My Taylorcraft restoration project,  G-BREY
Page 4, November 2003 - March 2004

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by Robert Lees

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November 2003

fus-fabric72.jpg (38262 bytes) fus-fabric73.jpg (38219 bytes) The first coat of white Poly-Tone goes on.   Boy, this stuff is a pleasure to spray.  But bright lights are needed to see the white covering the silver.
I added 30 ml of BR-86-00 retarder per UK pint to the mix (in fact I added it to the aluminium Poly-spray too) to slow down the evaporative process.  This increases the gloss level.  The measures are exactly as per the Poly-Fiber manual.

If I think I need more gloss, I will refrigerate the next (and last) coat.
fus-fabric74.jpg (25138 bytes) fus-fabric75.jpg (30639 bytes) fus-fabric76.jpg (39171 bytes) After spraying the second full coat of white, I mask off for the red.  I am using exactly the same paint scheme as she originally had (see photo here) and using a lot of the original fabric to ensure the trim lines come out in the right place.
Green fine line polypropylene tape is used to get the curves.
fus-fabric77.jpg (42460 bytes) fus-fabric78.jpg (37209 bytes) After masking, a fine mist coat of red is applied, followed by the first full wet coat.
fus-fabric79.jpg (25090 bytes) After a second coat of red, the masking can be removed.
Whoever designed this trim scheme designed a clever scheme.   The horizontal paint line between the red on the top and the white on the sides extends forward from (and in line with) the stabilisers, and aft from the line of the door windows.  These two non-parallel lines meet at and blend into the broad vertical stripe.
The two pin stripes follow the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, and are not parallel to either of the lines joining the red top and white sides.
fus-fabric80.jpg (32682 bytes) fus-fabric81.jpg (42241 bytes) fus-fabric82.jpg (42212 bytes) ...and I can now cut out the fabric covering the two rear D windows.
fus-fabric83.jpg (39901 bytes) Belly is all white.

Registration letters done Jan 2004:

fus-fabric85.jpg (37845 bytes) The registration marks I mask by hand because they are tapered and italic.  For general use, there are commercial outlets for spray masks.  I used a computer to get the letter shapes right & printed them onto A3 paper, which I then cut out and traced the lines on the fuselage.   The same green fine-line masking tape as before is used to get the curves.
The remainder of the fuselage is covered in plastic sheeting.  This is the proper automotive, statically-charged sheeting.  It sticks to the fabric, and all dust then sticks to it.  Excellent stuff.
fus-fabric86.jpg (51161 bytes) A spray mist-coat... fus-fabric87.jpg (41600 bytes) ...followed by a full wet coat...
fus-fabric88.jpg (34557 bytes) fus-fabric90.jpg (48356 bytes) ...and the masking is removed while the paint is still tacky to reveal the final effect.  The whole masking/painting job took about 8 hours for both sides.

Late November to December 2003, undercarriage and stabilisers get covered.

stab-fabric8.jpg (71350 bytes) I have learned that the tapes can tend to leave a "wood grain" effect after painting, so I decide to very gently iron them (at about 200 F) to see if that smoothes them down a bit.  Tapes are clamped each end.   I will let you know how they turn out.
[Edit:  2004:  it didn't help, so I won't bother again]

Undercarriage:

gear-fabric4.jpg (31956 bytes) gear-fabric3.jpg (65108 bytes) Undercarriage is covered.  The only matters of note here are that the fabric for the "inside" of the gear goes under the wire...
gear-fabric1.jpg (32529 bytes) gear-fabric2.jpg (63219 bytes) ...and I use a pinch stitch to taughten the fabric between the veesThis will stop the paint cracking down the vertical legs due to drumming from the propeller slipstream. There is about a 3/4" gap between the two fabric surfaces.

I have not bothered to cover the upper surface that you see under the seat...save weight where you can.

Stabilisers:

stab-fabric1.jpg (30768 bytes) The first side gets covered (I don't like the "clam-shell" approach, I'd rather do each piece individually). stab-fabric2.jpg (44655 bytes) Notice how far round the tube the fabric is glued.
stab-fabric3.jpg (46244 bytes) The curved edge is formed using a 250F iron whilst pulling the fabric to shape. stab-fabric4.jpg (29426 bytes) The fabric conforms to the bow, ready to be trimmed then glued... stab-fabric5.jpg (22638 bytes) ...and after pink goo-ing, here is the result.
stab-fabric6.jpg (52175 bytes) Marking out where the stitches and trim tapes will go.  I will be using 4" spacing for the stitches... stab-fabric7.jpg (41385 bytes) ...and the fabric is stitched on.
stab-fabric9.jpg (42834 bytes) After taping, smoothing and applying the last brush-coat of pink goo, the finished stabilisers are ready for spraying.
stab-fabric10.jpg (36171 bytes) All my drain grommets are the aluminium type.

