Badland Part 103 Pilots and Builders Forum

How do you go about applying the covering over items like flaperon cable brackets or the large lift strut brackets riveted to the tubular aluminum spars? I have seen some covering jobs where the covering is placed over/on top of the brackets or mounts. You can see all the bulges and rivets protruding through the surface of the finished covering. It looks rather sloppy. I plan on painting my lift strut brackets to match my fuselage (white) and want to see those after the covering is applied. This will also allow for future inspections in what I consider to be a critical inspection location.

Can I apply a small area of covering to the area before I rivet on the strut brackets, that extends about 1 - 2 inches outside the perimeter of the brackets outline? Then when I apply the actual wing skin covering I can have a slot pre-cut in that large covering piece that overlaps the small amount of covering material I put down under the bracket first. Then glue-iron down the pieces to make an effective splice where the two layers meet.

Is this overkill?

My concern is that I want to be able to adjust the lift strut brackets while dialing in dihedral, sweep, and testing the folding mechanism. I want to do all the testing and adjustments before I commit to covering.

I have never done this before so I want to think about these things before I start wasting expensive covering materials or drilling out incorrect rivets.

I appreciate everybody's opinion and experience here !!!!

Standard procedure is for a bracket (etc) that is 1" or less sticking up. Cover the bracket and after shrinking cut a slit for the bracket and re-shrink. Then install a enforcing patch over the protruding item. Anything over 1", is split before shrinking and then install the reinforcing patch. Oratex may have a different way they recommend. It should be in their manual, if not contact them.

Hi Bruce - for the brackets on the wing spars I installed the brackets first, then cut slots in the fabric and applied it over the brackets. I trimmed the excess material to leave the actual mounting points exposed, then cut doublers of fabric to reinforce the edges. I'm not sure I understand exactly what you are asking, but I just want to add that you want no material between the bracket and the mounting surface. This will weaken the bond (Keep in mind that these joints also call for structural adhesive). I hope this helps somewhat!

-Peer

Yeah, I totally spaced on the adhesive being part of the situation at that location. My wings would have fallen off at 10,000 feet on that note.

Oops or is that Ouch....

Bruce_L wrote: ↑Mon Nov 27, 2023 3:23 pm Oops or is that Ouch....

Depends if your emergency chute opens or not!

P.S. I'm learning a lot. Please keep asking. Your questions are excellent and on many things I've not even considered!

I'm sure you would have figured it out once you got to the actually mounting of the brackets. haha

Are you guys installing inspection holes in your wings especially? Terry

I have not done so yet, but I have a few inspection rings and covers sitting "in reserve". I can add them as needed. It'll be easy enough to do...glue the ring down, trim the material away from the inside, and inspect away!

The only place I can really imagine needing to access for any reason is the pitot bracket inside the wing (if I need to replace or re-affix the tube).

I have a small bore-scope I can send into the wing through one of the openings for the flaperon cables if I need to get a visual.

My plan as well.