How tight should you install a tapered pipe (NPT) fitting?
Fixing hose fitting leaks
Flare for AN fitting
Understanding Aircraft Hose Size
Tube Strength for Mechanics
Aircraft Hose - Battle of the Bulge
Electrical Currents and Aircraft Hose

General Principles of Nut Strength for Mechanics
Nylock nut torques
Should Lock Nuts be reused
Hydrogen Embrittlement in high strength fasteners
Which to use - Elastic stop nut or All Metal?
Bolt and Screw Tensile Strength for the Mechanic
Industrial vs Aircraft Hardware
Inch screw size
What is the difference between aircraft AN and JIC fittings
Aircraft Cable - What is it?
How to use a shear nut
How Anti-Seize changes bolt torque
Interference fit studs
Torque Chart usage and warning
You've tightened the bolt - now will it stay tight?
Countersink screw angle for aircraft
Washer Strength
How to prevent vibration induced loosening to bolts and nuts
Aircraft Control Cable Comparison of wear behavior of stainless and galvanized carbon steel
Rivet edge distance
How to measure a rivet
Don't damage your aircraft by using low-quality stainless steel screws

Cracks Grow
Inspecting Springs
Inspecting 0-rings
Inspecting gear teeth
When reporting expensive defects - be objective and factual
Logbook Entries - protect yourself
Crack Detection using the unaided eye - ebook download
Failure Analysis
Exhaust Valve leakage - photo essay
Aircraft Oil Analysis - filter vs oil
Do it yourself oil analysis
Stop Drilling cracks
Smoking Rivets
How to replace the ignition harness spring
Crankshaft cracks and fillets

What Torque Wrenches Measure
Air Torque Wrenches as accurate as the manufacturer's claim?
What is "Nominal' size
Vibration for Mechanics
Dial Caliper Measurement Accuracy
Measurement Errors and Challenges for Mechanics - ebook download
What are Tolerances?
Engine Bearing Failure - Is it Round?

Is the aircraft alternator or regulator bad?
Difference between aircraft electrical terminals and commercial wire terminals
Maintaining Electrical Contacts
How to maximize high-altitude magneto performance

Mechanic's Toolbox Software has over 2,000 pictures. Lots of information on aircraft screws, nuts, and bolts

Best Drill Bit
Vacuum pump tips
Aircraft Spark Plug Barrel Size
Does the EGT accurately reflect mixture distribution?
Preventing valve burning in Lycoming O320H2AD engines
Hydrogen Embrittlement
Work Habits
An Introduction to Wear Pattern Analysis - ebook download
Gasketed Joints, Loosening and Lockwire
Why you don't want your engine parts stress relieved
What is the most fuel efficient RPM to operate your aircraft engine?
Stainless Steel brake discs and cooking pots
Spark Plug Helicoil Repair

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Strength and Toughness for aircraft mechanics
Necessary properties of bushings and bearings
Aluminum Bronze - Strong as steel - but can  be an engineering disaster
The Stronger the steel, the more one needs to protect it from corrosion
Stress corrosion cracking in stainless steel
Strengthening might make it weaker
Aircraft Rivet Fatigue Performance
Countersink Knife Edge

Don't store engine parts in newspaper
Graphite Antiseize
Zinc Vs Galvanized Hardware - Which is better?
Cleaning Aluminum Aircraft Without Creating Corrosion
Inspecting Stainless Steel for Corrosion
Corrosion Potential Field Indicators
Tube Oil for interior corrosion protection
Lithium, The new grease for aircraft, Boeing and Airbus standardize
Fingerprint Corrosion on Aircraft Products

Should an engine be torn down after a prop strike?
Should an aircraft engine be operated past recommended TBO?

Visit the Mechanic's Toolbox Lab where you can try out some of my projects that are still in development.

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How to Rivet

Mechanic's Photo Album

Pictures of part failures, inspection and assembly tips.