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Thread: Wing Bottom Covering Question

  1. #11
    Senior Member jiott's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wing Bottom Covering Question

    John, I don't know anything about Oratex, but on my Polyfiber wings I did use reinforcing tape and rib stiched the middle underside tank rib. I felt much better having this slightly concave area rib stitched. I spaced that rib from the tank using small wood blocks located between stitches, leaving a small gap between rib and tank for the stitching. I used a small, very flexible wire for a needle and used a separate piece of thread for each stitch. Took a little bit of finese but was not difficult.

    Per the book, I ran a 2" finish tape on the top centerline of the rear spar, before putting on the rib tapes. The fabric is so close to the spar on the top that any motion of the fabric during flight would cause it to contact the spar, which is why you need a reinforcing tape in that area.
    Jim Ott
    Portland, OR
    Kitfox SS7 flying
    Rotax 912ULS

  2. #12
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    Default Re: Wing Bottom Covering Question

    Hi John,

    sounds like you are making great progress on the covering. In regard to your questions: Does most everyone run a piece of 2" finish tape over the centerline of the rear spar on the top only? Also, would that tape be installed first before the rib tapes?

    We only ran it on the top. We put it on last - after the rib tapes.

    cheers
    Ross
    Mt Beauty, Vic
    OZ
    Sold to Richard and Scott Taubman in OZ, 2019. Kitfox SS7,Rotax 912is Sport, Airmaster CSP 75" blades.
    Landcruiser and Cub off road camper (doesn't get any kudos on this forum!)

  3. #13
    Senior Member jrevens's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wing Bottom Covering Question

    Thanks, Jim and Ross!
    I'll try to post some more pictures of the Oratex job sometime soon... it's going good for me, but it sure goes slow when you only work on something about 1 hour every 2 or 3 weeks! It definitely takes longer for the application than Polyfiber before painting, but it's real nice to look at it when it's done and realize that you've got a finished, airworthy part. I'm very pleased with the way it's looking. The stuff is so tough... it's even hard to poke a needle through it!
    John Evens
    Arvada, CO
    Kitfox SS7 N27JE
    EAA Lifetime
    Chap. 43 honorary Lifetime

  4. #14
    Senior Member jiott's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wing Bottom Covering Question

    The Oratex sounds really great except I still have one major concern about it. That is its protection from UV damage to the underlying fabric. I know they say it has built in protection, but the fact that it is somewhat transluscent makes me wonder how good it is. You can get sunscreen for your skin that is very translucent, but mountain climbers who really want total UV protection use zinc oxide which is not transparent.

    I have built and flown RC model planes for years and used mostly Monocote covering. It is supposed to be UV resistant, but after about 5 years or so my heavily used models would begin to get weak enough that you could poke your finger thru the covering. I guess I'm a show-me type that will have to wait around for 5-10 years to see how the Oratex airplanes weather the sunlight.
    Jim Ott
    Portland, OR
    Kitfox SS7 flying
    Rotax 912ULS

  5. #15
    Senior Member jrevens's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wing Bottom Covering Question

    I understand your concern, Jim. Just a couple of points I'd like to make. First of all, Oratex has been on aircraft for over 10 years now in Europe. It would be nice if we had some longer local experience, but really long term experience isn't available yet. However, the science of these types of materials is is not exactly black magic... it's not like the old days when Ceconite, for instance, was first used on aircraft. The fact that the coated material is slightly translucent does not mean it is more vulnerable to UV rays. It's like comparing apples to oranges. Speaking of that, we can wear sun glasses that are very translucent and block 100% of the UV. You cannot compare Oratex, in many ways, to Polyfiber, or certainly not to Monocote. The Germans who invented this stuff say it is UV resistant (due to the coating), fuel proof, much stronger than Polyfiber & with a much higher temperature rating (482 deg. F.). I wonder if the Polyfiber system is 100% UV proof? I'm not trying to change your mind or sell you Oratex, but I'm just trying to explain some of the reasons I chose to use it. I guess I'm a little bit of a pioneer... so be it.

    Anyway, that being said, I hung a sample of Oratex on the back of my house, with a direct Southern exposure, several months ago. We get a lot of sunshine in Colorado - blue, clear skies over 300 days a year on average. We are over a mile above sea level and the sun's rays are less filtered by atmosphere than they are in most of the rest of the country. Our temperature also varies very widely, from occasionally over 100 deg. to 20 deg. below zero or less. This will be a good test, and even after only a year's time the exposure should be equivalent to many years of average use for a hangared airplane.

    To the moderators - perhaps this should be transferred to one of the Oratex-specific threads?
    John Evens
    Arvada, CO
    Kitfox SS7 N27JE
    EAA Lifetime
    Chap. 43 honorary Lifetime

  6. #16
    Senior Member jiott's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wing Bottom Covering Question

    Good points John. Your test piece hanging in the sun is a great idea.
    Jim Ott
    Portland, OR
    Kitfox SS7 flying
    Rotax 912ULS

  7. #17
    Senior Member jtpitkin06's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wing Bottom Covering Question

    I predrilled rib #3 where it butts against the tank. I took care to put the spacers on the tank bottom rib caps where they would not interfere with the lacing pattern.

    I glued everything with polytack and shrunk to 350. Like Lowell it took a bit of creativity on the bottom of the tank working curved needles up and round and down and though. sometimes retracing the cord to get the needle through the proper hole. I saw it as a challenge. In the end it is all glued and stitched tightly to the under camber including under the tank.

    I did have a few spots that tried to pop off when shrinking the fabric, but once the stitching was installed it pulled things down where I could use some fresh Polytack and reglue the fabric and press it down with a Century covering iron (Hobby shop item).

    John

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