Rudder cable exit holes

[mulwyk]

The rudder cable exit holes on my old cover (BC12-D) look as if they were an afterthought, stabbed into the fabric with a rusty pocket knife. Functional, I suppose, but really ugly.

Question: is there a nice tidy way to make these holes? Anyone use leather patches?

[VictorBravo]

Re: Rudder cable exit holes

The rudder cable exit holes on my old cover (BC12-D) look as if they were an afterthought, stabbed into the fabric with a rusty pocket knife. Functional, I suppose, but really ugly.

Question: is there a nice tidy way to make these holes? Anyone use leather patches?

Mine has black leather patches that look really nice. Same shape as the cross section of the wing struts (thick airfoil), with a very careful slice from the cable hole to the trailing edge so you can install it. I liked them so much I made one for the where the jury strut and pitot/static lines exit the bottom of the wing. Looks really classy and affords some measure of resistance to tearing. Highly recommended!

If you use Stits covering, you can burn the hole with a soldering iron (same way as they want you to do the drain holes) instead of cutting. This will also resist unraveling or tearing.

[astjp2]

Re: Rudder cable exit holes

I burned the hole with a solder iron, then glued an aerodynamic cover so it hides the hole. Tim

[Joel Severinghaus]

Re: Rudder cable exit holes

Bob,

Here's the drawing for the leather patches over the rudder cable holes (and the hole for the trim tab pushrod.) It calls for "flannel-back leatherette" vinyl but I went to the craft store and got small pieces of real leather.

http://www.taylorcraft.org/l2_blueprints/cd1/images/A-729.jpg

[N96337]

Re: Rudder cable exit holes

I like to use medium canvas in a teardrop shape like in the pattern Joel showed, glued to the fuselage fabric. Then I cut a patch of fabric that is about an inch larger all the way around and cover it with that... looks pretty good and they really wear great.
John