[NEW222]

Hi there. I am building a 1/2A trainer and am almost at wrapping the wing center section. It is a scratch build, and was wondering if someone out there has a piece of fiberglass cloth 2-3" wide by 14" long that I may buy. All my other stuff is foam, so I cannot justify buying a whole package of cloth for one build. Or can somebody tell me what else I may use to wrap the center section with. Can I use mesh drywall tape instead? I have the epoxy and everything else, just thought of the cloth now. Thank you.

[stardustertoo]

Hello NEW222. Well, to be perfectly honest....and I may get flamed for this, but I rarely bother with wrapping center sections. Especially on something small and light like a 1/2A trainer type airplane. The added weight of the fiberglass strip and epoxy on an airplane that small is not worth it to me. Providing you built the spar reasonably solid, and the two wing halves are joined nice and solidly, I wouldn't bother. Heck, last winter when I built a Kadet Seniorita modified for glider towing, I threw the fiberglass strip out as soon as I opened the box

Anyhow, if you really want to wrap it anyways, I would actually recommend going to your local dollar store and getting some white gift wrapping tissue. Use that instead of the fiberglass, and glue it on using either nitrate dope, thinned down white glue, or some really thinned epoxy. I am a fan of the nitrate dope method myself, but for simplicity for you, the thinned down white glue would be my second choice. This shoulld give you the extra little bit of strenght that you want, without adding nearly as much weight.

Can you post some pics of your airplane for us

[Generalwolfe]

Cut a piece from a pair of pantyhose

[Guest]

Take the lady out of 'em first thought!

[Gary Maker]

I agree with stardustertoo. I think wrapping the center section of a wing goes back to the designs of the 70's when it was frequently done in many of the designs of the day! I think most modern designs use wing joiners or CF tubes instead.

Also as starduster says, it simply adds too much weight to a small airplane design like a 1/2A. Perhaps a better idea would be to use a small flat piece of carbon fiber rod (or 2) that goes through the center on the inside and glues to the spar. There are much better methods of stregthening the wing other than using heavy fiberglass and epoxy IMHO!

If you'd like a couple pieces of flat carbon fiber rod/bar, PM me your address and I will send it out to you. If you decide to take me up on the offer, let me know the length you need and consider it done! I can put it in the mail Monday morning and you'd probably have it by the end of the week. >

[OLD PRAIRIE RED NECK]

You say you are building with foam? What kind of foam? Some kinds of glue eat foam including nitrate dope! Epoxy & white wood glue are ok. What is the wing span, fuse length, overall expected weight? If the wing loading is light enough/plane is expected to fall in the true "trainer" catagory speed wise, then I agree with others. Scratch the fiberglass!

Pictures please!

[Rellic]

Visit your LHS, Marine Repair or Auto Body shop they both use Glass Fiber products and if you dint want to spend less than $5.00 at your LHS for a package I am sure ether of the later will give you a piece way more than you need for maybe the cost of a Donut to the counter person.

Brian T.

[NEW222]

OLD PRAIRIE RED NECK - No, I am not building this one out of foam. This one is balsa. Got a couple wood ones, but everything else I build now is foam. It is an LST Trainer. And yes, pics are coming tomorrow. I believe I ran into a snag somewhere and will be looking for advice and help.

Relic - Thanks for the tips. Is it actually the same woven fiberglass cloth used in marine repair? I did not know that. Thought it was really thin for the application and weight savings.

[NEW222]

Got some coming, thanks for the help and tips all.

[Rellic]

Hi NEW222
Good to see you have some coming. Just for future use do look into local commercial businesses, quite offen they do carry products we use in our hobby in greater quantity and at a far lesser price than our hobby suppliers can offer us, and yes many carry different weights of both cloth and mat. Also different resins for laminating gluing and finishing. All differing in strength, flexibility, shrinkage rates, sand-ability, hardness, weight and finishing qualities.

Brian T.