Jeremy,
I did not take pictures while the job was being done.

I will take some close ups ASAP but I am under the weather with a cold bug.

Give me a day or two and I will post the close ups.

Cheers
Bill

I have seen a few up here I really like. The whole door skin was replaced with a single sheet of plexi. Looks really clean and simple. Visibility can't be beat!

Here are a few pics from my project a couple years back. The swing-out windows are the "new style" with the piston to swing the window up and hold it in place.....

Uhmmmm, how do I post pictures? Jeremy I just emailed you a set!

Rob[/img]

Bill

no rush...get better first.

Rob if you could email them to katjem@btinternet.com I would be grateful.

FYI to post photos just go to any photo site e.g. www.photobucket.com down load your pictures on to the site. Once you have done this it will give you a IMG address code. Copy & paste this onto your post. This will link the photo from the site to the forum.

regards

jeremy

Jeremy,
With mine the skin cut but the Plexiglas was measured to overlap in the inside door frame and cut accordingly. Then secure the inner frame over the Plexiglas. The doors are all different in size and shape because of the curvature of the aircraft so it is important to treat each door as and individual project in order for the fit to be correct.

One thing that was found on my door frame was some rust and corrosion in the bottom portion of the frame. This prompted and examination of the entire frame of the aircraft. If you find an area of discoloration then try to punch a hole through it with a ice pick tool. The frame was cut and a new bottom was welded to the frame.

Fortunate for me there was no other rust / corrosion any place else found. Usually if it appears in the frame it would be found some where else so it was surmised that the door was not the original door that came with the Aircraft. Possibly the previous owner damaged and replaced it prior to my purchase.

As indicated by others Maule sells the kit but speak with Bryn Horn parts Manager to assure you get all the parts and that they have been inspected prior to shipment. I had a slight issue but it was corrected and they have taken corrective action but better safe than sorry.

Oh BTW the visibility is worth every ounce of work. It makes taking photo graphs and new airport assessment a real joy!

Many thanks to you all, great help

To eliminate corrosion from water trapped in all the door frames, drill a drain hole at the lowest spot on each door when closed.

I'd take that a step futher. Years ago I had to rebuild the cargo door for this reason and found some corrosion in another door. I drilled the drain holes Jeremy's talking about and at annual I remove the doors, invert them and fog the door frame with ACF-50. Best product on the market.

Jeremy,
Sorry it took so long but I bought a seat organizer for the co pilot seat and put my camera in the organizer. Typical for me I was so organized I couldn't find the camera


By sojorrn, shot with COOLPIX L1 at 2009-03-01


By sojorrn, shot with COOLPIX L1 at 2009-03-01


By sojorrn, shot with COOLPIX L1 at 2009-03-01


By sojorrn, shot with COOLPIX L1 at 2009-03-01

I hope this helps.
Bill

Looking at the picture showing the door knob, I always cut off and file smooth the two bottom corners of the welded on plate that the door knob protrudes from. If not, eventually you will cut your arm and/or tear your favourite shirt, down coat, leather jacket etc

Jeremy,
Thanks I'll do that ASAP
Bill

ref the corners. Yup done that. I'm nearly at the end! great project although more time consuming than first thought. I cut the panels with my FESTOOL circular saw and guide bar....got a perfect straight line in seconds. I'll post a guide to DIYing patrol doors once completed.

Jeremy

crbnunit wrote:I have seen a few up here I really like. The whole door skin was replaced with a single sheet of plexi. Looks really clean and simple. Visibility can't be beat!

I thought long and hard about doing that, but after discussion with someone smarter than I, he determined that it may not work well as the outer skin is bent slightly every time the door is closed as it forms the seal. We wondered how well the plexi would hold up to that.
I still want to do that as I think it would be a lot neater looking installation.
If I had to do it again, I would replace the sheet metal with one big piece instead of the separate pieces left. You would waste a couple of big pieces of sheet metal, but I think it would be neater in appearence.

If the full glass lower door method is used, the plexiglass must be drilled.
Plexiglass shrinks alot with temperature changes, so it is very important to oversize the holes in the plexi, larger than the poprivet. The diagonal cracks you see in so many Maule windows is because of insufficient hole size
It is also important to use the large head soft rivets, or the hole will spider crack.

I have been on the edge about the patroller doors. It dosen't look that difficult and I have the drawings and material from Maule. Does anyone have a good distributor for the 3M VHB tape? It looks kinda spendy for a role. Any good vendors for Kydex or similar material? From the drawings I couldnt' figure how they kydex was supposed to be held on. I don't plan on doing it this year but maybe next and would like to get everything ready.

Thanks!