SoCalSal

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Can anyone direct me to a site or information on how to do scale (1/3) rib stitching. I'm going to build a 1/3 Peter Barth Waco and would like to do the rib stitching to add some more scale effect.
Thanks

Steve

Cub Man

My Feedback: (50)

I have info on my site about stitching in 1/4 scale www.geocities.com/cubmanky

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

Steve, I came across a method on the net a few days ago and tried it out. I think its an excellent way to duplicate the stitching. The entire method is pretty straight forward and looks good. Essentially you make a jig using a flat board and put small nails along each side, spaced to the required amount to give you proper spacing. For example rib stitching on a fabric plane may be 2 inches apart. You would space your nails .66 inches apart (1/3 of 2 inches) . These board and row of nails are at least as wide as your wing chord. You wind thread back and forth around the nails creating rows down the length of the board. The person who's method I copied used printer paper under the thread and then thinned white glue to hold the thread in place. I used coverite with the adhesive side down and 3M Super 77 Spray adhesive. Either method will work. Once your thread is affixed to the fabric or paper you slice it in ribbons as wide as your rib or rib cap. You then affix it over the rib and then put your pinking tap over that. You end up with rib tape, rib stitching, and pinking tape just like the full scale. Here are a few pictures to aid in my description. One is of the Jig and another of an Aileron I just covered using this method.

SoCalSal

My Feedback: (16)

Hey THANKs, this will give me some great ideas. I want to make this my best and most detailed kit yet.
Again thanks

the-plumber

http://www.glue-it.com/index.html

Scroll down to "Glossaries", "Aircraft", then select "S" from the alphabetic list, and finally scroll down to "Stitching".

I'm doing that "as we speak" on a 1/3 scale L-4.

eagledancer

keep in mind, stitching in prop wash area is closer then outside of the propwash. depends on top speed of aircraft

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

That's the method I'm using with a little different adhesive. I think its a great method!

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

Do you think this applies to WWI aircraft as well? I wish I the windsock fabric special book. I believe it explains those details in the text.

Hurri

I have done proper rib stitching on a 1/3 rd Pup & a 1/4 Avro 504k . If the wing is undercambered as they both are , I put contact cement on the ribs , 2 coats , Then after the covering is on I stitched down the side of rib- under the bottom of rib up along other side of rib , tied a knot went to next position etc , On WW1 the spacing is 3/4" for 1/4 scale & 1" for 1/3rd . which is 3" space on full size . Thing is that if doing proper stitching it keeps the undercamber cloth in place for ever , wheras simulated can let goafter a few years .
i have just done some simulated stitch; personally found best way is to mark off the spaces on wing , mix up a small amount of yellow glue & talcum powder , using a toothpick jab some on the spots . leave to dry out & then put the tapes on top . Tried the small bits of fish/line to glue on , but this is a lot LOT quicker !!

zoomzoooie

Please take a look at my new website for easy to use scale rib stitch tape.
http://home.cablerocket.com/~scaleribstitch/

Scale Rib Stitch Tape is a simulated rib stitch tape that quickly and easily adds the detail of scale rib stitching to your scale fabric covered R/C aircraft projects. You can complete this once tedious task in just a few hours or less.

ZZ

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

Zoomie, your product looks good. Unfortunately my plane is a little smaller than 1/4 scale. It's more between 1/5 and 1/4 so I have to adjust my stiching accordingly. Also the WWI planes used 3 inch centers from what Hurri said. Not having the Windsock fabric special to see for myself I'll take his word for it. Comparing how the rib spacing works out at 3 inches and my photographs of the full size I would say 3 inches is correct. I did bookmark your page, I might use you product on another project in the future!

zoomzoooie

BobH,
Not to worry, I can make up custom orders too.
If you are going with 3" spacing for your somewhere in the middle of 1/4 and 1/5 scale, 5/8" spacing is close to the middle of 1/4 & 1/5 scale and is the same spacing as my 1/3 scale
2" spacing. It's actually 1/32" smaller. The exact middle of 1/4 and 1/5 scale is 21/32" spacing for 3" full scale. What ever your scale is, it can be worked out.

