Oratex Stuff
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2024 12:07 pm
This should probably be posted in the Preferred Vendors or Discussion areas, but ...
When covering with Oratex you'll need some tools ...
(1) The FELT PAD is really helpful. BAF included one in my order.
(2) Steinel Heat Gun. Adjustable temperature levels/indicator seem very reliable. 2 blower speeds ... helpful. I got mine on Amazon.
(3) Right angle deflector nozzle for the heat gun. I found this to be helpful when applying the Oratex wraps around the fuselage tubing. I also got this on Amazon.
(4) O'Skool hobby heat iron. Adjustable heat control works pretty well. The surface is small enough to get into tight spaces (around the spar fittings). It comes (also via Amazon) with one flimsy "sock" that ties onto the heating plate. Mine wore out covering just the 1st flapperon. Afterwards I just slipped on an old cotton athletic sock which has worked well for the rest of the project. CAUTION: For both the Steinel gun and the iron, you'll need a long extension cord for working around the long wing or fuselage. I keep tripping over mine and (if you look closely) you'll see that I broke the head off of the hobby iron. I used the Hysol Epoxy to make my repair which has allowed me to complete the process.
(5) You'll definitely need a pair of flexible work gloves. I got mine at HomeDepot. I'm right handed and hardly ever use the right glove since I hold the gun in that hand. It saves burning fingers.
(6) A good sharp Exacto-like knife. $0.50 each at Harbor Freight. I have a bunch of them.
(7) A reasonably sharp pair of standard-size scissors. These are most useful in cutting the long lengths of fabric (panels) from the rolls provided by BAF. Walmart.
(8) I found the smaller scissors to be more useful during the actual covering process. Walmart
(9) For the really tight trim areas (lift strut fittings, pitot tube, flapperon cable root rib grommets, etc.) I use the manicure scissors. Walmart.
(10) Not pictured is the larger ToKo Heating Iron. Good temperature adjustment and fairly large area plate. I use this for final fabric shrinking.
NOTE: With any of the heating devices, watch the temperatures. KEEP THE GUN/IRON MOVING! The chart on page 44 of the Oratex Manual shows the temperature ranges for the glue and fabric:
< 86F for drying
122F begins the glue hardening process (good binding 194F for 10 seconds)
212F STARTS the shrinking process ... each additional 18F shrinks the fabric by approximately 1%
>302F for ore than 5 seconds deteriorates the glue bond
>392F will DAMAGE the fabric
Fabric MELTS at 482F
IMPORTANT $$$'s: Do your own measurement estimates of just how much fabric you'll need. I made my order asking for an estimate from Better Aircraft Fabric in Anchorage based on the materials layout diagram provided by Chris (which I sent to them). I also informed them that I was going with the "half-naked" color scheme (Fokker Red and Sky Blue) and provided a sketch. As I've reported the estimate was high (but I was prepared for that from what Chris and others had indicated) but I figured they were the experts so I sent the check and about a month later the LARGE packages arrived here in North Texas. I have since concluded that they used the FULL cover diagram from Chris and added about 15% "just in case materials". I needed only about 60-70% of the fabrics to complete the project. Additionally, I got FOUR 250 ml bottles of glue (I applied the last bit this morning to complete sealing the port root rib only just tapping about 25ml from bottle #2). NO RETURNS ... enough rant ... I still really like the Oratex ... especially the no painting.
I ordered 2 rolls of the whit OraTrim tapes ... very expensive and after applying to the upper and lower surfaces of the wing (length) and a wrap around the wingtips, I had only about 14" left so I could not run a trim line around the wing roots. However, from a previous project I have a section of white OraCal 165 vinyl wrap material. that closely matches the OraTrim tape. I have cut 4 lengths of 20mm width OraCal which I will use to complete the wing roots.
I cut the lengths with a draw knife clamping the material down to the bench.
When covering with Oratex you'll need some tools ...
(1) The FELT PAD is really helpful. BAF included one in my order.
(2) Steinel Heat Gun. Adjustable temperature levels/indicator seem very reliable. 2 blower speeds ... helpful. I got mine on Amazon.
(3) Right angle deflector nozzle for the heat gun. I found this to be helpful when applying the Oratex wraps around the fuselage tubing. I also got this on Amazon.
(4) O'Skool hobby heat iron. Adjustable heat control works pretty well. The surface is small enough to get into tight spaces (around the spar fittings). It comes (also via Amazon) with one flimsy "sock" that ties onto the heating plate. Mine wore out covering just the 1st flapperon. Afterwards I just slipped on an old cotton athletic sock which has worked well for the rest of the project. CAUTION: For both the Steinel gun and the iron, you'll need a long extension cord for working around the long wing or fuselage. I keep tripping over mine and (if you look closely) you'll see that I broke the head off of the hobby iron. I used the Hysol Epoxy to make my repair which has allowed me to complete the process.
(5) You'll definitely need a pair of flexible work gloves. I got mine at HomeDepot. I'm right handed and hardly ever use the right glove since I hold the gun in that hand. It saves burning fingers.
(6) A good sharp Exacto-like knife. $0.50 each at Harbor Freight. I have a bunch of them.
(7) A reasonably sharp pair of standard-size scissors. These are most useful in cutting the long lengths of fabric (panels) from the rolls provided by BAF. Walmart.
(8) I found the smaller scissors to be more useful during the actual covering process. Walmart
(9) For the really tight trim areas (lift strut fittings, pitot tube, flapperon cable root rib grommets, etc.) I use the manicure scissors. Walmart.
(10) Not pictured is the larger ToKo Heating Iron. Good temperature adjustment and fairly large area plate. I use this for final fabric shrinking.
NOTE: With any of the heating devices, watch the temperatures. KEEP THE GUN/IRON MOVING! The chart on page 44 of the Oratex Manual shows the temperature ranges for the glue and fabric:
< 86F for drying
122F begins the glue hardening process (good binding 194F for 10 seconds)
212F STARTS the shrinking process ... each additional 18F shrinks the fabric by approximately 1%
>302F for ore than 5 seconds deteriorates the glue bond
>392F will DAMAGE the fabric
Fabric MELTS at 482F
IMPORTANT $$$'s: Do your own measurement estimates of just how much fabric you'll need. I made my order asking for an estimate from Better Aircraft Fabric in Anchorage based on the materials layout diagram provided by Chris (which I sent to them). I also informed them that I was going with the "half-naked" color scheme (Fokker Red and Sky Blue) and provided a sketch. As I've reported the estimate was high (but I was prepared for that from what Chris and others had indicated) but I figured they were the experts so I sent the check and about a month later the LARGE packages arrived here in North Texas. I have since concluded that they used the FULL cover diagram from Chris and added about 15% "just in case materials". I needed only about 60-70% of the fabrics to complete the project. Additionally, I got FOUR 250 ml bottles of glue (I applied the last bit this morning to complete sealing the port root rib only just tapping about 25ml from bottle #2). NO RETURNS ... enough rant ... I still really like the Oratex ... especially the no painting.
I ordered 2 rolls of the whit OraTrim tapes ... very expensive and after applying to the upper and lower surfaces of the wing (length) and a wrap around the wingtips, I had only about 14" left so I could not run a trim line around the wing roots. However, from a previous project I have a section of white OraCal 165 vinyl wrap material. that closely matches the OraTrim tape. I have cut 4 lengths of 20mm width OraCal which I will use to complete the wing roots.
I cut the lengths with a draw knife clamping the material down to the bench.