In this how to article we're going to talk about covering. This seems to be one of those things the sends chills up the spines of people who either have never attempted it, or have attempted it with poor results. I'm not saying that it's easy, in fact it's one of my least favorite building tasks. But while I'm not crazy about doing the covering, I love having a good looking airplane. As you read through this article feel free to click on each of the pictures to enlarge them for better viewing.

Let's start with the basics: Tools. Of course, you COULD do a covering job with a pair of scissors and a clothes iron, but here's yet another chance for your loved ones not to have to worry about what to get you for your birthday (Christmas/Chanuka/anniversary, etc.). So what do you need? I would say a straight edge, a razor blade, a covering iron, and a heat gun are all that is needed for most covering jobs. For some of the trickier jobs, you may want to invest in a trim iron as well. It's also a good idea to have a good supply of razor blades. These things get dull quickly. Sure, they're still sharp enough to slice your fingers up pretty good, but to cut a nice clean edge on a piece of covering, it needs to be SHARP!

I usually start with the easiest things first; the elevators, rudder and ailerons. These are easiest because they are not attached to anything yet. (You didn't hinge them in place before they were covered did you? If you did, don't worry, they can still be covered, it will just be a little more hassle than if they were separate.)

Next, prep the surface. Sand everything smooth, and wipe it all down with a tack cloth (spray adhesive on a rag works well too).

There's one more thing I like to do before I start, and that is to put a small hole in each of the cross braces, and one in the outside frame (in an inconspicuous spot). You can do this with a pin, but it's better to use a small drill bit that you can just twist through by hand. The reason for this, is that when you cover the second side, air will get trapped into each of the little pockets, and as you go over it with the iron, this air heats up and expands which inflates your covering like a balloon until it cools. This inflation can also cause the covering to lift from the structure. By putting in the holes, it gives the heated air a way out (and back in when it cools).

Since the round corner is in the back, we'll start there. After this one, the rest will be easy! Lay the piece flat against the corner of a table and either weight it down, or have someone hold it. Have your heat gun in one hand, and wear a glove on the other. Now, while heating the corner, pull and stretch the covering around the curve (this is where the extra material comes in handy, you need something to hold on to!) The best way to describe this is to imagine that the covering is a thin sheet of rubber that you are going to stretch over the curve.

The heat will allow you to stretch the covering as well as shrink it. You only need to go just past the halfway point, as the covering on the other side will overlap it. This is definitely a tricky operation. You must pull with enough force to stretch the covering without pulling so hard that you tear it (or getting the heat so close that you melt it).

Covering the tail feathers can be made much easier simply by applying 3/8 inch strips of covering to all corners before covering.

Another tricky area is an inside corner, like the aileron cutout in a wing. After the surface of the wing is covered, you must slit the covering at the corner, but now, instead of the two pieces overlapping, they will leave a gap of unprotected wood. Here I usually first apply a small piece to the corner before covering.

Now, when the edges are folded over, they will overlap the piece I applied first.