smithcreek

My Feedback: (25)

I'm scratch building an Acroduster Too biplane. [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_9662771/tm.htm]Acroduster Build Thread[/link] I'm near the point of applying fabric to the top wing which has a straight center and swept outer panels. On the outer panels, what is the correct direction to orient the weave of the fabric? Should I orient it with the leading edge or with the ribs? I'm thinking leading edge. Am I right?

Actually, a more general question is how would a full size aircraft cover a wing like this? Three sections, one for each panel? Two sections overlapping in the center?

Chip_Mull

My Feedback: (1)

Full scale builders would roll the fabric out on the wing using two pieces, one for the top and one for the bottom. It's called the "Blanket Method". Here is where it differs. The FAA says to cover all raw edges and seams with finishing tape. A full scale builder would put the raw edge where it would not show when you walk up to the aircraft ie: on the top wing the edge or last piece to go on would be on the bottom. Cover the top of the top wing first and the bottom of the wing last. This would put the seam or edge on top. The bottom wing would be the reverse putting the edge on the bottom.

On a model, since it is sitting on the ground and you see the top of both wings, cover the top of the wings last putting the edge on the bottom. Of course the finishing tape goes all the way around the wings and around the control surfaces.

smithcreek

My Feedback: (25)

So are you saying that the whole top of the wing from the tip of the left panel to the tip of the right panel (and the center) is all done with one piece of cloth? A full scale aircraft would not break up the wing into three sections? The way you describe with one piece is the way I've done all my models in the past, but I assumed it was done differently on full scale.

US185Damiani

Smith,

On a full scale Acro Duster,the wing would be broken up into its separate pieces and covered that way,each panel and thecenter section. on theModel you're building the wing appears to be one piece Direction of teh weave in synthetics reallydoesn't matter.

Also. In full scale the top fabric always goes on Last The bottom is covered first. then there is reinforcing tapes, stitching, then rib tapes and lastly LE and TE tapes to cover the seams.

CK1

My Feedback: (60)

The weave or "grain" of the fabric runs parallel to the leading edge. Lay the fabric out legthwise from root to tip .Cover the bottom first and then the top overlapping the leading and trailing edges. The same applies to the center section , and all flight surfaces , stabilizers . The fuselage will be covered lengthwise as well with the "grain " running parallel to the longerons . Bottom, Sides , Top, in that order.
After covering the surfaces and adding rib tapes (stitching if desired )
the leading edges , trailing edges , and all perimeters will get perimeter tapes overlaying the seams .

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

It MAY matter which direction the weave is. It all depends on how the particular fabric shrinks. Some shrink more in one direction than the other direction.

The weave direction along the spar will shrink the fabric more from front to back.

geezeraviation

My Feedback: (3)

Cover it in three pieces, run the long dimension of the roll spanwise. It will dip less between ribs that way. Cover the aileron bays first, then the bottoms and last the top
Doc

TFF

Because the top wing is swept, the real one has to be done in sections, but each section is as far as you can go. On a real plane if you had to stop mid span you have to sew the pieces together. The weave direction is inline with the leading edge. I know with Koverall the shrink is not equal warp and weft so If I remember right the selvedge edge goes the long way.

It is looking good. I still want plans if you make them available.

smithcreek

My Feedback: (25)

Okay, so three sections it is. That's how I figured it was done on the full scale. I've built a couple biplanes with similar top wings, center and two outer panels. I used one piece of cloth for the top and one for the bottom going from one tip to the other, but they were a bit smaller and I wasn't worried about scale.

TFF, definitely plan to share with whoever is interested after I fly and make any adjustments. There are a bunch of small things I know I'm going to change/fix and probably look for places to lose a little weight.

Lone Star Charles

Smithcreek, as you know, I built a full size Acroduster II back in the 80's. I used Stits polyfiber for covering. It is not only still available today, but also, it is available in a lighter weight fabric for model aircraft (Stits-Lite). Stits put out some great literature on covering. On my airplane, I covered each wing panel and the center section separately. I did not mix products– I used poly-tak to glue the fabric to the framework, poly-brush to seal and fill the weave, poly-spray to fill the weave and uv protect, and aero-thane for a final finish. I don’t think they sell the aero-thane anymore. In any event, I stuck with all of the Stits products because I wanted every single layer to be 100% compatible with the previous layer. Suggest thatyougive Chip Mull (817) 279-8045a callto discuss your project with him. It’s an absolutely gorgeous project and I think you will be very happy with the Stits-Lite.

smithcreek

My Feedback: (25)

Hey Charles, after I started this thread I thought I should have just pm'd you since you built one. Some day I'm going to try the Stits-Lite, I've only heard good things, but I had a couple packages of Koverall and a couple quarts of Nitrate dope around already so I went with that. For color coats I'm using Klass Kote, again because I had three of the four colors I need already.