advice needed to canvas an aircraft

[Dougs]

i know this is going to sound really odd but can anyone tell me how you canvas an airframe?
I am building my little brat a hurricane cockpit(scaled down a bit to fit him, i have nearly finished the frame but dont have the first clue how to canvas and dope the outer skin. i will post some pics when i can of the progress so far, depending on how much he likes the cockpit i may mockup the rest of the plane, will have to see on that one though.
can anyone help????

[Xplumberlives]

Blimey, a kid with a REAL toy, not a computer game!

You should be applauded, looking forward to the pictures.

Why don't you give the Shuttleworth Collection a ring at Old Warden, they will know!

[Saracenman]

I've never canvassed and doped an a/c, but I've built stage scenery - the 'flats' are usually a wooden frame with canvass stretched across - painting them tends to tighten the weave of the canvass somewhat, as dope did/does with a/c

we used to use some special pliers which would grip the canvass and then 'roll' backward to tension it, whereupon it was simply a matter of tacking in place

God knows what those pliers were called though - probably find they're "Scenery Pliers" or summat just as bleedin' obvious!

i can't see that what you're trying to do Dougs is much different

sm

[Xplumberlives]

I've never canvassed and doped an a/c, but I've built stage scenery - the 'flats' are usually a wooden frame with canvass stretched across - painting them tends to tighten the weave of the canvass somewhat, as dope did/does with a/c
we used to use some special pliers which would grip the canvass and then 'roll' backward to tension it, whereupon it was simply a matter of tacking in place
God knows what those pliers were called though - probably find they're "Scenery Pliers" or summat just as bleedin' obvious!
i can't see that what you're trying to do Dougs is much different
sm

Well two out of three is a Start! The pliers you refer to come from the furniture upholstery game

[Saracenman]

yeah they're the ones i mean!

incidentally XPL - my spell check picks up the lower-case "i" in words such as "I'm", "I've", "I'd" etc, but not a solitary "i"

what's more, i can't seem to amend it either

crap spelling, dependency on spill-chucker etc has made me lazy

anyway..................



the ones on the right on the back!

sm

[Dougs]

that may work will have to give it a go and see what happens, all the fabric covering i have found so far is really expensive likestuff you cover microlights with, looks really easy though as you just iron it to shrink, now that would be cool!

[Xplumberlives]

that may work will have to give it a go and see what happens, all the fabric covering i have found so far is really expensive likestuff you cover microlights with, looks really easy though as you just iron it to shrink, now that would be cool!

In that case you will need to turn the iron on!

[Dan4th]

Dougs::::

I've built the proverbial S**tload of flats for
theatre sets, and there's a real "trick" to
getting the tension just right and even in
all directions before "sizing" or shrinking
is done. Since you're using x-pensive stuff,
suggest you do a "test" of some kind first.
I'm sure there's a good how-to out there,
maybe even on YouTube!

You are an AMBITIOUS, BRAVE MAN, DOUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Danf.

[Mags]

If any of the East Fortune museum volunteers are at the gliding club to morrow, I'll ask them for any advice. They're done up a load of old planes.

[Dougs]

thanks Mags

dan4th;
brave or stupid??? im not sure which yet, i havent decided what material to use yet though, however you can be sure it wont be expensive!!!!! this project is strictly 'off the books' so i cant get moaned at by the misses

[Dan4th]

Use Muslin, then. Cheap to buy, easy to
work with and glue, and three coats of
paint after it's been sized make it quite
substantial! Also easy to just tear-off and
start again if you mess it up.....

If he's going to be ROUGH with it, though,
some kind of light, unsized canvas would
be better.

Danf.

[Nickolas]

Use Muslin, then. Cheap to buy, easy to
work with and glue, and three coats of
paint after it's been sized make it quite
substantial! Also easy to just tear-off and
start again if you mess it up.....

If he's going to be ROUGH with it, though,
some kind of light, unsized canvas would
be better.

Danf.

Ya can't use Muslims to cover the frame....................

Jeez think of the outcry................

[Saracenman]

not unless they're woollen - the best wool available Islam

[Dan4th]

Pardon me while I go get a bucket.........

Danf.

[Nickolas]

PMSL..........

We are derailing this nicely..

[Dan4th]

Ahhhhh, Your Holiness..........

You've screwed up better threads than THIS!!!!!!!!!

......on an OFF day, too!!!!!!!

Dan4th

[Dougs]

well i will stay away from ethnic coverings i think!

looks like MUSLIN is a winner will have to test some out and check the results but its cheap and can be painted perfic!!!!!!!

[Dan4th]

Dougs:

I just posted this same advise but the *&%/$#
forum kicked me out! I'll try again, but if it
recurs I guess GOD doesn't want me to post it!

For Glue I recommend plain old Elmer's White
Glue diluted 50/50 with water. Tack the muslin
on the inside edge or use a staple gun NOT
putting the staples all the way down (remove
later with slotted screwdriver). Liberally glue
the wood surface then lay-down the muslin and
put more glue on top of it -- it will bleed right
through -- and smooth out the fabric with your
brush. Then let 'er dry for a day.

Sizing should be Latex-based White Interior
Paint also diluted 50/50 with H2O. Pull tacks
first, trim the excess muslin with a matte
knife or razor, then apply the sizing liberally
and watch 'er SHRINK! Two or Three coats of
your base colo(u)r, and you'll be surprised how
substantial it gets!

Bon Chance! Dougs.......

Dan4th

[Dougs]

Thanks for the advise dan4th
a couple pic of the frame so far i will take some better ones when i can take it out of the garage but i think you will get the idea from the pics,

[Nickolas]

Seriously have you looked at some of the products available at the model shops?
Many years ago I used to make planes and covered the wing with tissue type covering which was never too great till the application of Dope.............
Boy did it shrink and tighten up like a drum skin.

[Mags]

Oh well - nowt from the gliding club - none of the guys there today

[Dougs]

Seriously have you looked at some of the products available at the model shops?
Many years ago I used to make planes and covered the wing with tissue type covering which was never too great till the application of Dope.............
Boy did it shrink and tighten up like a drum skin.

hi nickolas, yes i did look at the model shops but its a bit too scaled up for them, there are some planes at this scale but they are scratch built. Thanks to Dan4th and SM we have a solution though so not to worry.
thanks for tying mags
cant wait to get back from the US of A to carry on building it its a real pain how work interferes with your play time

[Dan4th]

Dougs!

1) It needs to be UNBLEACHED Muslin in order
to shrink properly -- almost forgot to tell you.

2) It's available in a number of widths, and I
usually got 48-inch, but 72-inch and even wider
can be had. (it's folded over then rolled on the
bolt so you can actually carry it around)

Headed for Connecticut? Don't fergit the Sub
Museum in case they cut you loose unexpectedly........

Danf.

[Iggie]

Just a thought, but a lot of scaffold companies now use a shrinkwrap material now to clad external scaffolding....it may be worth a call to see if any local to you have an off cut or two about the place? The frame so far looks good, looking forward to seeing the progress......

(Wings on AFTER you get out of the garage )

[Dougs]

(Wings on AFTER you get out of the garage )

just keep thinking of some mothers do have em, Frank Spencer and his play house!!