VincentJ

Way to go on the rivets Anthony! They will look so much better than the glue drops. It is slow at first, but you will get into a groove and it will go much quicker... FYI: to get the rivets out of the tray and placed into position, I found it best to use an fresh blade on an X-acto knife and just touch the tip of the rivet and it will pick it up and then you can place it where it needs to go. This makes the process go so much quicker, and in a weeks time your vision even comes back...LOL

Cricklewood

What adhesive do you use to attach the rivets to the plane?


Chris
WB # 133

WacoNut

Chris,
You set the rivet into position and just touch it with a soldering iron for 1-2 seconds and the heat will set the rivet into the primer. Once the plane is painted the rivets are locked into position.
You can see by the pic of VJ's STA above that they really look nice once applied.
Later!!
Anthony

WacoNut

I sanded the fuselage this morning, overall it is looking good. There were a few pinked edges here and there that needed selaed down.

I took care of the edges that needed attention then sanded the entire fuse and gave it another coat of PolyC. I may give it a 4th coat and a final sanding.

Here are a few pic, Pic #1 is before sanding. Pic #2 you can see the left side is sanded and the right side has not. Pics 3 and 4 are after another coat of PolyC.
I want the pinked edges to be visible but I want you to have to look for them in the finish not protruding thru the finish, not sure if that makes sense or not?

I am going to work on applying some stitching and tapes to the bottom wing panels.
Anthony

WacoNut

Thought I would post some pics of the rib stitching.
The rib stitches come in 2" wide strips. You cut strips the desired width and apply them over the ribs. Mine are cut .200 wide. I then iron down a tape starting at the T/E and stop just before the 1st stitch. I then use a credit card or such to form the tape over each stitch. If you try and just stretch the tapes over the whole length of the stitching and then iron it down the tape will not conform tightly around the stitch.

Once the tapes are over each stitch I then iron along each side of all the stitches to secure the tape to the stitch. I then iron down the pinked edges of the tapes. The tapes pucker up at each end of the stitch but these shrink out as you iron the pinked edge down. The tape is then pulled around the L/E and applied over the stiches on the top of the wing. It is a bit time consuming but not difficult to do.
Later!!
Anthony

acerc

Looking good Anthony. And by the pics the covering has a much tighter weave than Koverall.

WacoNut

Thanks Robert,
Yeah the weave is much tighter than Koveral. I don't see mysefl using Koveral again after using the fabric.

Snowy miserable day here and perfect for staying inside and working on a plane.
Anthony

acerc

So the snow can be a good thing. LOL I will be useing the PolyLite this time as well. From what I see on yours it should fill necely with two or three coats of Polyspray with the amount of aluminum pigment in it.

WacoNut

If you are going to add tapes you can get by with only 2 coats then build up several more coats after the tapes are applied. Your weave will be filled well and the tapes will blend in.
Later!!
Anthony

All Day Dan

My Feedback: (5)

Anthony, your descriptions and close ups are great. What camera are you using? Dan.

WacoNut

Hi Dan,
I am using a Nikon D3000, not the greatest SLR but it does pretty good.
Later!!
Anthony

All Day Dan

My Feedback: (5)

Got it. Thanks, Dan.

WacoNut

I finished what I could on one wing panel until my stitching order arrives.
Turned out pretty good. The larger reinforcement tape around the perimeter required an extra set of hands to help hold the wing while I heated and stretched the tape around the wing tip.
The polyc on the fuse is now dry so I will give it another sanding.
Later!!
Anthony

WacoNut

The fuse is finish sanded and it turned out great.
I wound up putting 4 coats of PolyC over the tapes. I believe this will give me the reults I am looking for once the paint and primer goes down. You can feel the pinked edge slightly and the tapes and the covering are nice and smooth. In the pics you can see a shiny area just along the pinked edge of the tape, this is where it is just below the surface of the tape and remained untouched from the sanding.

Back to working on the wings.
Anthony

WacoNut

I was able to get the rib stitching and tapes on the other bottom wing panel. I spent a good 14 hrs working on the Waco today and it doesn't seem like I accomplished that much. I will start working on the top wing center section tomorrow and see if I can't get the fuel tank details started.
Later!!
Anthony

WacoNut

Working on the top wing center section,
I used the old fuel tank to lay out the position of the tank and put the stitching and tapes down. I have aluminum to cut a new simulated tank. The tapes will need 4 coats of PolyC and sanded before the new tank can be put in place. The top wing center section has to be ready for primer and paint before the simulated tank can be put in place. I have several pieces that need PolyC and sanded so that will keep me busy most of the day.
Later!!
Anthony

WacoNut

Yesterday I rib stitched one of the top wing panels while I was applying coats of PolyC.

The top wing center section turned out really good after 4 coats of PolyC and a couple sandings. I used roof flashing material to cut a new fuel tank from and roughed up the back side of the aluminum with 150 grit paper and gave it and the center section a skim coat of epoxy. Tape held it in place until today and the tank came out nice. I will give the aluminum a coat of self-etching primer.
I need to start hammering out some more rivets.
Anthony

VincentJ

Man that came out nice, I see that your work is being monitored by your kitty!

WacoNut

Thanks VJ,
Yeah she is the Quality control specialist, I have yet to impress her.

Was going to spray some primer tonight and realised I am out of masking tape. Oh well I will pick some up tomorrow. I also need to pick up some 3/16" dowel rod for building the wing fairing at the back bottom side of the wing saddle. This was a real PITA the 1st time around so hopefully I learned a little from it. The wing saddles will be finished off at the same time and the fiberglass wing fairings installed permenately.
Later!!
Anthony

acerc

I feel your pain. But tomorrow is not that far away. Are you going to do the rivets on the tank useing the punching of soda can method?

WacoNut

Yeah punched out rivets. Can't quite shy away from that after prodding VJ to do them on his STA now can I? I can make a few hundred rivets an hour. I think I will need somewhere between 1400 and 1600. You wouldn't think there would be that many on a fabric covered plane but the aileron's have a bunch of them.
Off to make some rivets[&o]
Anthony

acerc

Another question, have either of you tried to do more than one layer of can at a time?

WacoNut

I haven't but I will. I doubt it will work but hey nothing ventured nothing gained.

WacoNut

It doesn't work, the sheet on top will punch out fine most of the time but the sheet on the bottom produces distorted rivets.

Once you get a rythem going you can knock the rivets out pretty quick. I can see applying them will be another story. Getting them turned right side up and in the correct position then touching with the soldering iron.

I think I can hear VJ laughing in the distance
Anthony

acerc

It was a thought, useless as it may have been. And I can hear him as well.