Rib Lacing with Oratex

[mr bill]

I noticed that too. Now I have more work to do.

[jrevens]

John, how bout telling us how you have such nice contact around the lift strut brackets. I have been contemplating putting a bead of the adhesive around it and allowing paint to cover the glue when masking off the mount for paint? yours look very nice.

Thanks again, Eddie. Rather than "floating" under the fabric, I attached the aluminum backing plates to the strut fittings with Hysol and some Super Fil, covered, then touched it up with paint and a small brush.

[efwd]

Awe man, too late.

[Av8r3400]

Yeah. Definitely our next gold Lindy...

[jrevens]

I used the waxed cord supplied with kit as well, wiped corded areas with denatured alcohol prior to attaching finishing strip. Happy with result.

Your work looks really clean and nice, Mike! I wasn't aware of others doing Oratex on this list when I started, and now it seems like there are quite a few doing really good work with this different, and sometimes a bit difficult, system. There's a learning curve, and it seems like we're all sort of "pioneers" in a way. I feel fortunate to have my friend Gary ("colospace") here in the Denver area also using Oratex, and doing a beautiful job with it. I like the way you did the relief for the strut attach fitting.

[foxbait]

Thanks John, I started the covering process after you and Gary and followed your posts with great interest, really appreciated your pictures and workmanship. I decided I would cut my own tapes, not sure it was the right decision. Cutting the tapes was not bad but spent a significant amount of time masking so no glue was visible.
I did break down and purchase a roll of tape for the curved areas on the tail feathers and vertical stab(couldn't get the heavier 6000 tapes I cut to wrap nicely around the curves). Have enjoyed the process and the result, like you say, there's a learning curve.

[jrevens]

Yeah. Definitely our next gold Lindy...

Aw shucks, Larry... your check is in the mail. Your comments have been so kind and embarrassingly humbling for me - I wish I could have been at your gathering at OSH so I could've eaten some of your food to pay you back!

In all seriousness, as I've said before, my fox is NOT an Oshkosh award-winning project. I can't live up to that. I am happy with most of the workmanship & I try to sometimes come up with unique details, but next to your beautiful airplane, or the factory's builds, or Steve's new 7, or a whole bunch of others that I've seen on this forum, it's a real "plain Jane". But thank you, again.

[Av8r3400]

One day, John, you can look at the Mangy close. She's nice, but she's a bush flyer, not a beauty queen. She's complete with scratches, dents and oil drips.


(And probably the worst set of seat covers ever installed in a 'Fox)

[efwd]

LOL. Larry, I thought the seats were how you came to the name.
nothing else could have justified it.

[Redbear]

What did you use for rib reinforcing tape.?