Covering the fin/fuselage junction?

[mhorowit]

I'm nowhere ready to cover the fuse, but covering the tailfeathers is on the horizon (I'm including the fin). Except for the fin, things look straight forward.

Reading thru the PolyFiber manual, I see their discussion, including using the baseball stitch. Looking at Rob's site, he did things a bit differently because he didn't want to harm some interior work.

I'd like to cover the fin and set it aside, but the fin and fuselage covering seem to be too tightly related.

Would appreciate hearing other's experience and if you had to connect fin fabric to fuse fabric using the baseball stitch - Thanks, MikeH

[Robert Lees]

Re: Covering the fin/fuselage junction?

I don't think you can cover the fin separately. This would be contrary to the design spec of the machine.

And it would look like a dog's breakfast.

[mhorowit]

Re: Covering the fin/fuselage junction?

I don't think you can cover the fin separately. This would be contrary to the design spec of the machine.

And it would look like a dog's breakfast.

Now there's a job for GOOGLE! - MikeH

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Covering the fin/fuselage junction?

Has to be covered on the airplane. There wa a steel reinforcing strip about 1/4 the way up attached with a #4 sheetmetal screw on most but not all that seem to get lost or not reused. The fillet transition is the trickiest part to make look good. I cover the vertical with the sides, glue it all on, overlap the top, and stitch the top to the fillet only. I hate socks and how they look and fit.

Mike

[Dick Huish]

Re: Covering the fin/fuselage junction?

The purpose of the 1/2 inch band is to streamline the fin and relieve pressure on the lower rib stiching on the fin. It is put on after the cover is on but before the fabric is shrunk. Dick

[mhorowit]

Re: Covering the fin/fuselage junction?

...the 1/2 inch band ...Dick

That would be Rob Lee's Dalstrom - MikeH

[mhorowit]

Re: Covering the fin/fuselage junction?

Has to be covered on the airplane. The fillet transition is the trickiest part to make look good. I cover the vertical with the sides, glue it all on, overlap the top, and stitch the top to the fillet only.
Mike

I need to understand this - what I hear you saying is, when you cut out the sides for the fuselage, that piece includedes 1/2 the fin - correct?

What you are describing as the fillet is the triangle shaped piece that transitions from the top of the fuselage, up Rob's Dalstrom; stiching would connect the fillet to the sides of the fin - correct? - MikeH

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Covering the fin/fuselage junction?

That would be Rob Lee's Dalstrom - MikeH

no, there is a 1/2 wide steel band that is one piece and loops at the rear an ttached 1 screw at the back and two in the front. The front attaches about where the dahlstrom attaches to the vertical

MIke

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Covering the fin/fuselage junction?

I need to understand this - what I hear you saying is, when you cut out the sides for the fuselage, that piece includedes 1/2 the fin - correct?

What you are describing as the fillet is the triangle shaped piece that transitions from the top of the fuselage, up Rob's Dalstrom; stiching would connect the fillet to the sides of the fin - correct? - MikeH

correct and sort of correct. I glue the vertical half all the way down the dahlstrom on both sides. then cover the top and overlap the fabric by two inches and make a perpendicular stitch to the upper longeron just before the fabric goes up the dahlstrom. Then cover all with a 4" tape.

Mike

[Grant S. Bailey]

Re: Covering the fin/fuselage junction?

Mike,

I know that the purists will balk, but when I recovered I used envelopes purchased from Jim and Dondi Miller and I thought everything went slick as heck, including the fuselage!

Grant

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Covering the fin/fuselage junction?

Mike,

I know that the purists will balk, but when I recovered I used envelopes purchased from Jim and Dondi Miller and I thought everything went slick as heck, including the fuselage!

Grant

Their socks probably fit the best, but I can't stand to look at the "V" stitch in top of the fuselage. Purist won't balk, the originals were socked as well. The issue I don't like is everyone tries to make them out of the least material possible which is 3 pieces rather than 4. Todays dacron rolls are narrower than the cotton that was available way back when. I only sock one when I have to.

Mike

[mhorowit]

Re: Covering the fin/fuselage junction?

correct and sort of correct. I glue the vertical half all the way down the dahlstrom on both sides. then cover the top and overlap the fabric by two inches and make a perpendicular stitch to the upper longeron just before the fabric goes up the dahlstrom. Then cover all with a 4" tape.

Mike

I think I'm having a lightbulb moment, but I'm far from my fuselage, so I could be way off and I could be leaving a gaping hole but...: glue cloth along the lower longeron. bring the cloth up over the fin and form it around the fin, coming down the front and along the dahlstom and over the top longeron. glue. do the same on the other side. apply heat. OK? - MikeH

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Covering the fin/fuselage junction?

I think I'm having a lightbulb moment, but I'm far from my fuselage, so I could be way off and I could be leaving a gaping hole but...: glue cloth along the lower longeron. bring the cloth up over the fin and form it around the fin, coming down the front and along the dahlstom and over the top longeron. glue. do the same on the other side. apply heat. OK? - MikeH

Correct, you want to bring the side fabric as far foward as possible so when you cover the top you can run a baseball stitch across the top perpendicular to the upper longererons where the fillet meets the center stringer.