Bucking bar quality?

[prestwich]

I finally got my bucking bars. I have to say I'm disappointed with the quality of what I'm seeing, but maybe it's normal. The polished faces are protected with that waxy stuff, and I haven't opened them up because I'm wondering whether I should return them.

The areas that aren't the faces look like they were forged by a caveman and saw cut with the world's coarsest and dullest saw. We're talking the roughest metal I've ever seen. They're also liberally coated with black oil. I assume that's to protect them from rust, but jeez, I ain't gonna work with them like that!

Is this the way all bucking bars look? If not, I'm sending them back!

[tshort]

All the ones I've seen are very rough on the non-polished surfaces - like cast iron. You can polish spots on those, but it is a little tough.
Dunno about the oil - mine don't have that.
As long as they're heavy and have a flat surface you should be good to go!

Thomas
-8 wings

[captain_john]

Yes, the castings are usually crude and the oil is only to protect them from rusting before they are put into use. I have also polished other sides of mine to provide additional flexability to the bar allowing it to be used in more positions.

Some bars I have made from round and flat stock. Having the right bucking bar is more valuable than a fistful of dollar bills at a strip joint! Well, maybe not!

CJ

[cjensen]

agreed with thomas and john (except the fistful of washingtons at the club!. c'mon CJ! )

my bars are the same way.

[Lorin Dueck]

My bucking bars were the same way too.

Like CJ - I've also modified the original ones and made a few others (e.g. with an old crowbar to get in tight corners on the elevator).
A scotchbrite wheel works great to polish the face.



Lorin D
9A Wings
(N194LD reserved)

[prestwich]

All right then. I can't say I'm happy about making a quality airplane with tools that look like they came from the dawn of the iron age, but if that's the way they are, that's the way they are.

My cleco plier is another p. of s. made in Taiwan. Anyone make good ones of those?

[jim_geo]

Hmmm, Fist full of dollars at a strip club. I like that .

[Rupester]

Interesting thing about those bucking bars ... didja notice how much they vary in price fromone supplier to another? I cross checked all the the suppliers and ordered my bars from absolutely the lowest price outfit. I never paid more the $15 and usually closer to $10. I'm happy with all of 'em , and they all look somewhat nicer than the ones pictured above. BTW ... I had the advantage of doing Sportair metals workshop a year ago, so I knew which bars worked best for moi.

Rupester

[Dan A]

Hey PW, Those bars are made rough for a reason. If they were smooth all over it would be real easy to drop one on the inside of your wing or fuse and guess what appears on the outside?!! The rough surfaces give you something to grip when the rivit gun is bouncing the bar around. So just wipe the oil off and have fun!!
Dan

[JohnR]

My tech advisor recommended that I wrap my bucking bars with duct tape around the surfaces close the the flat I was using. Sure keeps the scratches to a minimum.

[prestwich]

The rough surfaces give you something to grip!
Dan

OH! Knurling! Thanks, Dan. I feel much better now.