Compositing A Extra 260 From Monokote

[Patrick Holowesko]

Hey I'm doing a new project and am turning my hanger 9 extra 260 into a composite plane, to save weight, add strength, and to have a wrinkle free airplane!!! I'm going to use 3/4 oz glass cloth and apply 3M-77 to keep to cloth in place.. Then I'm going to use

Resin # 105

Hardener #206 (Slow)

This is my first conversion of a plane and really appreciate any help you guyz can offer. If they're any other threads like this on this website or others please lead me into the correct direction, other wise im going into this by my self!!

[Bushman]

Hi Patrick

I believe you will add a lot of weight to your plane by trying to cover the whole plane with glass cloth.
The wood absorbs a lot of resin and it will be very difficult to get a nice layup of glasscloth over the open frame stucture.
Also to get a good finish you will add a lot of weight after all the filler primer and finally 2 k paint to get a good finish.

Composite planes are made in a mold and the finish is as good as the mold surface.
This is the best way to get a light composit frame. You normally have two layer of glasscloth with a sandwich structure of herex, honeycomb or some material to stiffen the skin.
The best way to keep it light is give it a new covering with monokote or oracover ( Ultacote)

This is only my opinion feel free to try something if you like.

Regards
Alex

[Vic3D]

What's Hanger 9?

[as722]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Patrick Holowesko
	Hey I'm doing a new project and am turning my hanger 9 extra 260 into a composite plane, to save weight, add strength, and to have a wrinkle free airplane!!! I'm going to use 3/4 oz glass cloth and apply 3M-77 to keep to cloth in place.. Then I'm going to use Resin # 105 Hardener #206 (Slow) This is my first conversion of a plane and really appreciate any help you guyz can offer. If they're any other threads like this on this website or others please lead me into the correct direction, other wise im going into this by my self!!

You're painting a wood plane not turning it into composite and will be adding weight not saving it. Why are you using 77 adhesive when you can use the same resin to "hold" it in place without adding the extra weight of the 77 adhesive ? Good luck with the project but if a composite airplane is what you want then you're better off getting one.


Albert

[Edge 540]

Hate to continue with the bad news, but I agree with the rest ; you're going to add a lot of weight doing that.

[alec taylor]

over here some of us use cabots clearfloor water based floor varnish to hold the glass on instead of resin. dope is much lighter than resin. cabots being water based it driesout light. give 1.5 mm balsa sides 2 lite coats of dope then on goes the glass. use .5 oz glass. i did a story on this method , i think it is on our "kiwi" site. the last plane i did is the edge in the jr scheme. just finishing another in the dalton colours. beware of resin unless you have had a lot of exsperence with it for lite weight skinning, it can come out heavy. alex

[alec taylor]

if the fuse. sides are not solid sheet, then you use silk or nylon on these parts. done this way you will never see another wrinkle, only on someone else,s plane. wrinkles in covering only came in with plastic heat shrink coverings. you dont get this silk, nylon or coverall. alex

[bodywerks]

Maybe you're not explaining it properly? From what I get out of your intentions, you are going to have a disaster on your hands! You can't make an aesthetically pleasing composite plane simply by applying glass to a monokoted fuse, plain and simple - and you will guaranteed add at least 3 pounds to the finished weight over just leaving it alone.

Honestly, your intentions sound so rediculous I tend to think you are trying to pull a fast one on us...