Bottom Covering SS7

[Tomfox]

I am ready to attach the fabric to the bottom of my SS7 build. I do not understand how to handle the plates where the landing gear attach, or the plates in the picture I have attached. The picture is of two plates that are welded right at the front attach point of the bottom fabric - center of picture - there is one on each side. Also - what are these two plates for?
So - do I put the fabric over all of these plates - including the landing gear plates - or do I cut around and put reinforcing doilies?

Thanks
Tom

[rosslr]

I covered them all Tom and then added reinforcing patches. By the time you finish covering the bottom and add all the reinforcing tapes and patches it is a pretty impressive patchwork! You can use a hot solder iron tip to burn the holes for the attach points after covering.

Cheers

[Paul Z]

The SLSAs have them covered with holes punched through with a soldering iron. I just had it converted from a Tri-Gear to a Tail Dragger, and you could see the holes punched through the fabric.

[Floog]

My fabric starts at the center tube in your picture. (Not the leading edge of the fuselage.) I wanted access to the rudder pedal fasteners. The area where the floor board is shown is covered by the firewall metal. Sounds like I may have deviated from convention here??

[jrevens]

Floog,

I covered mine the same way that you did. The pictures and instructions in the covering section of the build manual say to do it like that. I covered over the whole surface of those tabs/plates, but trimmed it around the forward part of them. I like having access to those fasteners also. I think that is the conventional way to do it, unless the convention changed?

[jiott]

Did mine same as Floog. I believe that is per the book.

[rosslr]

Tom - as Floog, John and Jim say - I did the same - sorry if I gave the impression that I covered right up to the front!

cheers

[War Eagle]

How about a picture to see if that helps you visualize what people are doing on the bottom cover?

[rosslr]

for what its worth

cheers

r