Elevators:

elev-fabric1.jpg (76811 bytes) A small aluminium fairing (under the small fabric patch) is used to lift the fabric slightly adjacent to the trim tab system, so as to increase the clearance between the mechanism and the fabric.
elev-fabric5.jpg (30870 bytes) Inspection rings are glued (and later covered with a doily) where access will be required for maintenance & lubrication of the trim bellcrank.  The black masking on the trim actuating arm will be removed after spraying.
elev-fabric2.jpg (38486 bytes) elev-fabric3.jpg (44016 bytes) elev-fabric4.jpg (43304 bytes) All the reinforcing tapes along the spines of all the control surfaces were prepared and fixed in accordance with these three photos.   A small application of pink goo prevents the cut-outs from unravelling.

Rudder:

rudder-fabric1.jpg (25336 bytes) rudder-fabric2.jpg (38297 bytes) I am using Light bias tape for the curved portions.  A pencil line is drawn down the spine of both the rudder and the tape, and then the tape is attached only along the spine, with a little tension to start the laying of the tape flat on each side.
After this thin line is dry, each side can then be laid flat with the application of the Poly-Brush.  No further heat shrinking required.
rudder-fabric3.jpg (24208 bytes) Here is the finished result...not too much "shrinking" of the tape because I did not pull too much on the tape for the shape.  The thin weave of the Light tape lays flat on the sides nicely.

Late January and early February 2004:   Bootcowl work:

Bootcowl4.jpg (49398 bytes) I make paper patterns of the boot cowl pieces...
Bootcowl2.jpg (57387 bytes) ...to form new pieces from 0.025" 2024T3 sheet. bootcowl1.jpg (43874 bytes) Bootcowl3.jpg (66398 bytes)
SlipRolls1.jpg (30316 bytes) I use my extended slip rolls to form the curves.  I will also be using these to form the joggles & beads at the firewall & windscreen respectively.
Bootcowl5.jpg (39249 bytes) Here's the dies being used to form the firewall joggle on the bootcowl... Bootcowl6.jpg (59321 bytes) ...and the finished joggle ready for riveting.
Bootcowl7.jpg (47271 bytes) Bootcowl8.jpg (55403 bytes) After clecoing up, a trial fit of the screen and fillet strip goes relatively well...but still a bit of fettling to do.
Bootcowl12.jpg (47546 bytes) Windscreen bead completed...
Bootcowl9.jpg (45079 bytes) ...new bottom piece...
Bootcowl10.jpg (65013 bytes) Bootcowl11.jpg (56633 bytes) ...and coaming. The red tape is to protect the tube paintwork from being scratched.
Bootcowl13.jpg (43184 bytes) Bootcowl14.jpg (55559 bytes) Fuel tank is temporarily installed to ensure correct location of filler aperture.
Bootcowl16.jpg (56928 bytes) The finished article prior to riveting.   Some minor filling will be required after assembly to hide the occasional scratch and dent.
Bootcowl18.jpg (45713 bytes) The mating faces between sheets that will be riveted together are pre-painted to minimise any chance of corrosion.  These are duffed up with red Scotch-Brite, etch primed and then epoxy primed.
Bootcowl15.jpg (63396 bytes) Bootcowl17.jpg (51197 bytes) I have dimpled the firewall rivet holes to permit the use of countersunk rivets.  The dimple squeezer unfortunately caused some areas of the firewall flange to go awry, so I made up my own fluting pliers to return the flange to the correct alignment. Standard fluting pliers have too great a pitch.
1/8" Cherry Max structural rivets used.
Bootcowl19.jpg (51199 bytes) Bootcowl21.jpg (51201 bytes)  Bootcowl20.jpg (35778 bytes) My flying partner John (RV6 builder, hence the wing ribs) rivets up the stringers using 3/16 countersunk rivets.  The stainless firewall we attach using 1/8 Cherrymax structural countersunk pull rivets for convenience.
Bootcowl22.jpg (36399 bytes) A detail of the firewall edge.   Countersunk rivets used...both on the firewall and along the cowl where the stiffeners run.
Stainless Dzus springs from DD Aircraft, New Hampshire.
Bootcowl24.jpg (71927 bytes) Bootcowl23.jpg (49464 bytes) A dry run of fitting the replacement firewall pad (Airtex Interiors).

March 2004:  Mostly spent working on PX, recovering the stabilisers and repainting jury struts, etc.

fus-fabric91.jpg (44344 bytes) BREY covered up for spraying of PX components.   Large diameter grey hose on floor is extraction system.

May 2004 (Much of March and April spent doing repairs to Spare Taylorcraft and visiting Sun & Fun).

SnF04-1.jpg (36934 bytes) Tilley's Ahoy!  Rob & Pete enjoy the spring Sun & Fun sunshine... SnF04-2.jpg (101753 bytes) ...and the Saturday Taylorcraft informal meet at the Vintage Barn.
rudder-bar-shim1.jpg (37344 bytes) rudder-bar-shim2.jpg (39806 bytes) Making new brass wear shims for the rudder bars. 
0.010" brass shim stock used, from the local RC model shop.  This thickness easily conforms to the required shape.
window-frame1.jpg (50601 bytes) Making new interior window frame for one of the metal doors.
0.025" 2024T3 material used. 
I used the original frame to mark the new one out, it would be difficult to make without.

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