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fabric finishing

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occom(at)ns.sympatico.ca
Guest

Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2006 8:17 am Post subject: fabric finishing

I will have to put new fabric on my wings after I  replace the spar. (No real hurry because it's never ever going to stop raining  here in Nova Scotia)  

  

 I've been looking at all the varieties. The safe  bet is Stits. But standing in the wings are Loehle and Aircraft Finishing  systems. Likely a couple of others. The appeal of AFS is that it is all  waterbased, much less toxic. Does anyone have any experience with the others?  

  

 Barring any significant input to the contrary, I'll  play it safe and use the Stits system.

  

 I also need ideas for breaking the bonds between  the ribs and the rear spar without damaging the ribs.

morid(at)northland.lib.mi
Guest

Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2006 9:50 am Post subject: fabric finishing

It's tough to beat Poly Fiber, but opinions  vary.

 As for the glue, just use a heat  gun--carefully.

 Deke

  

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asq1(at)adelphia.net
Guest

Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2006 12:29 pm Post subject: fabric finishing

Dave,

   I have used dope, Stitts, and AFS. I am finishing up a Citabria for  someone else because I told him 2-3 yrs ago I would. NEVER again. I never got so  sick of spraying. Must be 20 coats.

    I like Stitts quite well. The PolyTone is prone to stain from  insect droppings or something. My Cub Yellow developed green spots. Newport Blue  on a Funk developed dark blue spots. I think it is from Carpenter Bees but am  not sure. I resprayed it with Aerothane a few years later,but that is another  expense and I didn't really want the "wet" look.

   I have been very happy with AFS though I have only used it for one  set of wings and some tailfeathers. You need a good gun. Devilbiss Finishline 3  works well for me. It sprays a bit differently but you can learn and Dan Stewart  http://www.stewartshangar21.aero/   will guide you by phone if need be. He is extremely helpful. You are right about  toxicity with AFS. The thinner is plain water so you don't have to ship it.  there is no odor and no Hazmat. Another plus: A set of Tripacer wings took 4  gallons (USA) of material. Same job,Randolph( now part of PolyFiber) Stated that  for Ceconite/dope I would need 35-37 gallons.

   Depending on the material used on your wing,it may be easy to remove  the fabric. I recently had to "dismantle" a wingtip cover on a Champ. I cut some  strips of a bath towel about 1" wide,laid them on the tapes around the tip and  put MEK on the strips. In just a few minutes they peeled right off. Use latex  gloves and don't get MEK on you if you value your liver. Just be careful.

   We flew up through Eastport ,Maine and Moncton to a B&B at  Cable  Head on PEI a couple of years ago ,but that is as close as we have  ever been to Nova Scotia. Need to get there one day.

             Hope this  helps,    Larry Huntley

 [quote]   ---

lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
Guest

Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2006 4:28 pm Post subject: fabric finishing

Hi Dave,



Unless you are comfortable using new technology in a very labor intensive 

phase of building, I would strongly suggest staying with Pol;yfiber (Stits). 

There was a water based system promoted at one time by one of the Builder 

Assist shops that a couple of guys used. Then the stuff disappeared from the 

scene.  The new stuff may be OK, but the proof is not in the way it looks 

out of the can, but how will it hold up and look after five or ten years. 

Not a happy thought thinking of a recover right in the middle of all the 

flying fun.



I absolutely loved the building, but can't imagine having my Model IV out of 

service for a recover or any other procedure for that matter.  Flying is 

just too much fun.



Lowell



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asq1(at)adelphia.net
Guest

Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2006 5:04 pm Post subject: fabric finishing

Lowell,

  That may have been Blue River (Ceconite 7600). I know folks had trouble 

with it ,but I did it "by the book" and was happy with it. I used it on my 

Tripacer 14 yrs ago and put Imron on top. I got hit by hail a few years ago 

and that ringwormed the Imron. Other than that my cover is in perfect 

shape,matter of fact I had a h--l of a time getting the cover off. I would 

say the cement is the best out there by far.

  The developer,Bob Near ,has gone west and his company went out of business 

and was bought out by Aircraft Finishing Systems. They have improved the 

cement in making it easier to use and have changed the finish coat 

completely. It is now ALL waterborne. I have seen planes 6-8 yrs after being 

covered with it and they look a lot better than my Polytone Kitfox or my 

Funk. of about the same vintage.

  All that said,PolyFiber is an easy to use product and that would certainly 

be my next choice,but I will use AFS from now on.

  One Man's Opinion.     Larry Huntley

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MichaelGibbs(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 12:13 am Post subject: fabric finishing

Larry sez:



 	  Quote: 	
		  I have used dope...


	


That's a brave admission, Larry.  I'm just not sure why you chose to 

bare your soul to us...  



Mike G.

N728KF



Do not archive.

asq1(at)adelphia.net
Guest

Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 3:41 am Post subject: fabric finishing

But I didn't inhale! (much)      ;o)   Larry



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fredshiple(at)sbcglobal.n
Guest

Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 11:02 am Post subject: fabric finishing

I'm getting into this late as we're traveling and internet is only intermittently available.

  I've had a plane finished for two years with AFS. It was initially difficult to apply as it runs worse than anything else I've used, but the technique is learnable, just takes a little time and some sand-paper.

  I've been VERY dissatisfied with the abrasion resistance of the finish. It scratches with almost any contact. After all the work needed to get a nice finish, I'd like to  see it look good for longer than just a few years.

  Fred

  

I've been looking at all the varieties. The safe bet is Stits. But standing in the wings are Loehle and Aircraft Finishing systems. Likely a couple of others. The appeal of AFS is that it is all waterbased, much less toxic. Does anyone have any experience with the others?

noelloveys(at)yahoo.ca
Guest

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:04 am Post subject: fabric finishing

I found Randolph to be as  inexpensive as it gets but it doesn't stay as malleable as stits and fire  wise.... repairs were reasonably easy as long as you separated the butyrate top  finish before applying patches with nitrate.

  

 Hi-Pec worked well for me but  it's going to be a while before I trust to glued ribs....  I like to  see stitching, or screws or clips in that order.  Repairs are  easy.

  

 Stits worked well.  Is no  more difficult to apply and seems to not support combustion.  The  malleability of the finish is a real plus.  Bring  money.

  

  

 

Noel [quote]   

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asq1(at)adelphia.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 6:50 am Post subject: fabric finishing

Noel ,et al,

   Randolph seems cheap ,but I just covered a fuselage and feathers on  a Citabria using the materials and amounts cited by Randolph and now know I  could have done it fir 1/2 the price with other ,much faster and easier methods.  

   Check Randolph's manual for materials needed and then check with  Poly or AFS for the same job. The material is cheaper per gallon ,but the  gallonage is much greater for Randolph. Also ,for Randolph or Poly you have  to buy and ship thinner. The thinner for AFS is distilled water. Less than a  dollar/gal at your local grocery.     Larry

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