Re: Oratex over polyfiber
Hi John,Originally Posted by 109JB
This issue has been beaten to death on this forum. "Highwing" did a very good analysis quite a while ago, and the info is all here (somewhere). So, here's the issue, from my perspective, with your analysis (and it's a great analysis!)... a Poly Fiber, or any painted system, is potentially an extremely variable job (weight wise). The biggest variables are the type of paint used and the number and thickness of the coats applied, of course. Yours sounds like a pretty light job and not necessarily typical of the average, especially if urethane paint is used. With Oratex you can know pretty exactly what you'll have, every time. The bottom line is that you will save weight with it, but the amount is definitely variable due to the variability of the painted finish it is being compared to. Here is information that came directly from Poly Fiber's website (Frequently Asked Questions) -
"When Cubs rolled off the line, they had 75 pounds of Grade A cotton and dope on them.
A Ceconite and dope finish on that same Cub will probably weigh about 50 to 60 pounds.
A Cub done in Poly-Fiber has 40 to 45 pounds of finish weight.
A Cub done in urethane can get pretty heavy if you lay on the thick coats. Urethane is not known for its light weight.
Ultralights can be done in as little as 12 to 15 pounds."
I've had experience with both covering systems and chose Oratex for several reasons... one that may not be real obvious is that I wanted to try something new. I think I was one of the very first to document my use of it on this forum. It's definitely not for everyone, but it is lighter and stronger.
Reply With Quote