RE: Sig Koverall
OK guys, I've read this whole thread and I can't thank all y'all enough for the incredible amount of information you've given me here.
I'm restoring a 45 year old plane, Scale Lines model (kitted in 1961) of the 1931 Great Lakes 2T-1A and some of the challenges I've faced (never worked a biplane, never flown a biplane) have been quite more than enough for this old man. When I started the restoration I knew that I wasn't going to monokote it (was originally covered with silkspan & dope), didn't want to spend the $$ for silk, but definitely wanted a "material/fabric" covering.
It's looking like Koverall is going to be my choice - I like most everything I've read here about how it works and I definitely like how it looks. Got one more minor question though for you guys before I go out and buy my finishing materials. This will be my first Koverall and first Nitrate-clear project, and I've been building/flying for more than 50 years.
When I stripped off the original covering (much of it simply flaked off in little bits & pieces) the entire nose section (solid wood), actually, much that is "solid" wood was found to be pretty much unremovable. I've sanded the beejeebers out of this critter (mostly 200-grit paper) and it simply "ain't comin' off". I know that butyrate clear would stick (and I still have about a half quart from my last project), how about the nitrate clear? Or should I get some more butyrate clear for the nose section?
I'm still working the engine compartment right now but covering-time isn't very far off at all and I'm getting "itchy" to fly this critter anyway. There have been at least 2 engines in her in the past (one was definitely an "ignition" type, wires were still there) and I've had to go quite a ways in carving and re-carving and then rebuilding the interior so I can fit a new OS-40 into her, upright with a pitts-style muffler (can be seen under the plane in one of the pics below) imbedded in the side, exhausting to the right. The nose is off her right now, while I'm routing out a bed for the new plate-style engine mount.
Dave