'Tomcat' From the Beginning.

[mgwin]

Tom S.

Wouldn't it have been easier to just order the complete 149 decal kit from Charlie?

 

[tsteinman]

I thought about the decal when I ordered everything else. My Hot-rod restorer pal sez they have some excellent 'Bling-bling' stuff out there now. He actually GLUES metal together now instead of wire-feed welding it, as does Boeing etc.

 

[nbextermueller]

My old company hated the word "glue". They acted like it was a bad word. We called it structural adhesive. And in most cases, when properly applied and cured, it was stronger than the base materials and had a longer life cycle than the metal.

I was trying to use it in the railroad industry to combine dissimilar materials. In most tests, I would fail a base metal before the adhesive would give up. That's why cars today are mostly glued together, not welded. No heat also = no distortion... Some of the basic stuff I was testing held 2500lb/sq inch in tension! Imagine hanging a car from cables glued to an I-beam with just 2sq in of contact area.

In one test, I hung 5000lb from 6sq in and tore a layer of steel off an I-beam. Imagine glueing it, then pulling so hard, part of the steel comes off stuck to the glue! And the glue had glass beads in it to keep it only about 1/16" thick.

 

[tsteinman]

I'm really impressed by some things my Wrench-head pal does with Double-sided glue tape. Incredible strength. A Relative working on 'Stealth Jets' say it's the way of the future...not welds. I'm sold.

 

[digger]

I-beams and glue!

 

[mgwin]

Dang,
For a minute there, I thought I was in the pulling and hot rodding section!

 

[tsteinman]

I am seriously considering 'Gluing' TOMCAT's cab together. Locomotiveman Tom

 

[hydroharry]

Tom - I wouldn't do that (glue the cab together) since most of the glue being discussed is permanent, never to come apart again.

 

[tsteinman]

Yes. I understand the 'Glue Thing' is permanent. I'm just now in pals garage watching him Glue a '36' Ford together. It needs close tolerance fit-up...which CubCadet Cabs don't have.

 

[mhomrighausen]

Any glue is only as permanent as the amount of heat that you apply to it. My ex BIL learned that when he took the family car to a body shop to fix the trunk lid that someone had sat on and dented. The shop owner thinking they still welded trunk lids applied heat to remove the dent. So much for "permanent".

 

[tsteinman]

TOMCAT is getting re-assembled a little more each week.

 

[aschumacher]

Tom, are your headlights mounted 90* out of proper aiming??

 

[tsteinman]

Yes, the Headlights are merely sitting in there for the Pic only. I am making up new wiring harness soon. Locomotiveman Tom

 

[kmcconaughey]

Tom, looking good!

 

[tsteinman]

TOMCAT's Fuel Tank is structurally sound, with a soldered patch near the lower left seam. Visual inspection shows very shiney clean surface...no rust.

 

[tsteinman]

TOMCAT's Fuel Tank has a hot-soldered patch near the lower right seam. Internally, the tank is very clean. No dents externally, but it needs repainting.

 

[tsteinman]

Fuel Tank appears good. Straps good. Mounting brackets good. Ready to Prime n Paint TOMCAT S'more. Locomotiveman Tom

 

[tsteinman]

82/F in the Paint Booth this morning. Not unlike a Sandblast Booth. Just enough room for my Rattle Can of paint and a rubber-gloved arm. TOMCAT's getting more lipstick every day.

 

[jclazar]

TOMCAT seems to be coming along great! I have laid down some surprisingly decent paint work on an IH Cub Cadet using "rattle cans" ! My next upcoming IH Cub Cadet project will be painting my model 86!

 

[hydroharry]

Tom S - what's that big spot on the heat shield? It looks like something has been welded to the top of the shield right next to the slot cut-out for the spark plug.