Do it yourself leather yoke

[MARZ]

Thought I'd give it a try - Tandy Leather, total spent $35.00

 

First layer of tape wrapped sticky side out - second layer sticky side in

 

Cut tape off of the yoke, tape it in place on the leather and cut out the pattern

 

Punch holes along the perimeter and start to sew it on....

[Marauder]

Looks like a cool project! Wonder if this is how Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs got started

[carusoam]

This is where I know that some people have more talent than I do.

That looks pretty good for a DIY project!

Best regards,

-a-

[HRM]

Reminiscent of scout camp.

 

Good job! Your seams are tougher than a Boy Scout.

[funvee]

Looks great!

[DonMuncy]

An additional thought. When I built mine, I bought some cheap "naughahyde" and started cutting and fitting until I had it like I wanted. Then used the synthetic as a pattern for the leather.

[MARZ]

Don - good idea. 

 

Right side finished product - the left side is in progress.

[DonMuncy]

Looks nice. And I know it feels nice too.

[dcrogers11]

Looks like a new side business for you.  I have an extra set of yokes that I was looking to do the same thing to.  What is the shipping address and price???  Also, 3M spray is good for sticking leather to anything. 

[OR75]

Looks like a new side business for you.  I have an extra set of yokes that I was looking to do the same thing to.  What is the shipping address and price???  Also, 3M spray is good for sticking leather to anything.

looks nice indeed. i will post pictures of how i did mine when i get to the hangar.

best not to glue leather to the yoke. ... the yoke must still be accessible for inspection ( some aircrafts - not sure about any mooneys - have recurring yoke inspection)

[Schinderhannes]

Looks great!  when we bought our M20C we tried the yoke covers from a company in the SF Bay Area, but they ripped immediately and we returned them.  I am tempted to try this.  Could you please expand on the materials and tools you used. Do I need to buy one of the "kits" for leather working and what is the blue tape.  Again beautiful work.  

[Bob_Belville]

Mike, I note the ashtray replacement light in your door. Is that worthwhile? I would like to find a better use for those little holes but doubt a light there would do much.

 

BTW, there is an AD (77-17-04) to inspect the yoke shaft of older Mooneys every 500 hours for cracks at the yoke mount holes. It is somewhat more involved than a visual inspection. 

[Hank]

I have the Ashlight from Spruce--works very well, the AAA batteries last a long time. It's great for doing things before engine start in the evening, and has enough light to review a paper approach plate. I used it a lot during Instrument training.

I'm also curious about wrapping my yokes without covering the clock, and may as well do the center post too, and fully combine two threads.

[OR75]

not easy to find what the "flat" template for a modern mooney yoke but i did my best.

[nugs314]

Nice job Mike. Looks great. You have motivated me to start on mine this weekend!

[aviatoreb]

I was going to leather wrap my yokes at some point, and then I was going to hire a local boat-interior finishing guy, and eventually I got turned off by the project for being to hard to do an excellent job, and I didn't want anything less than an excellent job.  Mike I am very impressed as your yokes turned out quite excellent.

 

I (well my mechanic) ended up painting my yokes with black "texture paint" (inside of a tiny paint tent with the yokes still installed in the airplane) as a quick and easy solution that dramatically improved the look and feel of the yokes with very little time invested.  Then I wrapped the vertical parts of the yokes in a very nice-feeling racquetball tape.  For a quick and easy project it really is a pretty good outcome.

[Bob_Belville]

I was going to leather wrap my yokes at some point, and then I was going to hire a local boat-interior finishing guy, and eventually I got turned off by the project for being to hard to do an excellent job, and I didn't want anything less than an excellent job.  Mike I am very impressed as your yokes turned out quite excellent.

 

I (well my mechanic) ended up painting my yokes with black "texture paint" (inside of a tiny paint tent with the yokes still installed in the airplane) as a quick and easy solution that dramatically improved the look and feel of the yokes with very little time invested.  Then I wrapped the vertical parts of the yokes in a very nice-feeling racquetball tape.  For a quick and easy project it really is a pretty good outcome.

Got a pic? I think I prefer the original skinny yokes myself.

[N201MKTurbo]

 

 

I (well my mechanic) ended up painting my yokes with black "texture paint" (inside of a tiny paint tent with the yokes still installed in the airplane)

 

 

Why paint them in the plane? They come off easily.

[HartParr]

Something else to try-practice on something first- is try to shrink the leather after it is in place. Soak leather with water and stretch before cutting and then stitch on while still wet. When it dries work in saddle soap or some other leather conditioner. The old cowboys say blood is the best leather shrink (think OJ trial) but that is kinda gross.

[aviatoreb]

Got a pic? I think I prefer the original skinny yokes myself.

 

Sure!  See below.

 

 

 

 

 

I (well my mechanic) ended up painting my yokes with black "texture paint" (inside of a tiny paint tent with the yokes still installed in the airplane)

 

 

Why paint them in the plane? They come off easily.

 

 

With all the autopilot, and speed brake wiring, there seem like there are lots of wires?  I don't know.  He said it is really quick and easy to just make a tiny tent around the yoke, just big enough for the yoke and your hand, and he did it very quickly and easily in no time it seems, and I think it came out nicely.  A year on and it seems to wear well too.

[N201MKTurbo]

From all the talk I thought you were a classic Mooney. They only have the PC tube and the map and clock light wires. It is a bit of an ordeal on the newer ones.

[aviatoreb]

From all the talk I thought you were a classic Mooney. They only have the PC tube and the map and clock light wires. It is a bit of an ordeal on the newer ones.

 

:-)  Its a 1981 K....- that's 32 years - and getting more classic every day - but I try to keep it in tip top shape.  Can I still hang out here?

 

I admit I was a bit nervous with the prospect of a live spray job inside my cockpit but my mechanic did an amazingly quick and easy (easy for him) job of it.

 

I did get to see all the little miniwires in the yoke a year+ ago when my trim switch failed and I had the avionics shop install a replacement.  Lots of tiny wires.

[meddesign]

Wow great job, loved the blue tape idea, did you say how long it took?

[KSMooniac]

FYI, a Beech owner did an amazing job on his yokes and you can see the results here:

http://www.beechtalk.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=83928

[isaacpr7]

Don - good idea. 

 

Right side finished product - the left side is in progress.

Mike,

 

What did you use for thread and where can I buy some?