and informative re. Dymondwood. I learned some good stuff.

Sure am sorry you missed seeing the Spruce Goose when you were in Mac. Not only is it a fabulous exhibit of such an unusual plane, the entire museum with the variety of other aircraft is very worthwhile to see, too. Hope you'll get back there again sometime.

Have a great day!

2TONYB said:
I wish this thread would've evolved back in the Spring....I was only a few miles from that "newly constructed hanger" in June and didn't know it. Great thread.