[NSRCA-discussion] Partner Canopy/wing sheeting

Sun Dec 18 14:05:06 AKST 2005

Nat..

I am surprised that you find them that good? I have found myself cutting new wings and stabs and doing it all again myself on at least the Lazulite ( the cores were what I would call sub standard and inaccurate). The Partner will do-but not what I'd consider better than what I can do myself.

I have written a whole article on wood selection some years ago for our National organisation newsletter( The APA).I'll see if I can find it in my files somewhere.

You need to be careful about wood selection and grain orientation to begin with, which helps tremendously.
I have made up a large sliding sanding bar/jig for true-ing up sheets and then I match sheets to each other.
I glue them together after they are hinged with normal tack masking tape, being careful not to stress the joint by pulling the sheets together to obtain  good fit-a trap often fallen into!

I then use "yellow" glue or some type of sandable aliphatic glue, dispensed from a plastic tipped syringe. I have never used cyno on a good sheeting job-it is too 'hard' an will not sand properly for me.

I then lay the sheet down and use a damp cloth to 'wipe' the excess glue away. The damp cloth serves to clean up as well as cause some minor swelling of the grain around the glue joint-thus pushing it all nicely together for an invisible seam.
Then lay it all on a flat bench, weighted down with some flat MDF.The MDF slows the drying processes well as keeping it flat. The longer it takes to dry the better-I leave mine for a day or so and I do no more than two sheets at a time, eventually splicing together a 'wing sheet'. Yes...I am a slow, very slow builder!!!

Once you have a 'wing' sheet, the use at least a half sheet sanding block (available from an auto supplies shop-or as we in Australia call them.....'panel beater's' supplies)

Then the next trick is to use Aluminium (or aluminum as you guys call it ..hahaha) oxide sandpaper in various grades. I usually start with 240 grade and then sand down to 400 grade before actually sheeting the core. This must be done on a completely smooth bench. If you have steps in your sheeting where the joints are, then turn the sheeting often to sand as evenly a thickness as possible.

Once a wing is sheeted and construction is finished I will finish sand the wing all the way down to 1500 grade( wet n dry) to a near "polish". During the finer grades I will use Methylated sprits to 'raise 'the grain and 'polish' again. I use a spray bottle on a mist setting to spray the surface to do this.

Also make sure you have perfectly clean hands during this operation, oil etc-I wash frequently so that I do not 'contaminate' the surface. Then use a tack rag and start 'filming'.

Simple- aint it?? Take time and care and I'll guarantee you will do a superior skinning job than what some French fellow under time pressure can ever do!

Also-as a caveat-I must say this is just what I do-and plenty do it successfully another way.

Hope it helps

Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org
[mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org]On Behalf Of Nat Penton
Sent: Monday, 19 December 2005 8:41 AM
To: NSRCA Mailing List
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Partner Canopy

Tom
I am amazed at how nice the balsa work is on the PL airplanes. I cannot get
balsa skins that smooth. How do they do it ? Do they glue the sheets
together or use tape ?

It is difficult to buy sheets cut to that accuracy.
                                           Nat Penton
----- Original Message -----
From: "Koenig, Tom" <Tom.Koenig at actewagl.com.au>
To: "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2005 2:42 PM
Subject: RE: [NSRCA-discussion] Partner Canopy

>
> Hi David...I have a Partner NIB. But depending how deep your pockets
> are...and if you want to get it shipped from Australia (really how deep
> are your pockets again??) I doubt it would be an option for you!!!
>
> Good luck in your search.
>
> Have you tried PL concept direct?Making a mould may be less hassle and
> CHEAPER! Also I'm not sure if you were aware, but a Lazulite Canopy will
> also fit the Partner with a little bit of a push and shove. I know of more
> Lazulites that were damaged during freight than Partners, so you may have
> more luck finding one of them (BTW-I have one of those too-a damaged one
> that is, which I have chosen to repair and build)
>
> Have great Christmas
>
> Tom
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org
> [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org]On Behalf Of David
> Flynt
> Sent: Friday, 16 December 2005 4:23 PM
> To: nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
> Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Partner Canopy
>
>
> I lost my PL Partner Canopy a while back.  I am about to make my own mold
> and build my own canopy, but I before I do that, does anybody happen to
> have
> a Partner Canopy that they would sell?  Even a damaged canopy or one that
> came from a damaged fuse and is painted would be better than making the
> plug
> and mold.
>
> If somebody has a NIB Partner kit that they want to sell, I am interested
> also.
>
> Thanks,
>
> David Flynt
>
> dflynt at verizon.net
>
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