Where to find aviation junk

[Deltawidget]

..... Well not really junk but antique av stuff, vintage toys, parts (not serviceable but could be used for decor)...

Are there any shows that happen in canada or northern u.s.?

Or should I just keep trolling on eBay , Craigslist etc....

[fleet16b]

If you live in Ontario, come see me I run an aircraft salvage yard and vintage aircraft parts collection
We buy and sell serviceable and non serviceable aircraft parts, aviation memorabilia etc
Ranging from WW1 - present .
We have a barn with close to 100,000 items
PM me for details

[getbentmetal]

I am interested in some aircraft parts. Can you send me your contact please.

B.

[co-joe]

Getting the medical with Dr Adams in YBW I asked him about a few of the trinkets he has on the wall and they range in price but some of them are actually quite cheap. I was really surprised. Not sure where he gets his stuff, but some of the old instruments in particular were easily affordable.

[geodoc]

Too bad we don't still have Boeing surplus in Seattle. That place was amazing. Got lots of my sheet metal tools from there as well as misc. shop equipment. Could have picked up a cryogenic vat and a few hundred pounds of titanium bar stock, but no room.

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-new ... -to-close/






.

[Go Juice]

the Orca ramp?

[PilotDAR]

Skywagon City and Doug Ronan are two sources of some reclaimed aircraft parts.

Be careful with old instruments, some have faces painted with radioactive paint. This paint has not been used for probably 50 years, but the instruments are still out there. It conflicts with Atomic Energy of Canada policies to sell these, as they contain radioactive material. The cancer hazard is documented, and claimed a friend of mine years back. Once I understood the hazard, I sent two bins of serviceable instruments to AEC, and I presume they are thousands of feet underground now. If you can't tell them apart, avoid buying. If you already own, do not disassemble. If they're in your instrument panel, and working, I understand you're allowed to leave them in service, but you'll have a terrible (=expensive) time getting serviced.

[lhalliday]

I bought a geiger counter on eBay. I've never run it by airplane instruments, but I've checked out old camera lenses with it (thorium glass), various old pieces of yellow and orange pottery (uranium glazes), even bananas (potassium).

Boeing Surplus was fun.

...laura

[fleet16b]

Skywagon City and Doug Ronan are two sources of some reclaimed aircraft parts.

Be careful with old instruments, some have faces painted with radioactive paint. This paint has not been used for probably 50 years, but the instruments are still out there. It conflicts with Atomic Energy of Canada policies to sell these, as they contain radioactive material. The cancer hazard is documented, and claimed a friend of mine years back. Once I understood the hazard, I sent two bins of serviceable instruments to AEC, and I presume they are thousands of feet underground now. If you can't tell them apart, avoid buying. If you already own, do not disassemble. If they're in your instrument panel, and working, I understand you're allowed to leave them in service, but you'll have a terrible (=expensive) time getting serviced.

I have been dealing with used/vintage aircraft parts for close to 45 yrs . This whole radio active thing was blown way out of proportion .
Many people over the years have worked daily with this stuff and had no issues ever. Years ago the inst techs use to re-paint the dials by. In order to get a fine paint line , they use to lick the detailing brushes. Not a good idea when painting with radium. Some of them gut cancer on their tongues because of this. That upended everything and the Gov went willy nilly about radium dials.
True in this day and age , many shops will not deal with them , not because of cancer but because they have to remove and dispose of the radium paint and the disposal is expensive.
If you fly and aircraft into the states , the ramp gieger counter will go off but the officials don't get too concerned as they have seen this many times . Driving into the states with a radium dial inst in your trunk etc is a bit more of a hassle . Less than a year ago it took me about 45 mins to be cleared . The isnt stored on my truck set off their gieger system the second I pulled up to the checkpoint . Still no big deal just a slight delay while US Customs confirmed that is was only an instrument

[AirFrame]

Interesting... A while ago a customs officer at Bellingham told one of the pilots who landed there that they wouldn't be allowed back into the US until they changed out the radioactive instruments... Basically, you can come in today, but when you leave, don't come back with them. Said his registration was flagged in their system to watch for.

