Preparation For Covering The Fuselage
Before you start covering the fuselage, it would be advisable to check the following recommendations for preparing for covering. You will find some of the following suggestions to be a good idea and other items a "MUST DO" before you cover. There are usually several ways to complete any job. The following paragraphs are just a few examples.
Before you are ready to cover your fuselage, it would be advisable to do a final check of all hardware and accessories that "NEED" to be installed in the fuselage "PRIOR" to covering. Once your fuselage is covered, this would not be the time to realize you need to install the throttle quadrants or fuel system. Installation of hardware and accessories in the fuselage after covering can become "VERY DIFFICULT" and sometimes, almost impossible for proper placement. If you have pre-installed and made the instrument panel detachable from all wiring and the pitot tube, then you can leave this out of the fuselage until after covering and painting. However, you want all of the following items installed prior.
Let's look at what some builders have done to make covering and painting the fuselage easier for them. |
This ring was built from 3/8" x 3/4' flat iron bar stock, rolled and welded into a 60" diameter ring. Then a securing angle plate was welded to the top inside to clamp to the root tube. You need to measure the width of the fuselage at the point where you will mount the ring around the fuselage, then add an inch on either side for clearance for the upright bar stock supports. These upright supports need to be welded to the ring. Add a horizontal cross support to both sides to support the ring when turning or rolling the fuselage onto its side. The last item needed is a loose cross brace made of 1/2" x 1/2" bar stock for clamping into place after mounting the fuselage into the ring. You will clamp this loose support to the ring upright supports and the down tubes (front seat down tubes if a two place). The ring stand was made of bar stock, angle iron, square tube, flat roller supports welded to end of square tube, and salvaged roller skate wheels. The builder got all materials and welding for free in this case, so as to a price, you would have to ask around. |
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This ring is a farmers hay ring. In some cases, you could get the loan of such a hay ring from a farmer or you can buy one at a local farm supply store. The cost of the ring is $125.00 as of Summer 2005. After I was finished with the hay ring, I cleaned it up and sold it for $100.00 I also needed to fabricate 4 steel plates about 9" x 6". You need to measure the width of the root tube and add one inch, then drill a 5/8" hole in all four corners of each steel plate at this width. Use 1/2" x 9" bolts to secure the plates around the root tube at the front and rear of the hay ring to support ring to fuselage for rolling. A heavy gauge guide wire is needed to attach on both sides from the hay ring to the front seat down tubes. The only other items needed are wooden blocks, 4"x4" by 5 foot long, to place at the bottom of the ring to keep the fuselage and ring from rolling when you are working. |
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Then there is the most inexpensive solution of them all. You can cover your fuselage while it is still setting on its wheels. You'll also have to block up the fuselage and remove the main gear leg which will allow the covering material to be slipped over the gear leg weldment. But it all can be done on its wheels. :-) |
Again, this is just another one of those things that can be done several ways. Here is just one of them. Using sheet aluminum, you will need to fashion a filler glue and cone brace plate to custom fit between the sides of the nose cone and the aluminum tube door opening. First, take a flat piece of sheeting long enough to reach from the front windshield down tubes to about 5" over the door opening side rails. Measure the distance from the down tube to the first bend at the 45 degree angle. Using an inexpensive sheet metal bending brace, bend the aluminum sheeting to the appropriate angle. Now measure the length of the top of the 45 degree angle to the bottom bend area. Bend the sheeting at this location. You can now lay the angled sheet into place to check for proper fit at the bends. Once this is done, scoot the sheet 1/8" toward the fiberglass nose cone and scribe a line with a fine line marking pen. This line will be where you will need to bend the resulting tabs down to fit inside the nose cone. Using tin snips, cut a "V" notch out of the sheeting at the bends. You can now bend the resulting tabs down to a 90 degree angle from the sheet. As the bottom section will be curved, bending it down will be impossible unless you cut individual 1" tabs in it as shown. The resulting tabs can now be bent down at a 90 degree angle. |
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Again, this is just an example. Your belt feedthrough hole could be round, square, rectangular or even near flat. But in all cases, this is sheet aluminum and will eventually cut through the seat belts if you don't add a metal edge protector around the hole. An auto door edge protector strip was used in this case. The belt feedthrough hole should be mid-point from the top and bottom of the sheeting. After determining the shape of the feedthrough hole you want, use a marker pen and draw it onto the sheeting. Use a 3/8" drill bit to make a pilot hole inside your scribed hole area. Using a saber saw, you can now cut out the feedthrough hole. Use a fine metal file to smooth the cut edges to reduce sharp edges and burrs. You are now ready to cut and fit the door edge protector to the inside edge of the hole. Once you have the appropriate fit, remove the door edge protector. You will install it permanently after you have covered and painted the fuselage. |
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Installation of the original factory FG-99 plates (rear fabric attachment plates) or bellcrank cover plates are rather easy and straight forward. The plates need to be drilled for 1/8" S/S rivets in the plates and longeron tubes to set the rivets. The bottom smaller plate is not supplied by the factory, but can be made and added for a bottom fabric glue area. |
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As most know, standard paint or even aircraft paint will eventually peel off fiberglass in time. Therefore, all fiberglass parts like the nose cone, wing tips and wheel pants should first be sanded, then painted with a two part epoxy primer paint prior to standard painting. You can either do the epoxy painting before or after installing the fiberglass parts on the plane. But it would be highly recommended to do so prior to covering the fuselage. A white two-part epoxy paint was used since the final color will be very light. |
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Now, on to Covering The Fuselage!