acerc

Are you sure you have not read my tutorials. lol. Glad to see it worked out and progress is being made.

WacoNut

I am getting better at it as I go.

I was able to contour the tapes like this when I was using the tapes from Pink-It just wasn't sure how well it would work with these tapes. Works like a charm.

Getting tired of working on it now but I am forcing myself to get the Rudder finished up before calling it a night.

Robert, at the rate I am going my Cub will fly before your Pitts. We have a Freeze fly at the club on January 3rd. May try to fly it then if we don't have any snow. Maybe a set of ski's are in order for next winter.
Later!!
Anthony

acerc

Oh! Oh! It is on brother. A new goal for next week, to get it air worthy and to do maiden on January 2nd!!

WacoNut

Oh I know better, she will fly when she is ready.

The tail feathers are now finished. I will be happy if I can get the wings completed tomorrow. I need to pick up a gallon of MEK for cleaning the spray guns before I start the spray coats.

I ordered the Cub Bear decals from Balsa USA. $5 for the decals and $15 for shipping, went ahead and added on some clear plastic sheets so I can cut new side windows. I was able to remove the old ones but there is quite a bit of glue and paint on them, easier to cut new windows.

Later!!
Anthony

out2pasture

Good Luck buying MEK if you live in sunny California!

cublover

My Feedback: (47)

I love the thread...pic here is my spacewalker I did a couple years ago "First one, not perfect"...its under a redo as well bigger engine and all......but I was glad to see your doing tapes and simulated rib stitching... as I will be doing the same...and yes I'm using the same covering... keep posting,,I'm learning...but do have a question for ya,,if you can take 2 seconds and answer?? Do you,,or how would you cut a pink'd edged in the fabric. Doesn't seem to cut good,,,and If i do it with some poly-brush "brush on,,let dry, cut and ploy brush again.,,,can it be Re activated to be stuck back down??...Someone really needs to make a good video on this stuff, maybe you my friend ..hahaha

ARUP

Why don't you use the Polytone to attach the fabric in lieu of nitrate dope? Won't that diminish the chances of fabric edges getting loose?

WacoNut

out2pasture, I live outside of Cincinnati. We can still buy all the stuff that is bad for you.

cublover, The Stits tapes are cheap. I would not invest the time in making my own. I bought all the tapes I needed for around $40, actually bought more than I need.

ARUP, What I should have done was ordered the Poly-Tak from F&M which is what is supposed to be used with this process. I had a full quart of dope on hand and decided to use that.

I am working on the wings, I have the rib tapes on the top side of the 1st panel. I started off the morning by dropping my trim iron and breaking the front half of the shoe off. After a few expletives I sanded a smooth rounded edge to what remained and it works just fine.

It took 1-1/2 hrs to do one side of the panel. It is going to be a long day.

acerc

Not to argue an opinion, but, it is my opinion that Stixit is the best for attaching the fabric. Been doing it that way for near six years now and not one issue.
I tried the polytak and found it to much like the full scale in process which is messy and time consuming for our size of structures.

WacoNut

I may try that on my 1/3 Spacewalker Robert.

One wing panel is complete and the 2nd one is on the table. I am using all 3 tapes sizes on the wings, 3/4" for the ribs, 1" for the T/E and tip and 2" for the L/E.

acerc

Look's great. Going the route your having to must really be a pain in the butt, and much more time consuming. Have you noticed how quick it flashes off yet?

WacoNut

Yeah It flashes off fast,
I am sure when it comes to spraying the filler coats it will go fast.

I managed to get the tapes down on one side of the next panel during commercials and half time while watching the game. Time to get at it.

WacoNut

It was a tall order but I completed the tapes on the wings. I still have the aileron's to do as well as cover 2 more struts. I will complete those tomorrow evening.

I need to pick up some supplies tomorrow so I can be ready for spraying. I am hoping to be painting this weekend.


Robert,
I wanted to get a sanity check, looks like I used just over a 1/2qt of the Poly Brush putting the tapes down so I have 1-1/2 qts remaining for the spray coats. I am assuming that will be more than enough to get two good spray coats to fill the weave? This stuff seems to go a long ways.

Here is a couple pics, I don't think I have posted a pic of the elevators and rudder.
Later!!
Anthony

acerc

Yep, your sane. There should be enough to do two coats. Those wings, ele's, and rudder look real good.
I do have one question or thought, I thought where the center section ends at the open bay they put a piece of edge tape and pinked over it.

WacoNut

cublover,
I wanted to let you know about the tapes, I used just over 1 roll of the 3/4" tapes and about half a roll of 1" tapes and 11ft of 2" tapes. All I will need to order when I do my 1/3 Spacewalker is 1 roll of 3/4" tapes. Save your self the headaches and buy the tapes.

BTW: I followed your Spacewalker build your paint job is killer. I have a nice Iwata airbrush just lack the skills for such results.
Later!!
Anthony

WacoNut

Good to hear I have enough, I think my sanity is still in question or should be.

Funny you should mention that, after stepping back and looking at the wings I thought it looked like there should have been a tape there. Too late to get it under the L/E and T/E tape but I can make it look alright. I will add a tape tomorrow while I am working on the aileron's.

acerc

You can take something like a spatula type putty knife and raise the tapes to tuck under. Here is a shot of the bottom, I can't find the one of the top side but it is the same.

John_M_

O2P... MEK is still available from home depot and lowes, in small quantities... I've seen 1gal cans but they don't stay on the shelf for long.


John M,

WacoNut

Yeah I think I can soften it up enough to raise the tape, I will just cut it to length and soften the perimeter tape and lift it a bit.

I was also looking at needing a tape where the sheeting ends as well.

Oh well bed time, some of us are working stiffs.

WacoNut

Rib tape fix:

I took one wing panel and put some poly brush on the tape and let it sit for a couple minutes and the tape loosened its grip. I was able to lift the tape a slide a rib tape in place then brush it down. It only took 15 minutes to do the top and bottom side of one wing panel. Now the root rib tape and the end of the sheeting rib tape is in place. The Stits system is great stuff for sure.

I will complete the other panel and move on to the aileron's

Later!!
Anthony

acerc

Ahhh, the look of perfection...

ARUP

Poly-tak, yes! Not Poly-tone. I'm not familiar with the 'Stits Process'. Like acerc, I'm a Stix-It guy!

WacoNut

Huh?
Poly-Tak = for adhering the fabric.
Poly-Brush= for filling the weave and attaching tapes.
Poly-Spray= Silver base coat, U/V protectant
Poly-Tone= Color coats.

WacoNut

All of the hardware for the wing struts has the old paint left on it. I thought about using paint stripper on it but that is awful messy. I am going to stay after work tomorrow and blast them in a glass bead blasting cabinet to remove all the old paint.

I won't be posting much progress on the Cub until this weekend, should be sparing the fill coats on Saturday and the silver base coat on Sunday.
Later!!
Anthony

acerc

By the way Anthony, you can spray the silver after only thirty minutes of spraying the brush. Annnnnd, only thirty minutes after the silver you can spray the color..