Building a glove compartment (box)

How to keep the Cessna 170 flying and airworthy.

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Bruce Fenstermacher
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Building a glove compartment (box)

Post by Bruce Fenstermacher »

Just realized I never posted the pictures to a article I wrote for the 170 News 4th qtr 2013 with the dimensions to build a glove box. Attached are PDFs of that issue.
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Re: Building a glove compartment (box)

Post by nippaero »

Thanks Bruce. I have this on my to-do list.
1952 170B
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Re: Building a glove compartment (box)

Post by bagarre »

Thanks!
That is exactly the data I'm going to need soon.
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Re: Building a glove compartment (box)

Post by Bruce Fenstermacher »

Below are pictures of a door with the hinges broken off which is what they do. David is right the hinges are a bear to make. I've made one. We need someone to get pictures of the hinges and dimensions cause thats about all that works. Mine is currently installed.

In the example there are 3 holes with no measurement. These are not standard holes. In fact they were added on the bottom for a piano hinge and the side for a chain when my glove box was mounted under the hat shelf in the back. I'm glad someone did that otherwise I wouldn't have a glove box either.

The material thickness measured with a mic is .043 so .040 to .045 would work though the thinner material will form easier at the knob. The dimple for the knob is 1/4" deep.

I show the back side so everyone can see there should be fuse holders and the holders and the hinges where spot welded on. I repaired the door on my plane nicely with flush rivets and filler putty. The decal on this one is one I made as a test that matches those found on glove box doors of all years.
IMG_2277.jpg
IMG_2278.jpg
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Re: Building a glove compartment (box)

Post by bagarre »

Do know the radius of the dimple?
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Re: Building a glove compartment (box)

Post by Bruce Fenstermacher »

No, I didn't think to measure it. Well looking at it is is not a perfect round dimple like one would press with a sphere. It is also not a cone but it is more cone than round dimple.
IMG_2282.jpg
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Re: Building a glove compartment (box)

Post by nippaero »

Here's some info on the door hinge from a scrap door I had laying around. I don't have the other part of the hinge handy.
Attachments
glovebox3.jpg
glovebox2.jpg
glovebox1.jpg
1952 170B
N8180A s/n 25032
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Re: Building a glove compartment (box)

Post by Bruce Fenstermacher »

And there it is. The holy grail almost. What a shame to find a door with good hinges but the top cut off. Even had the decal.

From the IPC we can see what the missing hinge half looked like. Probably the easiest part to make.
Screen Shot 2017-01-26 at 8.45.33 AM.png
Screen Shot 2017-01-26 at 8.45.33 AM.png (41.31 KiB) Viewed 24592 times
On mine I can't remember if I made it or it was on my good door but the two individual hinge brackets where replace by a side of piece of piano hinge that spanned both bracket holes. This piece had all the hinge pin ears remove except that required to hold the hinge pin on each side of the door hinge part. The flat of the piano hinge is bent to the ears are elevated from the mounting structure and I used washers to adjust that spacing to put the door in the correct location.

Here is a quick drawing not to scale what I'm trying to describe.
Glove Door hinge half.jpg
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Re: Building a glove compartment (box)

Post by bagarre »

http://www.cessna170.com/forums/viewtop ... f4c#p98132

That was a thread talking about the little bend hinge things. I made one from a broken example - They are tedious to make and difficult to get right. A tiny error and the door is cooked or wont close flat.

When I make my door for 95D, I plan to re-think the hinge all together. I want it to open the same so it will be an offset hinge but I dont want to make those little brackets again. And I'm not trying to make it 100% original.
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Re: Building a glove compartment (box)

Post by rusbac »

I'll try to remove my door this weekend and verify measurements on the door and hinges. Assuming I can get it out without breaking it.
Box 1.jpg
Box 2.jpg
Box 5.jpg
Box 4.jpg
Christine in Boston
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Re: Building a glove compartment (box)

Post by nippaero »

Bruce Fenstermacher wrote:And there it is. The holy grail almost. What a shame to find a door with good hinges but the top cut off. Even had the decal.
I know. Who would do that? This was the original door on 8180A. Someone cut it off to install an old Norco transponder. I was able to find another door from a TIC170A member.
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Re: Building a glove compartment (box)

Post by Bruce Fenstermacher »

Christine. Those screw heads you can see hold the hinge to the structure under the instrument panel. They screw into Tinnerman nuts. Removing them should release the lower door hinges. Unfortunately, at least in my case cause the lower hinges are one piece as I described, the sequence for removing the door is to remove the box first. I'm not sure the original lower hinges will come up through the slots in the box with the box installed.

Another part we need pictured is the spring clip that holds the door closed. Christine almost got a picture of it but her finger is blocking it. Christine you didn't happen to get a shot of the clip did you?
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Re: Building a glove compartment (box)

Post by rusbac »

Bruce Fenstermacher wrote: Another part we need pictured is the spring clip that holds the door closed. Christine almost got a picture of it but her finger is blocking it. Christine you didn't happen to get a shot of the clip did you?
I don't have a side view of the clip handy right now.
Box 3.jpg
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Re: Building a glove compartment (box)

Post by lowNslow »

My B model doesn't have the dimple and has a piano hinge, is that not original??
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Re: Building a glove compartment (box)

Post by bagarre »

Bruce Fenstermacher wrote:Christine. Those screw heads you can see hold the hinge to the structure under the instrument panel. They screw into Tinnerman nuts. Removing them should release the lower door hinges. Unfortunately, at least in my case cause the lower hinges are one piece as I described, the sequence for removing the door is to remove the box first. I'm not sure the original lower hinges will come up through the slots in the box with the box installed.

Another part we need pictured is the spring clip that holds the door closed. Christine almost got a picture of it but her finger is blocking it. Christine you didn't happen to get a shot of the clip did you?
The lower half of the hinge on 81D is a bent up piece of aluminum half the size of your thumb. There is one for each hinge.
They will come out by removing that screw but I would recommend against it as I had one seriously wonderful time getting those things in there to properly pivot the door.

Here's a shot of that lower hinge hammered flat (with a broken arm)
The two arms bend up 90 degrees at the relief cuts and the lower portion with the hole is bent 120 or so degrees under. There is also a small piece of aluminum that slips under the hinge pins to keep them pressed into the hooks.

I wish I had taken photos of the original and the one I made up before I installed them but I remember a lot of time trying to get them just right.
hinge.jpg
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