Fabric Covering wing?

[High Country 69]

I'm hoping to start covering my first wing in the morning and I'm still confused on gluing the cap strips. I've read you should apply glue to the cap strips and allow to dry before applying the fabric but I've also read (and seen pics) of just gluing to the front spar trailing edge root rib tip and around gas tank fill neck but not on all of the cap strips until after the fabric is on then glue through the weave, so which is it? I want to get started soon but want to make sure I do it right.

Robert

[akflyer 1427]

I'm hoping to start covering my first wing in the morning and I'm still confused on gluing the cap strips. I've read you should apply glue to the cap strips and allow to dry before applying the fabric but I've also read (and seen pics) of just gluing to the front spar trailing edge root rib tip and around gas tank fill neck but not on all of the cap strips until after the fabric is on then glue through the weave, so which is it? I want to get started soon but want to make sure I do it right.

Robert

The avid manual says to glue to the ribs first starting on the under side. I put on 3 coats of poly tac, then layed the fabric over the wing and started gluing from the trailing edge forwards on the rib cap strips. I used a few spring clamps to hold the fabric in place on the trailing edge and leading edge spar tube. It only takes a couple minutes for the glue to dry and hold it in place. I used "thickster" nitrile gloves and rubbed the glue into the fabric good. On the tank, I just let the poly brush soak in and that will "glue" it to the tank. It is too large of an area to effectively use the poly tac unless you thin it WAY down, and even then, it wont lay on as smooth as when you just use the poly brush on the tank.

[High Country 69]

just to clarify i'm using Stewarts System but it should be the same though correct?

Thanks for fast reply

[Av8r3400 1177]

I'd say a call to Stewarts would not be out of order.

Are you planning to stitch the ribs? That may lead to the details on how you want to lay glue on them.

[akflyer 1427]

just to clarify i'm using Stewarts System but it should be the same though correct?

Thanks for fast reply

I dont know about stewarts... However, the polyfiber maual says to refer to your aircraft manufactures reccomendations for under cambered wings and light weight structures so you dont buckle them.. Like only shrinking to 275 MAX.

[High Country 69]

Yes i will be stitching the ribs also i have the flat bottom ribs NOT the under-cambered ribs. also in the poly fiber manual revision 21: pg 19 says "you won't cement fabric to the ribs themselves, since later you'll use rib lacing or some other mechanical means to hold the fabric to the ribs". and I know you glue through the fabric to the ribs before applying the tapes. hmmm

[akflyer 1427]

I dont have the manual here at work.. I thought there was another section on wooden wings. I could be wrong, its been a few years. You may be right and on the top side, I didnt glue to the ribs untill I had stiched them, then I glued them down then put on the tapes. Would make sense that the underside would be the same. For some reason, I thought you had the undercambered wings. My bad

[EDMO 1078]

Yes i will be stitching the ribs also i have the flat bottom ribs NOT the under-cambered ribs. also in the poly fiber manual revision 21: pg 19 says "you won't cement fabric to the ribs themselves, since later you'll use rib lacing or some other mechanical means to hold the fabric to the ribs". and I know you glue through the fabric to the ribs before applying the tapes. hmmm

Thought you were using Stewarts - Polyfiber has nothing to do with their procedure - You could be using Ceconite, and it would still be Stewarts glue, paint and process. IMO, I think you should talk to Dan or Doug Stewart first.

ED in MO

P.S. My Avid Magnum manual says to use the staples in ribs instead of stitching?

Edited 7 Nov 2012 by Ed In Missouri

[birddog486 21]

I'll be covering soon using Stewarts also so let us know what you figure out.

[Russ. 7]

I'll be covering soon using Stewarts also so let us know what you figure out.

I used the Stewart System on N844RS, very user friendly. I also stapled my ribs with divergent SS staples. Goto to their site and download the CD,

it's a great help. Russ.

[EDMO 1078]

I used the Stewart System on N844RS, very user friendly. I also stapled my ribs with divergent SS staples. Goto to their site and download the CD,

it's a great help. Russ.

You could get a FREE 6-cd set by calling and telling them that you want to use their products. I have it, and it taught me more about covering and finishing than they did in AMT college.

ED in MO

Edited 7 Nov 2012 by Ed In Missouri

[birddog486 21]

I've got the disk set but didn't see them cover any wood ribs. Did I miss that somewhere?

[EDMO 1078]

I've got the disk set but didn't see them cover any wood ribs. Did I miss that somewhere?

It wasnt in the disks - But if you call him you will get the answers. I got the impression that they actually have an active covering business - and have done Kitfoxes and maybe Avids.

ED in MO

Edited 8 Nov 2012 by Ed In Missouri

[High Country 69]

update- My original concern with gluing the cap strips before laying down the fabric is that i assumed (yea I know never assume) that it would cause the fabric to stick on me as i tried to get it adjusted so I decided to just put glue on the tailed ribs but once I started laying out the fabric I found no problems so I pulled it back up and glued everything. any place that you want it to stick put the glue down first and let it dry then put the fabric onto it when you paint on the new glue through the fabric it re-wets the first layer of glue and they mesh together real well. I got the bottom piece of fabric on and preshrunk to 250* its a little bit of a learning curve but so far I'm happy with it.

Edited 9 Nov 2012 by High Country

[C5Engineer 1170]

update- My original concern with gluing the cap strips before laying down the fabric is that i assumed (yea I know never assume) that it would cause the fabric to stick on me as i tried to get it adjusted so I decided to just put glue on the tailed ribs but once I started laying out the fabric I found no problems so I pulled it back up and glued everything. any place that you want it to stick put the glue down first and let it dry then put the fabric onto it when you paint on the new glue through the fabric it re-wets the first layer of glue and they mesh together real well. I got the bottom piece of fabric on and preshrunk to 250* its a little bit of a learning curve but so far I'm happy with it.

Looking good! It's amazing how much bigger the wings become once they have some fabric on them!

[High Country 69]

Looking good! It's amazing how much bigger the wings become once they have some fabric on them!

that's for sure I'm in need of a bigger porch.

[High Country 69]

New Questions- how does the fabric attach around the front jury strut attach bracket? both of my manuals seemed to forget this one. next is what all needs glued on the fuel tank? around the fill hole, any where else? I thought maybe continuing glue up the rib tails behind the tank up over the tank where the ribs would be if there wasn't a tank installed? since I have the new flush fill caps I was thinking of just covering over the caps then cutting around them once the fabric is shrunk, good idea bad idea? last question for now- my build manual says not to glue the top cap strips until after the fabric is shrunk is this still the best way to do it or should I glue before fabric just like the bottom?

-Robert-

Edited 11 Nov 2012 by High Country