- Joined
- Aug 5, 2008
- Messages
- 313
- Reaction score
- 103
Evening Fellow Builders,
Well into my Skybolt project. First airplane built and first time covering. Using Stewart System with good results so far. There have been several Forum posts on the necessity of securing the fabric on either side of the center section of the upper wing including some attention getting photos of the fabric ballooning in this area when not anchored properly. I think the universal advice is to anchor the fabric with small screws on both sides of the center section, and my examination of numerous Eagles and Pitts at OSH shows it is secured both top and bottom. What I'm not clear on is whether the same treatment is necessary on the rib outboard of the wing walk where the wing surface transitions from plywood to unsupported fabric. Finally, I have filled four wing tips with foam and covered with thin glass to create a better appearance. If the fabric needs to be secured outboard of the wing walk, maybe the same argument could be made along each tip rib where the fabric is backed up by solid glass on one side and is unsupported in the adjacent open bay. I've posted some photos and would welcome expert advice on the necessity of securing the fabric with lacing cord or screws along the ribs indicated in addition to the adhesive on the adjacent ply or glass surface. Further, can anyone suggest any tips on using screws, lacing cord and/or any other technique to secure fabric in these areas? I'm interested in how you did it and how it worked out as the airplane was flown hard. Maybe there is a long history of not using anything except glue in these areas and there has been no problem. As always thanks to all for the good advice I've gathered on this forum--Ed T.
Well into my Skybolt project. First airplane built and first time covering. Using Stewart System with good results so far. There have been several Forum posts on the necessity of securing the fabric on either side of the center section of the upper wing including some attention getting photos of the fabric ballooning in this area when not anchored properly. I think the universal advice is to anchor the fabric with small screws on both sides of the center section, and my examination of numerous Eagles and Pitts at OSH shows it is secured both top and bottom. What I'm not clear on is whether the same treatment is necessary on the rib outboard of the wing walk where the wing surface transitions from plywood to unsupported fabric. Finally, I have filled four wing tips with foam and covered with thin glass to create a better appearance. If the fabric needs to be secured outboard of the wing walk, maybe the same argument could be made along each tip rib where the fabric is backed up by solid glass on one side and is unsupported in the adjacent open bay. I've posted some photos and would welcome expert advice on the necessity of securing the fabric with lacing cord or screws along the ribs indicated in addition to the adhesive on the adjacent ply or glass surface. Further, can anyone suggest any tips on using screws, lacing cord and/or any other technique to secure fabric in these areas? I'm interested in how you did it and how it worked out as the airplane was flown hard. Maybe there is a long history of not using anything except glue in these areas and there has been no problem. As always thanks to all for the good advice I've gathered on this forum--Ed T.
