Preparing a wing to accept Tcraft wire?

[mhorowit]

Starting to put together a BOM for covering. Can someone describe the procedure for installing wire on the wings? I assume anti-chaffing tape over the ribs, then fabric, but then do I need re-enforcing tape? How do the holea get made and how do I insure they are aligned with the holes in the rib? - Mike

[perryv1]

Re: Preparing a wing to accept Tcraft wire?

after you shrink the fabric,put on your reenforcing tape then with a light underneth you can see the holes through the rib,I just use an awl the size of the hole and then just poke away.If you miss a hole you can use the wire for measure. I found that if you rotate the wire so it passes buy oneanother works pretty good.It is hard on the fingers though
PV

[mhorowit]

Re: Preparing a wing to accept Tcraft wire?

after you shrink the fabric,put on your reenforcing tape then with a light underneth you can see the holes through the rib,I just use an awl the size of the hole and then just poke away.If you miss a hole you can use the wire for measure. I found that if you rotate the wire so it passes buy oneanother works pretty good.It is hard on the fingers though
PV

Ah, so you do use reinforcing tape, wire, then fabric over that. - Mike

[Ray36048]

Re: Preparing a wing to accept Tcraft wire?

Mike, what system are you using?

I know the Poly Fiber manual spells all of this out very well. Fabric, re-enforing tapes and finish tapes, it is the same no matter what fasteners you are using. Screws, rib stitch or wire, the process steps are the same.

[mhorowit]

Re: Preparing a wing to accept Tcraft wire?

Mike, what system are you using?

I know the Poly Fiber manual spells all of this out very well. Fabric, re-enforing tapes and finish tapes, it is the same no matter what fasteners you are using. Screws, rib stitch or wire, the process steps are the same.

I'm going to use the Stewart System. The selling points were: a) lack of dangerous solvents means I can do all the small covering in the basement b) the gluing process allows me to tack the fabric down, examine my work,take it apart and do it again until I get it right c) the capability of using brushes and rollers all thru the process d) the STC begins after the primer i.e. I can use anything I wish as a primer. I got my initial BOM, it looks like it will run right at $3,000 - Mike

[astjp2]

Re: Preparing a wing to accept Tcraft wire?

If you want a pretty job, dont ever let rain get on it, it blushes like crazy when it gets wet and takes a while to go away after it dries....like when its sitting on the ramp...Tim

[mhorowit]

Re: Preparing a wing to accept Tcraft wire?

If you want a pretty job, dont ever let rain get on it, it blushes like crazy when it gets wet and takes a while to go away after it dries....like when its sitting on the ramp...Tim

At what point on the covering process? - MIke

[astjp2]

Re: Preparing a wing to accept Tcraft wire?

After you are all said and done, its parked on the ramp 6months to a year later, rain storm goes through and it will look all streaky for a while after its over. That is the price for using a water based system. Tim

[mhorowit]

Re: Preparing a wing to accept Tcraft wire?

After you are all said and done, its parked on the ramp 6months to a year later, rain storm goes through and it will look all streaky for a while after its over. That is the price for using a water based system. Tim

Even with a poly-urethane topcoat? - Mike

[N96337]

Re: Preparing a wing to accept Tcraft wire?

After you are all said and done, its parked on the ramp 6months to a year later, rain storm goes through and it will look all streaky for a while after its over. That is the price for using a water based system. Tim

That's BS!! I've seen ALOT of that system and seen it very wet and never seen that. You've got someting else going on there!!
John