Rv7garage

My Feedback: (10)

Well, I am seriously frustrated and a little mad at myself at this point. I have covered more than one plane in my time, and have been pretty satisfied with the results. Have actually recieved many compliments from people at the fields I fly at. [&:]. But now I'm stumped, and could really use some help!

I'm building a Sig 1/5 Cub, and instead of going with my normal process of covering the empennage surfaces BEFORE attaching them to the fuse, I decided to try it the way Sig's instructions recommend. Here is an excerpt from the manual:

"On the full-size Cubs, the fuselage and fins a covered with one continuous piece of fabric. It bridges from the top stringers up to fin rib, producing a beautiful fillet. The construction of this model duplicates this this feature." They go on to tell you that although this may seem difficult, that it's really easy- NOT! . I keep getting hung up on the curved part of the fin, where it transitions from the top stringer, the covering just won't stretch over this curve, and I've already WASTED an entire roll of 21st Century Fabric trying to get this to work. [:@]

PLEASE, can anyone tell me how to get this empennage covered without it being ugly?? Thanks so much for tips, techniques, advice.

TCraft Lover

My Feedback: (1)

Ouch!A costly learning experience. I have used 21st Cent. Fabric once and found that it shrinks OK but stretching, maybe not so much. I've heard that Solartex is an excellent covering that's easy to work with. Best of luck on the tail empennage.

SunDevilPilot

The fillet at the rudder is a little tricky. When I covered my Sig 1/5th Cub I used Solartex which should be similar to your 21st Century. I covered half of the upper portion of the turtledeck and one side of the rudder with one piece. I started in the area of the wing and worked my way back. As the covering went around the fillet I remember stretching the covering as I pulled it over the rudder fillet (Covering was cut just past center as it was laid down, allowing me to pull / bend it as I rounded the corner).

Don't give up, the Sig 1/5th Cub is my favorite plane! I love it so much I decided to build Sig's 1/4 Cub ( A real project compared to the construction of the 1/5th Cub).

I found a few photos of mine.. First one was during the painting stage.

Here is a small thread I started documenting some of the build:

http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38812

Hope this helps,

SunDevilPilot

ARUP

I did as SunDevilPilot did except used SIG Koverall. For me, Koverall works better than prepainted fabrics (which I use in certain cases). This is a 1/6 SIG Cub converted to a PA-12 Super Cruiser. I started at the fin-fuselage junction one side then worked my way foward. After the Koverall in place I sealed (not filled) the weave with brushed on nitrate dope and then primered with white butyrate dope. It just needs the rib tabes before final painting (red and cream).

cubcrasher

My Feedback: (6)

I'm with ARUP on  this one, nothing works like sig koverall.
Perhaps you could cover this part with koverall and paint it
I'm pertty sure nelsons hobby paint has a match for the 21st century fabric
Koverall is like working with women's pantyhose, and I always did like that

Rv7garage

My Feedback: (10)

Ok, I ordered one more roll of 21st Century. I think my difficulties stem from the fact that I have two learning curves working against me at the same time, here. Not only is this my first experience with iron-on fabric, it is also my first time using a heat gun to cover. Seems like this made for a steeper slope than expected! I did manage to get my last attempt looking closer to good, and I think the next attempt will give the desired results.

The instructions made it sound so easy! DOH!! [>:] Oh well, thanks for the advice everyone. [8D]

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I use TEX covering, I didn't care for the way C-21 sticks or shrinks. I gave the koverall a try a long time ago and didn't care for it either but looking at how well ARUPs plane came out I may have to give it another try. I'm sure it was an operator malfunction on my part, that learning curve thing again. The TEX is just so easy to use I haven't bothered with giving cover all another try. My Bad.

Top_Gunn

My Feedback: (6)

It's tough. I've done it with Koverall, which worked well but wasn't easy. Here are two suggestions that may help. First, practice with some scrap until you get it right, or at least close. Second, since you'll need a lot of shrink at the end, don't just iron the covering to the fuse side and the crosspiece and leading edge of the fin. Use at least balsarite and maybe even Sig Stix-it at those places to get it to stick firmly.

