Dual STI build log

[Shadowrider]

Yeah thanks that’s what I am thinking. Hopefully I can get a close match in paint. When you covered the metal parts below the door on the fuselage, do you glue the entire surface or just the outside edges?

[jrevens]

I glued the entire surface, but those have a pretty small surface area.

[Shadowrider]

Wondering best way to tackle covering the leading edge. Do you have the LLE on your wings?

[efwd]

No laker leading edge on mine. I believe Oratex wants you to have glue in all locations where fabric is touching the airframe. Lars even told me to add glue to the aluminum stringers that you installed on the sides and bottom. He advised to shrink the fabric first then dab in the glue along the stringers then heat it up. I used a heat gun and felt pad.

[Shadowrider]

Thanks! Just trying to wrap my mind around plan of attack when it get here.....hopefully soon!

[jrevens]

Wondering best way to tackle covering the leading edge. Do you have the LLE on your wings?

I do have the LLE, and I applied glue to most of that surface. I scalloped the aft edge of the LLE on the top, and applied glue to just forward of the scallops. It felt like the best way to me, and gave me further confidence in the integrity of the covering without rib lacing in that area on the top of the wing. You do need to be careful to not overheat that area when heating the glued surface because the LLE is very thin and can be damaged (softened/warped) by the heat.

[Shadowrider]

Made some more progress. Pulled the left wing off and put the right wing on. Fuel tank in, #1 #2 rib installed. Working on the wing tips. A lot more work than originally I thought. Because the wing tips bow when you attach Brandon recommended laying some fiberglass down to stiffen them. Then they did not seem to match up with the LLE very well so I decided to blend them with some superfill and some sanding. Started taking off the fence on second wing so I can install the carbon fence.


Second wing is going faster for both STI's as now we know what to do. We try and think we are each building a plane, instead of us both building 2 planes.....


Should be able to on Monday/Tuesday to finish ribs, fuel cap drain, trailing edge. Then pull wing back of to do the LLE. Much easier to do it vertically off the plane.

[tjentzsch]

Not sure what I like more, that boat or plane

Looking good.

[aviator79]

Looking good, Dustin! Nice job fairing the tip to the wing with Superfil. Quality work.

[jrevens]

Agreed... looking good. I was not nearly so careful with the fit of mine. They look like crap compared to yours!