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Wrapping project
Well, not only am I nuts for polishing my aircraft, I also am using vinyl as well. So I started with the easiest component I could find, the oil door. It took about an hour to explore how much the vinyl would stretch / shrink..it will also tear.
All in all it was fairly easy to work with once I got started. [IMG] [/IMG]More images and comments at: http://www.mykitlog.com/users/catego...category=12700 The next component is the empennage fairing. |
?The next component is the empennage fairing?
One of the hardest (in my experience) with compound concave curves. |
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Bruce did you use any edge sealer on your edges? If so, which edges and why those edges? I thinking of using it on the edges on the cowling and around the fuel ports. |
Extra vinyl
To All interested in doing vinyl:
I?ve got tons of end roll pieces and vinyl pieces. 40yrs in the sign business you collect a lot that somewhere you might use it. For those wanting to try putting vinyl on, I?ll send you all the end pieces you want. Some are up to 48? wide but may only be a foot or two in length. The is lots of 2-6? stuff. Many different colors. Most all we use is 3M 2mil high performance, so you can?t get better quality. You?ll need to get a small roll of transfer tape and a squeegee in order to apply it. There is a myriad of other installation tools you can purchase if you want to go down that road. I?m happy to unload what I have this year for whoever wants to try it, just need you to pay the freight or mail if it?s small enough to go in postal As for me and 40 yrs of it- there?s a place and time for it, not sure I?d do fairings or a complete yet. Then again if I was racing in Reno and wanted a printed design, I?d be all over it. I?m just sticking to good paint and maybe nose, tail art and N numbers in vinyl. Just need a good address to send to. Mike |
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FWIW I painted the cowling....good luck. |
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![]() my EAA chapter calls me now patches.... . In terms of learnings: - I did learn that it's more difficult to wrap many small pieces of vinyl around a compound curve then one large pieces. ( see by the wrinkles in the picture ). There is just nothing to hold on to on small pieces to stretch the vinyl. - I have been flying with that cowling now for 2 years and I do think that I have to replace the vinyl. The problem is that on the top of the cowling the vinyl looks good when cold but when hot (after flying on a hot day) I get lots of air bubbles which disappear again when cold. This constant expansion/contraction can't be good for the vinyl. My problem of course is that I like the design now and painting all those patches is a lot of work ... . Oliver |
Creative
Oliver,
I?m going to have to print that one for the girls here! They?ve always wondered what to do with all the scrap vinyl. They usually make a vinyl snowman, but he gets tossed before he gets too big. The vinyl that didn?t bond in pockets that come and go are always there, they just tighten up. Bad part is they will hold moisture. Moisture trapped between the vinyl and cowl isn?t a problem, but I don?t trust it on my aluminum. Even N numbers and decals get checked often for delamination pockets. You should get 5-10 yrs life on 3m vinyl depending on how much sun and weather it gets. Mike |
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All that said about 1/3 of the way into this I knew it was going to get pulled off. The material is relatively strong, it will stretch and it will shrink. It will also tear, especially when heated or over stretched. Long story short I had some small pock marks of damage that I wasn't satisfied leaving on the aircraft. Once that decision was made I just made this a learning project working on technique, how much heat was too much and how to work compound curves. [IMG] [/IMG][IMG] [/IMG]You can see I pushed the material too hard. This was after deciding to replace the material. More at http://www.mykitlog.com/users/displa...g=251985&row=2 |
Scott,
What brand of vinyl are you using? |
Putting the vinyl reminds me of the first time (2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc) I used Grace Ice Shield on a roof. It turns into an expensive lesson.
I like the idea of stripes or other graphics over a base paint. I have my plane painted but not really satisfied how it came out. I would sure like to watch and try doing the vinyl. Its use has grown so much in a short time it has to have merit. |
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