Email for more info for a custom order if you are interested.
[email protected]

ZZ

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

Zoomie, thanks for that information, I'll consider it. As you can see I have already made up the jig to make my own so I'm going to give that a shot for a while. But on the Next Plane, you might hear from me!

zoomzoooie

BobH, Good luck with your stitching

ZZ

sail-arc22

Here's a very simple method I used to put stitching on my Duncon Hudson 1/4 Tigermoth.... It really look good and did not take a lot of effort! I used 1/8 in to 1/4 in pinking tape depending on where on the plane I was working. On top of the tape I applied Elmer's wood glue using a T pin. dabbing the T pin a 1/4 in or so, or what scale required. This was done over silk covering and when painted it looks great!

Steve

SoCalSal

My Feedback: (16)

Thanks for the idea. It looks great on your model. Everybody on this forum is so kind and very helpfull, I'm so happy I found this web-site. I hope to be of help one day after I start my Waco.

Thanks again for the tip.

Steve

zoomzoooie

SCALE RIB STITCH EMAIL AND WEBSITE ADDRESS UPDATE

These are the current addresses.

Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.personainternet.com/scaleribstitch/

BOB MOORE

I was in the business of recovering Fabric Aircraft. I recovered 35 planes before I retired. On most wings the ribs are only 1/2 ins wide where the fabric touches . The rules as Far as FAA is on most small planes is that the stitching has to be 2'' inside of prop blast and 3 '' else where. It all depends on the Horse power of engine. I recovered a Staggerwing bipe and the rib stiching was every 1" I also recovered 88 wings for local Crop dusters. Because of the big engines the stitching in prop blast was 1" . Look at my site and see the Stearman that I did in 1966-67.

hooker53

My Feedback: (106)

If anyone is still watching this thread I have a question. I'm getting ready to rib stitch a 1/3 scale Spacewalker useing zoomzoooie's tape. Do you put this stitch tape and your pinking all the way up to the leading edge or stop at the leading edge planking?? If the full size Spacewalker had a D cell type spar and leading edge I would think you would put the stitches only on the visable ribs. Any help would return a thank you. Roy

abufletcher

I would also assume this is the case. If you bear in mind that in real stitching the thread goes up and down through the whole wing, or up and down through a strip of fabric glued to the rib, then it would be difficult as well as pointless to "sew" the stitching over a solid surface. And, of course, the purpose of stitching is to prevent the fabric from "ballooning" due to pressure differentials. So again, no reason to have stitching over sheeted sections of the wing.

Does anyone happen to have a photo that shows a wing with stitching that only extends for part of the cord?

zoomzoooie

In real rib stitching, the stitching is applied on the ribs in open bays. Stitching is not applied on sheeting. The purpose of the stitching is to keep the fabric attached to ribs, because the ribs do not have enough surface area to keep the fabric attached even with glue. The reinforcement tape is applied under the stitching to keep the fabric from tearing from the holes placed during the stitching process.

Here is video links showing the processes that should help you out.
This one shows the stitching process: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCDTmy60R68

This one shows the covering tape process: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgXd2...eature=related

V2PLUS10

If you don't have a helper, a friend told me that on full scale airplanes he straps a mirror to his knee, hangs the surface to be stiched over the edge of a table, sits over the surface with a bright overhead light and stitches away...the puncture points are pre marked, and spaced according to FAA guidelines of course...!

Randy

Sethhunter

Great ideas here. Just thought I would add a twist according to the Smithsonian info on the Albatros DVa...

A 5mm tape is secured to the cap strip, under the covering, with cord looped through the rib every 30mm, and the cord runs along one side of the cap, from loop to loop. Covering gets applied over the tape, and gets stitched to the tape by passing a curved needle between the tape and cap, twice around forming a double loop, every 90mm. The cord zags across the tape from loop to loop, creating a saw-tooth pattern. 20mm wide finishing tape goes over the top.

hooker53

My Feedback: (106)

Thanks all. Can't wait to get started on this. Will let you know how the tape works for me Ken and thanks Roy

zoomzoooie

I think what you are referring to is the strapping used to stablize the ribs from side to side movement. Longerons spanning the wing were also used to stablize the ribs.