how long to cover

[N74DV]

what's a good estimate on how long it willl take to recover the entire plane(poly-fiber process) assuming one or two guys work on it at least 10-12 hours a week?

Also assuming it's just a recover with no major structural repairs needing to be made.

[Ragwing nut]

Re: how long to cover

Figure at least 300 hours for COVER ONLY.

Mike

[crispy critter]

Re: how long to cover

Figure at least 300 hours for COVER ONLY.

Mike

........if the guys working on it know exactly what they're doing.

[N96337]

Re: how long to cover

......and I haven't seen one that didn't need some attention before cover goes back on...but that can be subject to how picky you are.....
JH

[t-crafter]

Re: how long to cover

Doing a good restoration, replacing all the glass and interior. Stripping repainting everything. Running all new wiring and hanging a completed engine on. Takes me a little over 400 hrs, but I do it to enjoy it!! When you have to take wings apart or rebuild aileron's it adds a lot of time. Hope this helps. Carlton.

[Ragwing nut]

Re: how long to cover

........if the guys working on it know exactly what they're doing.

EXACTLY.........

Mike

[Ragwing nut]

Re: how long to cover

......and I haven't seen one that didn't need some attention before cover goes back on...but that can be subject to how picky you are.....
JH

I average 600 hours to completely redo a taylorcraft, cub or similar aircraft, providing it wasn't a total pile of junk when it arrives. L-2's are taking 800-1000 hours because of having to build new wings, all new sheetmetal, and scratch building the greenhouses.

Mike

[wlas]

Re: how long to cover

wow, 300 and 800 hours, let me see my shop rate is 65/hr thats 52,000 dollars for 800 hours. Most super cubs I do run about 40,000 to 50,000k for a rebuild, I can't charge that for a T-craft most customers will not pay that, because, you couldn't sell it for what the rebuild cost. I put right at 40hrs or a little over to cover one wing and that's just one color

[crispy critter]

Re: how long to cover

Hope not to offend anyone because I don't like to throw my business quotes on this site simply out of respect for everyone but I will tell you what I have charged in the past for restoring a t-craft...one of them I got $10,000 for the labor only,the next one a year later was $12,500. The owners were very satisfied with the work and the price. I still quote $12,500 for a basic disassembly,strip,prime,cover,and paint if absolutely nothing else major is required. If I have to start replacing spars,rebuilding ailerons,replacing tubing,etc the price goes up with each item. Remember this is for labor only.Parts,supplies,and materials are at the owners expense. This also does not include labor for an engine overhaul but it does include painting or powder coating the engine mount,valve covers,oil tank,intake elbows,intake pipes,etc. If I'm going to stick my name on a recover job I don't like for people to open the cowling on a beautiful new looking airplane and say,"damn,what's this crap?",lol. So even if your engine is a little worse for wear,at least it will look pretty.

[Ragwing nut]

Re: how long to cover

wow, 300 and 800 hours, let me see my shop rate is 65/hr thats 52,000 dollars for 800 hours. Most super cubs I do run about 40,000 to 50,000k for a rebuild, I can't charge that for a T-craft most customers will not pay that, because, you couldn't sell it for what the rebuild cost. I put right at 40hrs or a little over to cover one wing and that's just one color

Completely different hour counts. 300 was just for cover only on a BC-12D. 800 was for a complete restoration of an L-2. BC-12D take about 500 hours complete redo. That is the reason I don't restore aircraft for a living much anymore. No one is willing to pay what it is worth and if i am going to give my time away, I am going to do it on my own projects since I have a hanger full of them to do. I keep telling people when they ask me how much it will cost and I tell them at least what top market value is. Don;t care what airplane your talking about either. I have built way to many airplanes for less than what I could have made working at McDonald's. There is no way I can get $65 an hour for restoration work in OK. $40 long term and about $50 or so short term unless you are on a major field with high overhead, then the price goes up.

Mike

[tawadc95]

Re: how long to cover

people do not appreciate the art of fine hand labor anymore.....it is all about how quick the microwave gets it done and cheap chinese lead paint!

[N96337]

Re: how long to cover

The last two posts take the words right out of my mouth! Well said.
JH

[astjp2]

Re: how long to cover

It took me 3.5 years! but I was on travel a lot. Tim

[wlas]

Re: how long to cover

Mike,
You are so right, exactly the reason I also have backed off on restorations. You never get what they are worth. I usually end up knocking off a percentage of the final cost and even then the customer may choke. I had one customer, that thought the bill was too high, so he sent his wife over to cry to my wife. (My wife does the paperwork). It worked, we knocked $4000.00 off the bill. We rate customers according to A, B, or C list. He is on the D list, but he still comes back, although he comes on tiptoe now. He has seen me fire customers in the past and he knows he is toeing that line.
Back to the original question. 40 hrs. per wing, fuselage 50-60 hrs., then there are tailfeathers and ailerons, 300-400 hours is probably an accurate estimate, but as others have pointed out, it is rarely a straight recover. It seems minor obstacles always present themselves no matter how prepped the project is. It is impossible to predict those items. The estimate is assuming the person doing the recover is experienced, obviously it would take longer for a novice.

[N74DV]

Re: how long to cover

thanks for the response. I would consider myself a novice having only stitched and covered a set of tail feathers for my Pietenpol Aircamper project two years ago.