What's that tape?

[mulwyk]

The wood fairing pieces on my BC12D were attached to the tubes with tape. Looks like various types of tape were used through the years. Black electrical tape (friction tape), masking tape, even some silver duct tape.

What is the correct tape to use?

Bob Gustafson

[barnstmr]

Re: What's that tape?

On various restorations, Waco, Staggerwing, Taylorcraft, Champ... My dad taught me to use cotton fabric strips and tautening (nitrate) dope for this purpose. Strips about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide, wrapped two or three times around the tube and wood piece. I assume this was the factory method for many of these companies. I have also seen other methods... e.g. small drilled hole in the wood faring and tied on to tube with safety wire. I realy like the dope method, because it is compatible with the fabric finishing materials. It really does a great job of holding things in place, too.

[NC36061]

Re: What's that tape?

Bob, when you say "wood fairing pieces", do you mean the pieces around the door frame tubes, etc, or the stringers running along the fuselage? My recollection from when we took apart the '41 Deluxe, which I assume was factory original, is that the pieces around the cabin area were held to the tubing with several wraps of pinking tapes. The stringers were held on with brass wire through holes in the stringer and metal tabs, then twisted. All of the wires had broken over time, I suppose from vibration, but were still in place, acting more like a cotter pin.

Dave

[VictorBravo]

Re: What's that tape?

Some documents I have seen refer to "friction tape". I believe this is sort of a rubberized cotton tape, similar to first aid wound wrap tape. Think of it as a thin cotton duct tape.

[mhorowit]

Re: What's that tape?

My (very limited) experience is with the wood formed to go around the lower longerons. Wonder if the fabric holds that wood in place, in which case wouldn't any tape that doesn't absorbe moisture be OK? - Mike