Fuselage covering question

[Tim213]

For those of you that use the blanket method like I am (already covered the control surfaces and tail feathers and the bottom fuselage), how did you lay out the fabric for the top and sides of the fuselage. I am planning on sewing two pieces together. Did you run your seam down one of the stringers or down the middle? Also when u get to the vertical stabilizer did u continue with your seam up the middle of it or if not, how did you do it? Any input or photos are appreciated. Thanks

[Rollie]

On my Patrol I put the fuselage on it's side on the rotisserie and laid out fabric to cover from the lower longerons to the center stringer on the top and the vert stab, glued it in place and did the initial shrink, then flipped it over and did the same for the other side. The first side was wrapped and glued to the top stringer and to the front of the stab. Then the other side overlapped it in those areas and I went back and forth, from one side to the other as I shrunk it to keep it even so it wouldn't pull the stringer off center. I didn't sew anything, and it worked fine. I've got a little over 90 hours on the plane so far with no issues. I don't think this would work for the 4 place, it might be too wide for the fabric to reach from the lower longerons to the center of the top so if you're building a four place you can disregard this as you will probably have to sew it someplace.

[Bdflies]

I did the same as Rollie. Worked great and looks very nice.

Bill

[whee]

On my 4-place:

Each side including the side of the vertical stabilizer is one piece.
Top is one piece that extends back to the base of the vertical stabilizer.
No sewn seams. I have a sewn seam on my boat top that we made out of Ceconite for practice. It is very visible and I didn't want that on the plane.
Got that method off the Stewart systems youtube videos. Worked great.

[Bcone1381]

That looks like the method used by Stewart Systems covering videos on youtube to cover a Piper Colt fuselage.

[Battson]

On my 4-place:

Each side including the side of the vertical stabilizer is one piece.
Top is one piece that extends back to the base of the vertical stabilizer.
No sewn seams. I have a sewn seam on my boat top that we made out of Ceconite for practice. It is very visible and I didn't want that on the plane.
Got that method off the Stewart systems youtube videos. Worked great.

I did the same as Jon.

[Mark Goldberg]

I glued the bottom fabric to the lower longerons. The top fabric was in two pieces with a sewn seam on top of one of the top stringers. Mark

[svyolo]

Whee;
Each side includes the side of the vertical stab. The top piece terminates at the base of the stab. Do the two side pieces join at the leading edge of the vertical stab?

[whee]

Whee;
Each side includes the side of the vertical stab. The top piece terminates at the base of the stab. Do the two side pieces join at the leading edge of the vertical stab?

Yes, the two side pieces overlap along the leading edge of the v-stab. They also meet and overlap at the tail post. If I recall correctly Stewarts requires a 1" overlap for their glue seams.

[svyolo]

Thanks. The base of the vertical stab is my biggest concern.

[whee]

Thanks. The base of the vertical stab is my biggest concern.

Worried about it not shrinking enough and being baggy? I was concerned about that but the method we used made it easy.

[robcaldwell]

Thanks. The base of the vertical stab is my biggest concern.

This Stewart Systems video shows how to cover a V Stab. Go to 1:29:15 of this video to watch. https://youtu.be/MGpMEuPnM7g .

[svyolo]

Again, thanks Rob.