First, Build a Shed

[Flybyjim]

Thanks Jim

[Cherrybark]

I needed a refresher on the Beech Staggerwing rib lacing knot. There are a few videos on YouTube but Wendy Pemberton has a nicely done demo. Ignore her NESW signs and just watch her tie the knot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OsIBk_RWQY

One tip not mentioned. After traveling to the next hole along the rib, you'll pull the cord tight to help bury the just finished knot. Be careful to pull with your hand near the surface of the wing rather than raised above it. Pulling up risks having the cord rip the fabric in a neat line right along the rib to the previous knot.

On most ribs I ran the dual 1/2" nylon reinforcing tape as a complete wrap of the wing from top trailing edge to bottom trailing edge. The tape stops short on ribs with the flaperon hinges. On rib #2, I followed the complete wrap pattern for appearance. Just before completing taping of the second wing I ran out of reinforcing tape. Didn't help that there was an ugly, sewn splice in the middle of the spool.

Big public thanks to Eddie Forward who had spare tape and immediately dropped the needed length in the mail. Nice group of people we have around here!

Step 1 of the Staggerwing Knot

[kitfoxrk]

I would like to second the comments on Eddie. He has helped me out too!

Thanks Eddie!

[Cherrybark]

Rib lacing is complete. Two inch finishing tapes will cover the ribs and the Oratex tapes come pre-glued. However, a double coat of glue spread over the area will insure a good bond over the stitches and nylon tape. The nylon tape is 1" wide so the blue painter's tape can lay just outside the stitching holes but accuracy isn't that critical.

A thin coat of Oratex glue can dry pretty quickly and the blue painters tape won't pull a clean line once the glue starts to setup. Working one rib at a time, spreading a coat of glue all the way around the wing, followed immediately by the second coat, then pulling the tape leaves clean lines. Painting all of the ribs then trying to pull the tape would leave a more jagged glue line. The rotisserie got a nice workout.

[rosslr]

Looking good Carl - enjoying the posts.

cheers

ross

[Shadowrider]

Rib lacing is complete. Two inch finishing tapes will cover the ribs and the Oratex tapes come pre-glued. However, a double coat of glue spread over the area will insure a good bond over the stitches and nylon tape. The nylon tape is 1" wide so the blue painter's tape can lay just outside the stitching holes but accuracy isn't that critical.

A thin coat of Oratex glue can dry pretty quickly and the blue painters tape won't pull a clean line once the glue starts to setup. Working one rib at a time, spreading a coat of glue all the way around the wing, followed immediately by the second coat, then pulling the tape leaves clean lines. Painting all of the ribs then trying to pull the tape would leave a more jagged glue line. The rotisserie got a nice workout.

I am curious, do you tape wider with blue tape than the finishing tape or narrower so you don’t have glue not being covered by tape and being exposed? If you put the blue tape narrower than finish tape so the finishing tape completely covers the glue? If you do that isn’t the edge of the finishing tape going to peel up where there was no glue?

[Cherrybark]

The Oratex finish tape comes pre-glued. I just want better adhesion over the reinforcing tape that is under the rib lacing. Also the flat, waxed lacing thread that lays down so beautifully, isn't strictly approved by Oratex. Before stitching I scraped both sides of the thread a couple of times with a thumb nail then ran it two or three times between tightly gripped folds of an alcohol soaked rag. There was no obvious was build up while stitching.

The blue tape goes just outside the rib lacing holes (burned with a soldering iron). The 2" wide tapes easily cover the maybe 1 1/4" glue strip. Tapes are easily applied with a little extra time spent pressing the tape against either side of the lacing. The pre-glued edges look nice and secure. Contrary to another thread, the edges of the Oratex tapes are coated with color - not raw. At least the red ones are.

I used "straight" finishing tapes but "pinked" are available. No idea how easy dealing with those little pinked triangles might be.

[aviator79]

Contrary to another thread, the edges of the Oratex tapes are coated with color - not raw.

I think I referred to them as "raw" in another thread. I just meant that they had no additional topcoat to blend them into the fabric underneath, not that they didn't have color at the edges. I also wasn't trying disparage Oratex. After doing a wing in Poly Fiber, I'm honestly not sure which way I'd go if I had it to do over again. If Oratex had a little bit more in-service history, it would probably tip me that direction, so I hope I didn't come across as overly critical. I'm probably just trying to convince myself that I made the right decision.