Airframe sheet metal repair
 

Hello everyone,

While working on my door of the 337A, I had the door stopped removed and was working on the spring that allows the door to stay open. During that repair, a gust of wind caught the door and pulled it from my hand (I now know to perform airplane repairs in a hanger) and slamed the door into the airframe at the hinge. It cut into the sheet metal and although it is not causing any airworthiness problems, it is irritating to see. Can this sheet metal be repair and how, since it sounds like welding and sanding the aluminum can cause problems.

Karl

Here is mine. Same situation, I had the pin out to allow the door to open all the way and ............well same issue. I am going to attemp a repair soon as the aircraft is in re-furbish. I will post the results.

Ask around for sheetmetal mechanics/specialists and they'll handle it. About a year ago a vehicle hit my 337 causing considerable sheetmetal damage, including piercing the sheetmetal at one location. Some was straightened, some was replaced and in the pierced section they put a doubler. They know what to do.

Ernie

I can be repaired, but its not seamless, such as what you could see on an automobile. A doubler on the exterior would be the only way that this could be repaired effectively.
Most aircraft structural aluminum is not generally weldable, and this is the case on Cessna fuselage skins.

The wind got the door of my '66 a few weeks ago in Kissimmee when we were loading up to return from Mousetown.

I removed the interior panel in front of the door, then drilled some strategically placed 3/8" holes in the back side of the cup/channel that holds the hinges. I drilled pilot holes from the outside to mark the correct location. The one person used a 3/8" drift punch through the holes to push the dented/torn sheetmetal back into place, while another person held a towel wrapped dolly on the outside. Once the sheetmetal was straight again, I sealed the holes with some plugs and pro seal.

The sheetmetal does not look perfect, and at some point we'll sand, fill and paint the areas, but it is O.K. for the winter.