covering question

[TJay 1041]

i might get an order together here for covering supplies from spruce. on an average to cover a kitfox of avid how much poly tac glue, and poly brush do you normally use? 

[C5Engineer 1170]

Call Poly Fiber. They are really good about giving good numbers for the various models. Are you getting that close to covering? That stuff has a shelf life on it. I've heard of people having to buy it twice after getting it too early in the build.

[TJay 1041]

in the next two months I would sure like to start covering, would like to be flying by spring I hope at least,

[C5Engineer 1170]

Man that's awesome you are a motivation to people on the 10 yr build plans. Hopefully others will make the time to work on their projects myself included.

[1avidflyer 1983]

Here is my opinion. I've covered an Avid and a Kitfox so far. Three gallons of each, poly brush, p.spray, and p.tone. One quart of poly TAC. I know poly fiber will say a lot more, but that is what I used. You of course use thinner with those products, figure that in as well. Trim paint is extra. I've used some pretty old (+ 10 years old) product and it was just fine. Seems poly tac doesnt last as well though. Dries out eventually. I may have put the poly spray on a bit thinner than recommended, fewer coats, but you couldn't see light through it, and I knew I would always hangar the plane so UV would be less of a problem for me than for someone who left their plane out in the weather. Did put one less coat of p. spray on bottom than the top as well. YMMY Jim Chuk

PS. U sure are doing good on that plane, nice to see. Glad u got it

[Geoffrey Thorpe 31]

The back of the polyfiber manual has a table that lists the materials required for Avid / Kitfox. I don't have it handy at the moment though. But, a lot will depend on how you apply it (HVLP vs. conventional gun), how much sanding you do, etc. 

 

Buy the manual first and digest all the information.

Edited 26 Jan 2015 by Geoffrey Thorpe

[dholly 718]

I posted the PolyFiber covering estimate here... http://www.avidfoxflyers.com/index.php?/topic/1685-new-farbic-no-paint/?p=17338

[dholly 718]

Here is my opinion. I've covered an Avid and a Kitfox so far. Three gallons of each, poly brush, p.spray, and p.tone. One quart of poly TAC. I know poly fiber will say a lot more, but that is what I used. You of course use thinner with those products, figure that in as well. Trim paint is extra. I've used some pretty old (+ 10 years old) product and it was just fine. Seems poly tac doesnt last as well though. Dries out eventually. I may have put the poly spray on a bit thinner than recommended, fewer coats, but you couldn't see light through it, and I knew I would always hangar the plane so UV would be less of a problem for me than for someone who left their plane out in the weather. Did put one less coat of p. spray on bottom than the top as well. YMMY Jim Chuk

PS. U sure are doing good on that plane, nice to see. Glad u got it

Call Poly Fiber. They are really good about giving good numbers for the various models. Are you getting that close to covering? That stuff has a shelf life on it. I've heard of people having to buy it twice after getting it too early in the build.

PolySpray and PolyBrush are guaranteed for 4yrs if left unopened in protected storage (> 100*F, not effected by freezing), PolyTak for 2yrs under the same conditions. There is a warning that PolyTak should not be used if it has discolored or darkened from it's original clear color state.

So we've had countless discussion regarding the use of out dated Hysol and the general consensus is that the stuff still sticks like crazy even when you need to soften old white catalyst with a little heat. I've tested and used Hysol that was 2x - 3x the shelf life on non-critical bonding applications and have no issue doing so.

My question is regarding use of Polytak that may be out of date but unopened, stored properly and remains clear. Obviously, an application such as attaching fabric to ribs, even if they may be stitched, can be considered critical. We also all know a recommended date is just that and hate to throw money in the trash.

What say you?

[1avidflyer 1983]

What I've found on old cans of poly tac, is the glue has dried out even though the cap was never taken off.  Those cans may have been 10 years old though.  If the glue was still runny, and not discolored I would use it.  Thin it as required with MEK of course.   JImChuk

[Av8r3400 1179]

This material is holding the covering on your aircraft. 

I'm all for saving some money, but this is a critical area where your and your passengers life is at stake if it fails. 

Is this really the place to go cheap and cut corners?

[akflyer 1427]

If it can be thinned and used I use it.  Its pretty easy to do a quick pull test on some scraps and see if your ready to bet your ass on it.  Remember the poly brush becomes additional adhesive.   I don't mind being called cheap.  Shipping up here is a bigger issue than anything and if I think I can safely use old stuff I darn sure will.  I have not had any failures yet.

 

 

[dholly 718]

Larry, you know me better than that. For $50 it isn't about being cheap. It's about tossing perfectly good product un-necessarily. Just because there's a date on something doesn't mean it automatically goes from perfectly good to OMG kill your ass bad overnight, exactly on the stroke of midnight. Or drop from 100% effective to whatever safe margin minimum the PolyFiber legal liability team has most assuredly baked into the cake. So when is it? The discoloration warning seems to provide more critically important guidance than a hard date, at least to me. Just curious what, if any, real life experience the good folks here can share.