Covering with Oratex

[svyolo]

How did you do the base of the tail without heating/stretching? Any pictures prior to shrinking the wrinkles out? I didn't even attempt it. I made a composite fairing for the base of the tail, which turned out good.

[Utah-Jay]

IF you use heat AND stretch Oratex you will not be happy! It develops a terrible grainy texture.

[paulodonnell]

Just started covering with Oratex Silver / jet black backing...lovely product to use with a very nice glossy finish.

I've covered a biplane before with trad Ceconite etc but decided to go with Oratex to save time weight & numerous coats of spraying etc.

I'm also using their 'engineering design change' option which is a system of bonding 1.2mm beech ply strips to the ribs which eliminates the need for rib stitching. This system is also EASA certified for various aircraft notably the Pitts Special and cub types. In testing the pull strength, they said the wooden ribs failed before the fabric could be pulled off. After degreasing, the strips are bonded using aviation grade epoxy dispensed from a rather expensive 'gun' ..€450! The bonding side of the strips are first impregnated with an Epoxy primer from Oratex.

The strips take out the the tiny height difference between the leading and trailing edges on the flaps and ailerons to the rib surface and I should end up with a very smooth finish free of bumps from stitching and the tapes are also eliminated.

cap strips.jpg cap strips2.jpg

[arborite]

Have you had a chance to see an Oratex plane in person? If not, I would say that should be a mandatory data point. It is a different type of finished product.

Yes, I’ve seen a covered plane and am fine with the finish look. Sort of like my old cub. Even if I use Stewart’s, I’m not going for the super glossy look. Too heavy.

[svyolo]

I have never covered an airplane with one of the normal systems but I bought a couple of yards just to compare. Regul;ar cloth has some stretchiness to it which you can use during application, and you could probably use heat as well. Oratex has essentially zero stretch without heat. You have to heat it to stretch it.

[U2fletch]

I spent a lot of time talking with Lars as well at Oshkosh. Unlike my experience with other iron on coverings, Oratex can get around curves not just by shrinking, but by heating and stretching the fabric. In other words, a lot of people just think you get rid of wrinkles by shrinking the fabric. Not true, you can eliminate a lot of them by strategic heating and pulling when laying it down. That was new to me. I recently covered all the seats, and this knowledge helped a great deal in negotiating the tight corners.

[Utah-Jay]

Have you had a chance to see an Oratex plane in person? If not, I would say that should be a mandatory data point. It is a different type of finished product.

I could not agree more! Oratex is not the same. I knew that going in… But if you expect/want a wet look finish then Oratex is not for you.

[jaredyates]

Have you had a chance to see an Oratex plane in person? If not, I would say that should be a mandatory data point. It is a different type of finished product.

[Utah-Jay]

Just a note:

You don’t need to pull and never stretch, just enough tension to get it taught when tacking the fabric to a surface

[arborite]

I’m doing the research now for Oratex for my LSA. The attraction for me is the weight savings and the elimination of prep/paint on the fabric parts. The detractor initially for me was the lack of workshops to get hands on experience. I’ve watched the videos, read the tips&tricks, and talked to Lars and one of the pro installers. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to make Oshkosh this year, so I missed my chance to see your plane, Jay, and talk face to face.

here’s where I am at this point:

- Lars says all touch points of fabric to metal need to be properly primed and glued. This includes stringers and aluminum formers. I had not planned on priming the stringers, but it’s not much work to brush on.

- there have been adhesion failures and Lars attributes all of them to poor technique/application. Will need to be extra vigilant in this area, especially for aluminum heat sinks under the fabric.

- there is a LOT of pulling on the fabric when installing. Procedures seem to vary from manual instructions to how videos show. They emphasize the need to put pressure as well as heat on the glue joint. Manual says to used big iron and push. Videos show heat gun and hard pulling around tubes. Two to three people needed it seems for the trickier areas. Experienced installers may do it alone, but I don’t think I want to try. Have a bit of arthritis in the fingers, so am a little concerned about doing all that pulling.


- hiring someone to come and help is what Lars suggests and will probably be the best result. The cost of materials is about $5700 plus freight and tax (unknown at this point) and the install guy coming to help will be about another $5k.

I have the sample kit coming and will probably buy enough fabric and glue to do interior panels first, then decide how to proceed for the rest.

[gregc]

A friend of mine recently hired Tom Buttenob to cover a Kitfox. I've seen the results and it is a high quality job.

[Utah-Jay]

Might wanna check his credentials as I’m pretty sure Virgil has Mark’s LSA that an Oratex “expert” covered. I’ve seen it and it’s not great. Nowhere near mine

[kuss]

Yes, $7K was the just the labor estimate and that was provided very informally! He brings his tools with him of course.

[paulodonnell]

I got the Oratex in silver with jet black backing plus their beech strip caps (to eliminate stitching) delivered to Ireland for just under €5k. It was an eve watering €450 ( included in that figure) for the dispensing gun for just one twin tube of epoxy which arrived in a temp controlled box. In Germany you just rent this for €35 per wk. I spent plenty of hours looking at them and talking through covering tail feathers and a cub fuselage at Oshkosh….it seems very easy now that I’ve had that instruction … looking forward to getting it done as soon as I get home. Seems very straightforward

[Untainted123]

He estimated $7K for a Patrol

I assume the $7k is his cost, not the cost of covering a Patrol including materials, so closer to $14k all in I would guess for a Patrol?