[PilotDAR]

For me, it's a risk vs benefit situation: Is there a risk in exposure to radioactive material? Yes. Is there a benefit in possessing an instrument which balances out that risk? No. I properly disposed of all of the radioactive instruments I had.

[7ECA]

I've got a bunch of instruments from the Second World War, (three British aircraft compasses, astro compass, and switch box) all of which have some amount of residual radium on them. Obviously, I'm not licking the damn things because that would be stupid. But, I have no concerns about them being a danger to my health in their present form.

Also, if they were a dangerous item, how would I have gotten them all shipped over from the UK with no issues?

[godsrcrazy]

Anywhere Buffalo Joe has property.

[PilotDAR]

if they were a dangerous item, how would I have gotten them all shipped over from the UK with no issues?

I dunno... Did you declare them? When I shipped a plane home I had to declare that the shipment did not contain a number of unwelcomed contents.

I have no concerns about them being a danger to my health in their present form.

I prefer to err to the cautious in this regard, because I do not need the instruments - zero benefit, but small risk. I used to handle liquid mercury, eat saccharin, Not wear a seat belt in the car, nor a life jacket in the boat. I'm old now, and appreciate my healthy life, so will try to keep it that way. I try to find the more safe way when I can. 'Just a personal preference.....

[7ECA]

if they were a dangerous item, how would I have gotten them all shipped over from the UK with no issues?

I dunno... Did you declare them? When I shipped a plane home I had to declare that the shipment did not contain a number of unwelcomed contents.

The aircraft compasses and astro compass were all shipped via couriers, declarations were made/signed and Customs was most certainly involved because I was nailed for duty and taxes on each item. The switch box was shipped via Royal Mail/Canada Post, and again declarations were made, but that time Customs decided to give it a pass on duty.

Mind you, nothing is allowed into the country without some form of examination by the feds.

[PilotDAR]

I was more thinking of declaring that they may contain radioactive material (without asking you to implicate yourself, of course). I honestly do not know the rules about that, so I'm more just curious. Happily, the plane I brought back did not have any radium dial instruments, so I was happy to have been able to not have to declare that!

From my modest understanding of the hazard of the radium dial instruments (which was explained to me by AEC staff while I worked for deHavilland a long time ago), it's less emission, and more ingestion. If the instrument remains sealed, the hazard is very low. It's disassembly, or broken glass which will raise the hazard level.

[lownslow]

Where to find aviation junk

I'm a mix of surprised and disappointed that nobody yet has said, "On the [insert 703 company] ramp!"

[CKPB77]

Hi All,

I'm also looking for vintage aviation parts.
Ideally I'm looking for cluster panels (with gauges) from WWI or WWII planes.
They need not be working but should "look" in working order. No broken glass or missing dials/needel's etc...
Something with switches, knobs, dials, levers etc would be preferred. See attached sample.

Sample Cluster.jpg (228.35 KiB) Viewed 11799 times

I live in South western Ontario and am looking to find scrap yards, collectors, enthusiasts in the area who can help.

Thanks for sharing!
Regards,
John

[PilotDAR]

Aviation parts no longer needed for flight may be found at Skywagon City, or Doug Ronan, both of Brechin, Ontario (near Orillia).

A word to the wise though, many aircraft instruments manufactured 1960's and older had radium faces (glow in the dark). Though not a hazard through the instrument glass or case, the tiny particles of radium are a health concern if in direct contact with your body - avoid! If installed and connected to the aircraft systems, they are mostly "sealed", however, when removed, the insides of the instrument are open, and the hazardous dust can get out through plumbing holes in the case. Antique malls and other sellers of old stuff may be selling these instruments, and be entirely unaware of the hazard. My mentor at the instrument shop died of the effects of this in the late '90's. I believe that Atomic Energy of Canada restricts commercial sale of anything containing radium, and requires its disposal in specific approved ways. Back in the '90's I sent two blueboxes full of serviceable instruments to them to dispose of them correctly. I am personally convinced that I do not want this hazard around, and certainly don't want to make something "artsy" which might extend the public presence of these instruments.

[ahramin]

https://www.npr.org/2017/04/22/52506302 ... rs-science