Good luck. It does look really great when you get it to work.

SunDevilPilot

I noticed you said you were using a heat gun to cover. I covered my entire plane with an iron only. Solartex advises not to use a heat gun as it shrinks the covering too much. With a iron you can feel the covering get soft as it rounds corners. You may abandon the gun and go with an iron only. 21st Century makes a nice iron and if you examine the box they have the recommended temps for shrinking and attaching the covering.

SunDevilPilot

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

That's true. When I saw the heat gun mentioned it reminded me of my first try with the C-21. It too was on a cub and when I used the heat gun I was able to remove the covering from the ailerons without any trouble at all. I didn't want to remove it but it happened. On TEX I use the iron unless I have a lot of sag or wrinkles. That doesn't happen often. I have used the gun on a turtle deck that I did in one piece with a lot of shrinking required, it worked out very well but gave me an idea of how much the TEX will shrink, a lot!!

cubcrasher

My Feedback: (6)

Gray Beard,
How does the Tex hold up over time?
Is there any sagging or wrinkles to be ironed out say after a couple months?
The thing I like about Koverall is once your done that's it, a lot of work to get to that point  though

SunDevilPilot

My Cub, covered a few years ago, looks exactly as it did the day I covered it. Mine is electric so there is no oil to contend with. The only difference today is the dust on the plane. No wrinkles.

Over the many years I have been building models Solartex is the best covering I have found. I have recommended it to many people and they all agree. Then again, anything is better than Monokote.

My Cub was first flown in March of 2009. Here is a photo I found of the plane a year later. Keep in mind, I live in the desert were temperatures wreak havoc on plastic covering with wrinkles. I have never retightened the covering.

SunDevilPilot

rye

My Feedback: (10)

hi
it looks good to me ,was there a real color nose on that plane in war time?

SunDevilPilot

I copied this plane. Unfortunately I am not enough of an artist to paint the lady, she would look like a stick figure if I tried.

SunDevilPilot

ARUP

Yes flycfii- you have to use an iron not a heat gun. The 21st Century fabric is really nice but it's too thick. You have to hide seams with trim. When you use an iron the paint gets melted some and takes on a different appearance than the fabric surround. The beauty of un painted fabric is that these issues can be addressed before painting. 21st Century fabric gives nice results. It looks much better than plastic film for the appropriate airplane. Hang in there and good luck!

mike31

My Feedback: (67)

Solar Tex or film is great stuff. I prefer it overall. Just my opinion.

tony0707

HI
from my experience i had no good luck with the century 21 fabricmy biggest objection is it tends to sag in the open wing baysso it does not maintain the airfoil as well as the film coverings dothat directly effects the planes ability to fly as good as it could
i do understand you need to find a material covering for a true scale look of a cub
just my two cents
BEST REGARDS TONY

GerKonig

I did a 1/4 scale cub from Balsa USA. The trick I used is to paint (by hand) using a CRYON the area I did not want the fabric to stick to the wood. Guess what? It worked! It looks really nice. My favorite is 21 Century. Once you get familiar you will find out it is the easiest material to work with...

Good luck!

Gerry
PS: Still like new many years later...

davidgeorge212

I covered my cub in 21st centurt coverite and I had to cover that area you are talking about. I ended up cutting an over sized peice of covering and started from the rear section of the cabin area on the top side. I then stretched and ironed down the covering, pulling it back toward the tail. When I got to the empenage area I made sure there was enough covering to cover the side of the vertical stabilizer. Once its ironed down around the edges you can then trim it. It took me several peices as well but I eventually got it. I tell you what else you could try, get some kind of big sheet of paper and make a template of what size and shape covering you will need for the area. Then trace the template onto you covering and cut it out.

Rv7garage

My Feedback: (10)

Hey guys, I wanted to thank you all for the advice and encouragement. I got 'r done! This time, I used only my Covite iron set at very low heat to tack everything down,then shrank it all tight with higher heat. Took a few attempts, but it came out looking great! Thanks again, all. [8D]

SunDevilPilot

Good to hear,

When you get it done be sure to post some pictures!

SunDevilPilot