Badland Part 103 Pilots and Builders Forum

I make liberal use of the Oratex Fixing Tape, which works so much better than painter's masking tape. I probably use it more than most because of my alternate (blue) leading edge scheme. Here's the trailing edge overlap tape line which provides a crisp glue line (very little "spill-over" onto the panel surface).


Once the tape is applied I use a pencil line on the topside fabric to make the glue line that will match the underside overlap. I then apply glue to both surfaces and let dry.



Once dry, I'll use the hobby iron to secure the trailing edge to the underside then flip the wing over and start the gluing process on the topside. Following that I will attach the blue leading edge fabric and white trim tapes to hopefully finish the port wing whilst we still have this unseasonably warm February-March weather.

Did you have some crazy temps over the weekend? I heard Dallas hit 94 or something close to that. Crazy.

The wing is looking good. I'm not sure I would trust myself to make a nice straight line between the colors. I guess it's best I stayed monotone!

It did get to almost 90 yesterday. Only 74 today.

The Fixing Tape does a pretty good job and really limits the "seepage" of the glue outside the fabric overlap. I use a foam brush and run the glue along the tape line and to the edge of the fabric that will overlap. Works pretty well. Normal blue or green painter's tape doesn't seem to work as well. 50 meter roll of Fixing tape is expensive (all Oratex stuff is), but works for me ... Oratex Part # 08258.

I use the Oratex finishing tape to demarcate the color change edges (leading edge of the wing). I make the overlap with the fixing tape and put the white finishing tape over the "joint" covering half blue and half red.

The trailing edge glue should be about dry now so I'm heading back out to the shop to attach the topside fabric panel. I'll then pencil in the rib cap-strip locations on the fabric and spread glue there and on the caps-strips. Locate-Spread-Dry-Stretch/HeatBond-Shrink ...