Oratex is like Yoga Pants

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CanadianSheepHunter
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Re: Oratex is like Yoga Pants

Post by CanadianSheepHunter »

Same Superstol Left flap, all shrunk, finish tapes on, Sea plane drains on. I decided to use 5 rivets on each rib because the flaps being in the prop blast and Cub flaps are rib stitched. Bottom of flap in these 2 pics. The funny Color on end of one pic is from the sun shining through a window.
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CanadianSheepHunter
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Re: Oratex is like Yoga Pants

Post by CanadianSheepHunter »

Same flap, with seam on top sheet metal.
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CanadianSheepHunter
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Re: Oratex is like Yoga Pants

Post by CanadianSheepHunter »

Moved table out of sun for a pic.
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CanadianSheepHunter
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Re: Oratex is like Yoga Pants

Post by CanadianSheepHunter »

Got this white discharge from 5 out of 8 Seaplane drains that i attached with the BSI Gap Filling Medium glue. I think it reacted some with the Oratex glue that was visible just @ the edge of my finish tapes after the tapes shrink from ironing.
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Re: Oratex is like Yoga Pants

Post by CanadianSheepHunter »

These ones are all on my rudder put on 2 hours ago, i wiped the plastic and Oratex with alcohol swabs and let dry first. I had this white show up when i put them on ailerons and it came off easily with a quick light wipe with blue shop towel with acetone on it. The glue was not smeared where you see the white, the glue only came a mm past the plastic when i held them on for 5 seconds...I never did any wiping with a rag when the super glue was wet.
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CanadianSheepHunter
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Re: Oratex is like Yoga Pants

Post by CanadianSheepHunter »

Here’s the same ones on flap again, i tried lightly with Acetone on blue shop towel, that didnt help the large white dried chunks of glue, i trimmed the glue away with a razor blade then went around the perimeter with a black paint marker...looks much better now.
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CanadianSheepHunter
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Re: Oratex is like Yoga Pants

Post by CanadianSheepHunter »

The BSI brand of glue also makes Extra Thick, I prefer it for the Seaplane drains. I put it onto the Seaplane drain then place the Seaplane drain onto the fabric and once I have it where I want I use this Accelerator from BSI as well. The accelerator sets the glue in a few seconds, I just spray it around the perimeter and wipe the overspray off the Oratex. I have tested it on Black and Silver Oratex and it doesn’t affect the Color at all. I find it handy for when a Seaplane drain needs down pressure for full contact(a spot that’s not perfectly flat)...instead of holding pressure on the Seaplane drain for a longer period of time I just hold down pressure while I spray the accelerator and in a few seconds you can let go.
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CanadianSheepHunter
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Re: Oratex is like Yoga Pants

Post by CanadianSheepHunter »

On the thread “Superstol Trim” I have a lot more pics of this Oratex repair, and the entire explanation of it all. This is the Flying Tail Elevator on my Superstol. I had it all covered then went to rivet the trim L bracket on from bottom but couldn’t because the rivet gun head was too wide and hitting the L bracket...which forced me to rivet from the top. I should have made a hole on top just big enough to allow the rivet gun to do its job then put a patch on a small hole instead of the mess I created. But it’s done now.
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BDA
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Re: Oratex is like Yoga Pants

Post by BDA »

Time for an update on how the Oratex is working out on the ole SuperStol.

I have nearly 30 hours on it now, pretty hard hours.

The temps have been around 20-30 F

And I have noticed some slack in the fabric close to fuselage on both sides on the wings and flaps.

I have not noticed any slack on the fuselage.

Seems that it is only where the prop wash is hitting it in slow flight and take off.

ALSO, I did a reshrink on fuselage at -15, but have not done that on the wings.

Soooooo, I will be reshrinking fabric on the wings soon.

I have not had any more tapes come up, YAY!

I have also had an oil leak and Hyd oil leak get the fabric very wet with no effects.

Very happy with my first fabric job.
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SuperStol XL Alaskan With Titan 340
N331AK. Shawn Taplin
Wing extensions,Symetrical Airfoil tail ribs (NACA 21)
Mods in progress: Heavier struts, Double slotted flaps
Goal: 15mph no wind
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BlainS
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Re: Oratex is like Yoga Pants

Post by BlainS »

So I’ve read the book and most of this thread and I’m still confused. Do we Alodine and prime or is Alodine treatment alone sufficient for glue adhesion?
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BDA
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Re: Oratex is like Yoga Pants

Post by BDA »

Alodine for corrosion
And prime for added corrosion and adhession for glue.

The closer you are to salt water, the more important it is to do both.

The more you keep it outside the more important.

I concentrated on the aluminum parts that were the attach points for the fabric. Glue adhession there is the most important.
SuperStol XL Alaskan With Titan 340
N331AK. Shawn Taplin
Wing extensions,Symetrical Airfoil tail ribs (NACA 21)
Mods in progress: Heavier struts, Double slotted flaps
Goal: 15mph no wind
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BDA
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Re: Oratex is like Yoga Pants

Post by BDA »

A few posts back I posted pictures of loose fabric on the wings.

So I reshrunk the wings the other day at around 15* F and put a couple hours on it to see how it would hold up.

The first thing I did was go over the entire wing with the Toko Iron at normal shrink temp again to even it all out (per Lars).

Then I turned the iron all the way up - 160 C, and went over the wing again BUT with a thick shop towel over the iron. You DO NOT PUT THE IRON DIRECTLY ON THE FABRIC AT THAT TEMP.

After going over it at 160 C it is all tight and very uniform now. After flying it there was no change, so all is well.

I also went over a couple of tapes again where the corners came up, and they went down and stayed!!!!!

I was shocked that the tape would stick after coming up and being frozen for months. Thought I would have to add glue but nope!

The thing with the tapes - it is very easy to distort them and end up with crooked lines, so I did not have enough heat at the ends on a few to prevent the fuglys.
SuperStol XL Alaskan With Titan 340
N331AK. Shawn Taplin
Wing extensions,Symetrical Airfoil tail ribs (NACA 21)
Mods in progress: Heavier struts, Double slotted flaps
Goal: 15mph no wind
Dick Cole
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Re: Oratex is like Yoga Pants

Post by Dick Cole »

I used Oratex on my new horizontal tail surfaces that I put on my early Escapade, In time discoloration showed up along the lapped joints and I finished up spraying Stits paint over the surfaces. My preferences are still to use traditional covering but it was a interesting experience.
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BucF16
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Re: Oratex is like Yoga Pants

Post by BucF16 »

Dick, when did you purchase the Oratex? What color? and how long before the discoloration showed up?

Thanks!
Bruce
Bruce Johnson Highlander # 393
"Because I fly, I envy no man on Earth"
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http://www.bruceshighlander.blogspot.com
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SheepdogRD
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Re: Oratex is like Yoga Pants

Post by SheepdogRD »

Dick Cole wrote:I used Oratex on my new horizontal tail surfaces that I put on my early Escapade, In time discoloration showed up along the lapped joints and I finished up spraying Stits paint over the surfaces. My preferences are still to use traditional covering but it was a interesting experience.
Have you discussed that with the supplier? I'd bet they're interested...
Richard Holtz
Highlander N570L -- Ms. Tonka -- in gestation

If just enough is really good, then too much ought to be perfect.
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