Before and After Pics

[RogerG]

Great job! This really looks good.

I just finished checkering a RV-4 rudder with paint and I think probably 30 hrs invested in taping, painting, cut & buff.

Can you give detail on how you ordered the checkers, size of the checkers, and application?

[Xkuzme1]

I just took a sheet of 3M vinyl, an art school chopper, and started chopping squares. I made stacks of 2.75 in squares. On the rudder, I used the verticals stab as my straight line. I started out trying to be extremely careful with drawing pencil lines and making sure that the squares went on right on the pencil lines, but after some experimenting, they actually went on better without the pencil lines. As I said before, they don't "give" at all. So once you had 3 or 4 down, lining them up was easy. Corner touching corner... Repeat. There are a couple sections that weren't perfect, but with the nature of that type of pattern you cannot see it easily. Even I cannot see them easily, and I'm my own worst critic.

I tried not to wrap the vinyl around the corners too much, because with the thicker stuff I bought it would be building in a week point for wind to get under. I also tried to only touch the squares in the middle where the stickyness would be as critical if it were slightly compromised.

X

[Chattin35]

Looks sweet. I might have to steal that idea in lieu of painting a checkerboard.

How much weight did it add?

[Xkuzme1]

Total weight is negligible. Id be shocked it was over 2 pounds.

X

[SMRacer]

Spray a very dilute soap solution on the surface before applying the vinyl. You will then be able to slide the vinyl into the exact position you desire. Use a credit card (edge covered with microfiber towel to avoid scratching) to squeeze excess water and air bubbles from under the vinyl. Allow to dry before flying.

Jim
RV8 N37PK

[flyboy1963]

Looks great!
There are quite a few 'wrap' vinyls out there, and many now have a 'repositionable' feature, essentially a patterned adhesive that allows air to escape, and just the peaks touch initially, so that it's not 'permanent' until squeegeed down firmly.
these do NOT recommend the wet application method.
There are about 500 kinds of 3M vinyl......just get the number and brand of the vinyl, and google the tech installation details so you know what you have.

I'm curious about the reference to 'thick', as all the premium 7 year plus vinyls are right around 2 mil thick....the less durable calendared vinyls are usually 3.2 or thicker, and you can feel the difference.
What is easier to apply, may shrink or not age as well, but a hangared aircraft really isn't an extreme exposure....so YMMV.

[RV3bpilot]

I like the vinyl.. Gives it character.....