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Dennis Kirby
Joined: 05 Dec 2013
Posts: 35
Location: Albuquerque, NM
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 Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:49 pm Post subject: aileron gap seal |
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"t41pilot" wrote: << I just started my 3rd season using the book binding tape. No deterioration showing up yet. My plane is hangared though. The tape is cheap and easy to install. >>
Gregg / Kolb Friends -
I also initially used the clear plastic bookbinding tape for aileron & flaps gap seals on my Mark-3. Strong and flexible, and it worked fine for about 6 years. Then, the tape began to dry out and started cracking and falling off. Before another year had passed, most of the original bookbinding tape on my ailerons (where most movement occurs) was gone.
I knew I needed to replace the tape, but I wanted something that would last longer. So instead of the clear book tape, and following the recommendation from someone on this Kolb List (forgot who), I used sailboat repair tape. It's lightweight dacron cloth tape, very sticky, comes in a 4-inch wide roll. I split the tape evenly lengthwise (yielding two 2-inch wide strips), and stuck them back together with a one-inch overlap, sticky-side to sticky-side.
The resulting 3-inch wide strip of tape was easy to apply, attaching on the top of the wing, and the underside of the aileron. For now, it's only covering the gaps on the ailerons, and it's only been there for a year. When the clear book tape finally crumbles away from the other areas (flaps, elevator, rudder gaps), I'll replace it with the sail repair tape.
I have no idea how long the Dacron sail tape will last. But it was fun to try something different!
Dennis Kirby
Mark-3, 912ul, in
Sandia Park, NM
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rickofudall
Joined: 19 Sep 2009
Posts: 1392
Location: Udall, KS, USA
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2014 8:37 am Post subject: aileron gap seal |
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Dennis, Unlike the tape, which loses plasticity over time just by being exposed to the atmosphere, dacron (polyester) is most damaged by UV exposure. According to Kamron Blevins of Northwing, a trike sail is toast at around 600 hours of exposure. Now we're talking about being unsafe bearing the full structural loading of the aircraft, not just useful lifetime, so you're aileron gap seals might just outlive you. What will probably fail before that will be the adhesive for the same reasons as the book binders tape. Or, maybe not. :-} Anyway, sounds like you've come up with a good solution.
Rick Girard
do not archive
On Wed, Jun 11, 2014 at 3:48 PM, KIRBY, DENNIS T GS-14 USAF AFMC AFNWC/ENS <dennis.kirby.3(at)us.af.mil (dennis.kirby.3(at)us.af.mil)> wrote:
| Quote: | --> Kolb-List message posted by: "KIRBY, DENNIS T GS-14 USAF AFMC AFNWC/ENS" <dennis.kirby.3(at)us.af.mil (dennis.kirby.3(at)us.af.mil)>
"t41pilot" wrote: << I just started my 3rd season using the book binding tape. No deterioration showing up yet. My plane is hangared though. The tape is cheap and easy to install. >>
Gregg / Kolb Friends -
I also initially used the clear plastic bookbinding tape for aileron & flaps gap seals on my Mark-3. Strong and flexible, and it worked fine for about 6 years. Then, the tape began to dry out and started cracking and falling off. Before another year had passed, most of the original bookbinding tape on my ailerons (where most movement occurs) was gone.
I knew I needed to replace the tape, but I wanted something that would last longer. So instead of the clear book tape, and following the recommendation from someone on this Kolb List (forgot who), I used sailboat repair tape. It's lightweight dacron cloth tape, very sticky, comes in a 4-inch wide roll. I split the tape evenly lengthwise (yielding two 2-inch wide strips), and stuck them back together with a one-inch overlap, sticky-side to sticky-side.
The resulting 3-inch wide strip of tape was easy to apply, attaching on the top of the wing, and the underside of the aileron. For now, it's only covering the gaps on the ailerons, and it's only been there for a year. When the clear book tape finally crumbles away from the other areas (flaps, elevator, rudder gaps), I'll replace it with the sail repair tape.
I have no idea how long the Dacron sail tape will last. But it was fun to try something different!
Dennis Kirby
Mark-3, 912ul, in
Sandia Park, NM
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