• If You Are Having Trouble Logging In with Your Old Username and Password, Please use this Forgot Your Password link to get re-established.
  • Hey! Be sure to login or register!

Widebody Super Cub Project

When they cut it off and threw it in a landfill, where ever that is, I'll guarantee the fabric is still in good shape.

Web
 
About me
My name is Max Runia, I'm from Meridian Idaho, 27 years old. I'm not a pilot yet so I'll be pursuing my PPL + tailwheel. I'm a senior software engineer.

About my project
- I purchased the fuselage, empennage, and landing gear tubing kits from VR3 Engineering. The tubes are pre-bent and coped ready for jigging and welding.
- The wing kit is from Javron, it's the squared off wings with 24 gal tanks purchased from another member here. Hopefully be getting those in the next few weeks.
- engine, avionics, covering, etc,. is still undecided.

Open questions (to start)
- Left side door - what are the pros and cons?
- Where to keep a build log - I have an EAA account and started a build log over there, is there a better way / place to log my build?

I didn’t see a wide body supercub on there list?
 
Not!

That’s the stuff the customer chose for current project definitely not time or labor savings in that stuff. But that’s what they try to sell you it as. And getting it can take MONTHS!!!!

Can you elaborate. Did some Superflite here and really like the glue. Attached the fabric, stittched and then taped, sprayed pimer which needed little sanding and painted color. Seemed like less work to me.
 
I have done the Superflite and agree with Steve. Less work. Still prefer the p. Fiber result but do what ever the customer wants. The S. Flite looked good and held up well.
 
Covering Systems (an updated list):

- poly-fiber
- steward systems
- oratex
- superflite
- star gloss

Joel - the guy who delivered the Javron wings this AM mentioned Star Gloss as being a re-branding of poly-fiber.. not sure if there's a difference between the two?
 
mrunia

there is another system you have not listed. Airtec. It is a urethane paint and the system was originally designed for crop dusters so it is quite durable. Very high gloss. Acetone based so much less toxic than the MEK based systems. Only two steps. Primer which sands very nicely, wet. And the topcoat. I’ve tried several systems and I like it. Just my opinion but you might at least consider it.

Hope this helps

Bill
 
Polyfiber, Stits, or one of the "normal" traditional coverings definitely hold up the best at least if parked outside and are the most cost conscious. A good friend who had done quite a few covering jobs with both Polyfiber and Oratex found that the Oratex is very difficult to work with, especially gluing the tapes down. Plus Oratex is at least double the cost of any other system in materials alone.

No Stewarts system, not ever. I know some will disagree and to that I'll send you pictures and video of popping big water "blisters" on the wings of my brother's Tcrate. This is a fairly common occurrence and they always blame the person doing the covering job for not doing it right but it's still a common problem. Common enough that I'd stay away. I swear that poor crate has probably another 10lbs of water under the paint every time it gets parked. Preflight consists of going around draining paint blisters like popping zits.
 
No Stewarts system, not ever. I know some will disagree and to that I'll send you pictures and video of popping big water "blisters" on the wings of my brother's Tcrate. This is a fairly common occurrence and they always blame the person doing the covering job for not doing it right but it's still a common problem. Common enough that I'd stay away. I swear that poor crate has probably another 10lbs of water under the paint every time it gets parked. Preflight consists of going around draining paint blisters like popping zits.

Not with the original procedure of sealing the fabric, which is what they went back to.
John
 
I thought the primer/UV inhibitor was supposed to seal the fabric? So it takes a whole extra step to paint with Stewarts? I'll pass.
 
I thought the primer/UV inhibitor was supposed to seal the fabric? So it takes a whole extra step to paint with Stewarts? I'll pass.

A whole extra step? It's the same amount of steps as Polyfiber, in fact less steps than Polyfiber for what that's worth. :roll: Seal the weave with the diluted cement like we did from day one and everything is fine. They were trying to eliminate that step and just seal with the Ekofill, and there have been problems with that in certain climates. Of the thousands of jobs done with it, a few have had issues, and not fun issues at all. That's why it's back to sealing with the cement.
John
 
mrunia

there is another system you have not listed. Airtec. It is a urethane paint and the system was originally designed for crop dusters so it is quite durable. Very high gloss. Acetone based so much less toxic than the MEK based systems. Only two steps. Primer which sands very nicely, wet. And the topcoat. I’ve tried several systems and I like it. Just my opinion but you might at least consider it.

Hope this helps

Bill


Thanks Bill, I will add Airtec to the list. Also like to thank you for the forum about building javron wings, I'll be following that when I build mine. I've seen your videos from float flying Alaska, inspirational!
 
An update:

I've got most of the tail feathers welded up, with the exception of the elevators, which I decided to skip so I could start working on the fuselage. First step is to tack the firewall square and stand it up vertical where it needs to go on my table. Then I can start to fit the lower section of the fuselage together from the firewall back. I talked with a guy who build three of these VR3 fuselages, you may have seen his threat from years ago on here. This is the way he said to do it. Tack the firewall then you can fit the fuselage clusters together like legos. He said they used the clear cellophane wrap to hold the longerongs and cross tubes together before tacking. He said by fitting the whole lower part of the fuselage before tacking it will be clear if it's not strait because a cluster won't fit perfectly. Also said to use a plumb bob and mark a centerline on the cross tubes and down the center of the table before starting. So that's the plan for 2021, try to finish the welding. 2022 (or whenever I get the welding done) I'll start building the javron wings.

Also, I will be starting on my PPL here on the 14th. Training in a 172 at KEUL, part 141. The plan is to fly 2-3 days a week and knock out the PPL. Then eventually I'll get my tail wheel and do some backcountry training. I know one CFI locally who will do those together, although he has a long waitlist. End goal is to be able to go into some of the Idaho grass strips with my cub. Really not wanting to land on maintain sides like the youtubers, just see some more of the state.
 
An update:

I've got most of the tail feathers welded up, with the exception of the elevators, which I decided to skip so I could start working on the fuselage. First step is to tack the firewall square and stand it up vertical where it needs to go on my table. Then I can start to fit the lower section of the fuselage together from the firewall back. I talked with a guy who build three of these VR3 fuselages, you may have seen his threat from years ago on here. This is the way he said to do it. Tack the firewall then you can fit the fuselage clusters together like legos. He said they used the clear cellophane wrap to hold the longerongs and cross tubes together before tacking. He said by fitting the whole lower part of the fuselage before tacking it will be clear if it's not strait because a cluster won't fit perfectly. Also said to use a plumb bob and mark a centerline on the cross tubes and down the center of the table before starting. So that's the plan for 2021, try to finish the welding. 2022 (or whenever I get the welding done) I'll start building the javron wings.

Also, I will be starting on my PPL here on the 14th. Training in a 172 at KEUL, part 141. The plan is to fly 2-3 days a week and knock out the PPL. Then eventually I'll get my tail wheel and do some backcountry training. I know one CFI locally who will do those together, although he has a long waitlist. End goal is to be able to go into some of the Idaho grass strips with my cub. Really not wanting to land on maintain sides like the youtubers, just see some more of the state.


make sure you have clearance to get a socket on engine mount stud bolts going through firewall... it's a tight spot (on top ones?)...
 
Back
Top