wdoubleday
Registered User
Just spent the last week getting my first experience with the Stewarts System by covering the horizontal stabilizers on my Javron cub. To spread out the costs and stage the delivery of materials, they sent me all supplies needed to cover the tail surfaces with manuals and detailed instructions.
From what I can tell from research, the fabric cement Ekobond is neoprene based, very similar to contact cement. Pretty impressive that you can formulate an aqueous solution of a hydrocarbon polymer that is easy to apply with no odors at all. My big learning so far is that the initial bonding of the fabric to a painted tube structure is obviously critical, but requires a thicker coating of Ekobond to the stucture, sufficient drying time, and an iron heated to at least 250 F. I’ve used the blanket method and covered the bottom first. The instructions have you wrap the fabric around the outer perimeter structure and rub the fabric with your hands to get the initial stick, then follow up with the iron to liquify the glue underneath and allow it to permeate into the fabric. You should see the glue discolor the white fabric. This is where I am finding out that if you don’t have a sufficient first coat of glue or not a hot enough iron, this will cause problems when you then apply a brush coat of Ekobond on top of the fabric followed by a paper towel wipe to remove excess and fill he fabric weave. I’ve had several frustrating moments that at this point the fabric loses adhesion underneath and lifts off the structure. I then get into a messy fix by applying the iron to the glue soaked fabric when it’s wet to try and get it to stick.
Sorry for the long post but has anyone else had the same experience with Ekobond?
I’ve attached a picture of this initial glue joint.
From what I can tell from research, the fabric cement Ekobond is neoprene based, very similar to contact cement. Pretty impressive that you can formulate an aqueous solution of a hydrocarbon polymer that is easy to apply with no odors at all. My big learning so far is that the initial bonding of the fabric to a painted tube structure is obviously critical, but requires a thicker coating of Ekobond to the stucture, sufficient drying time, and an iron heated to at least 250 F. I’ve used the blanket method and covered the bottom first. The instructions have you wrap the fabric around the outer perimeter structure and rub the fabric with your hands to get the initial stick, then follow up with the iron to liquify the glue underneath and allow it to permeate into the fabric. You should see the glue discolor the white fabric. This is where I am finding out that if you don’t have a sufficient first coat of glue or not a hot enough iron, this will cause problems when you then apply a brush coat of Ekobond on top of the fabric followed by a paper towel wipe to remove excess and fill he fabric weave. I’ve had several frustrating moments that at this point the fabric loses adhesion underneath and lifts off the structure. I then get into a messy fix by applying the iron to the glue soaked fabric when it’s wet to try and get it to stick.
Sorry for the long post but has anyone else had the same experience with Ekobond?
I’ve attached a picture of this initial glue joint.