To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2000 23:29:30 -0600
Subject: re: miniature lightning
Message-ID: <20000310.234431.6766.1.rcusbob@juno.com>
From: Robert E Grossmann <rcusbob@juno.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0

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Dear Friends,

I am building a 235 kit with a 320 engine, so I read the list constantly
and with great interest, and profit. Being an engineer (turned preacher)
I too sometimes fall for the complicated answer, but usually have the
sense to KISS it off. I too have had the sparks from the hand to an
ungrounded hunk of metal experience (an auto to which five sparks went
from fingers and thumb as I reached for it) in the vicinity of a
lightning storm. But to argue so vehemently for heavy work to avoid an
event that has never happened, when literally millions of automobiles,
etc. are fueled every day for decades, seems to me to go beyond common
sense Curtis. When the chance of something happening is so small that it
has never happened, even though it has millions of supposed opportunities
every day, as you yourself admit, is tantmount to crying wolf. If folks
want to worry about these things, feel free. I suspect however that our
worry ought to be more concentrated on building an airworthy and straight
airplane than issuing strong warnings to us about events so unlikely that
one such has never happened.

On a more practical note. I have used a Taiwan made torque wrench for
years, the calibrated bending type. To check it I use an accurate spring
scale pulling at one foot from the center of twist. Even if the wrench is
off a few foot pounds, the purpose of having the same torque on related
fasteners is readily accomplished. The only thing big money buys you is
that the factory supposedly did the same thing wrench by wrench that you
can easily accomplish for one wrench with a bucket of sand or another
accurate means of calibration. I have never done this, but it would be
interesting to compare a half dozen top priced torque wrenches for
consistency at various torques.

Have Fun, Bob Grossmann

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