Well after 22 years the fabric finally goes on. I am starting with the fuselage as the wings are waiting for the fuel tanks to be repaired (they are "new" but the original sloshing sealer continues to come off in potato chip sized pieces).
First off, I must state that the last time I did fabric work was in A&P school 35 years ago when we covered a Stinson Voyager. I also chose Stewarts as I have researched covering methods over the years and I liked the fact that I won't loose any more of the few brain cells I have left from the fumes. I can't do MEK anymore.
I will add notes and tips that I have found as I continue. I have watched...many times the videos that Stewarts has. Somethings you don't learn until you do them yourself.
First off be sure to have:
Pinking Shears, dull pencil, rubber belt sander eraser(it really works) and lots of blue paper towels.
I purchased a dry iron from Amazon for $20 works great. The temperature during the heating on/off cycles is better at the higher temperatures. It seems to cycle back on after cooling 10 degrees. It doesn't seem to go over the selected temp.
Coverite mini iron. Bought mine from the local hobby shop. Teflon coated, temperature is spot on. Bonus, top side of tip is curved and retains the heat and makes it easier to get on the backside of the tubes.
Digital heat gun with temperature control- bought it from Ace Hardware. Great gun. "No" you don't use it to shrink the fabric. I use it to speed the drying (50 degrees in the barn). Adjust the temp so that it is comfortable on the back of your hand and you can aid the drying process. I have it set for 100 degrees. Saved me hours on the sides. The belly fabric I didn't have it.
Practice making straight cuts with the pinking shears. Otherwise you'll make rabbit trails and shread the fabric. It takes a little practice to get the hang of the technique. Let it do the walking. Also, when you are following a line choose one side of the line for the outside edge of the cutter to be next to. I found it is easier to walk the cutter next to it. When I tried to put the line in the middle of the cutter my "straight" cut wavered about the width of the pinked, which looks lousy.
Pink, pink, pink. The small diameter tubing for the upper and lower longerons makes a straight cut difficult to lay down on the back side. A pinked edge lays down much better...way better. Did I say way better? You can use straight scissors for the cuts around the clusters.
The bottom of the fuselage was my first section. Took me about 10 hours. The only source of heat was a portable propane heater...I stopped using it as it was making too much moisture in the shop. My shop is a 10'x10'x20' plastic enclosure in the barn. We got 10" of snow Sunday-Monday.
The sides about 4 hours each. (with digital heat gun) Probably could do it faster if I was in a 70 degree shop/hangar.
Photo's are the belly fabric, the right side and the third is a 1/2" aluminum angle Hysol'ed to the forward tube to get a little more fabric attachment area. The access panel opening on the right side is where I welded in some gussets and added some framework for the battery/ELT/contactor. You can see the ski tube that I added to back side of the baggage compartment.
Sorry some of the pictures aren't vertical. They were in my files...of course my dad always said I was "90 from plumb".
Stewart Systems- Covering
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