Stewart System Fabric Covering

[CHARLES DEBOER]

Has anyone had experience with or know of anyone who used the Stewart System for covering the wings??  I saw a demo at Osh last July.  It appears simple and straight forward.  Buy there glue, ceconite and an iron to shrink it.  But they want you buy their filler material to seal the fabric.

[Sam Buchanan]

Has anyone had experience with or know of anyone who used the Stewart System for covering the wings??  I saw a demo at Osh last July.  It appears simple and straight forward.  Buy there glue, ceconite and an iron to shrink it.  But they want you buy their filler material to seal the fabric.

I've heard good comments from some of the "latex paint" advocates about the Steward Systems adhesive due to its lack of noxious fumes. The combination of Stewart glue and latex paint means the covering can be accomplished without the awful fumes released by conventional (PolyFiber) systems.

[XL-C-100]

http://www.eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=2735032127001

Check out this video, very informative on using latex paint over Stewart systems. I plan on using 3m fastbond 30 (suppose to be the same adhesive as ekobond) with latex primer to fill the fabric. Others who have used this speak highly of the process.

[Hugh Sistrunk]

I am using this same process... just started by finishing the fabric on the fuselage.. will paint the fuse later this week.

NightEagle

[rfeenstra]

Me too.  My fuselage is painted with 3 cross coats of Glidden Gripper (1st cross coat brushed into the weave.) 2 1/2 cross coats of color.  Working on the tail feathers now.  On the fuse I used the linen colored glue cause I didn't want to see the blue/green in the cabin.  I wish I had used that throughout - it takes too much Gripper to completely hide the colored glue.  I've got some aluminum powder coming that I'll mix with the primer to see if it helps turn it opaque.  Right now, it's a bit translucent. On the whole, though, the fuse turned out quite nice. I'm pleased.

I'm using a DeVilbiss HVLP gun that I have with a 1.6 tip.   I have to thin the paint quite a bit to get it to spray reasonably. A larger tip might work better, but I'll use what I've got.

Rob

[CHARLES DEBOER]

I would like to see some pictures of your work.  Try to post some please.

[weasel]

We have been using Poly process on most of our projects but I am ready to try the stewarts system.

Would like to hear some stories from long term service which is currently not available that I know of. ~something like 30 years

[XL-C-100]

For anyone who has covered a LE or a LEXL using stewart systems or 3m fastbond, can you remember how much glue it took? I don't want to order twice as much as I need if I can help it.

[rfeenstra]

I'm building a DE with a cabin.  I used exactly 1 quart of linen colored  glue to do the whole fuse and most of the wing center section over the cabin.  I'm thinking I'll have some of the gallon of the colored glue I bought left when I get the wings done.  Right now I'm finished covering the tail feathers and have used only a small portion of the gallon.  There is a part of me that wishes I had purchased all of the glue in the linen color.  It covers with less primer.  If you use the stewart filler, it would be no problem.

[CHARLES DEBOER]

Thanks Nate, the EAA video link was a great view.

[docmatt]

I'm building a DE with a cabin.  I used exactly 1 quart of linen colored  glue

Ron,
What type of glue are you using and where did you get it?

[rfeenstra]

It's Stewart Systems glue and I got it directly from them.  Like I said before, I wish I had ordered all linen color to avoid having to cover up the blue/green glue that's typically used. Their gray colored filler/primer covers in about 2 coats.  Pure white primer doesn't.  I'm gonna be heavy on paint!  I'm using yellow as the primary color and color saturation is poor with yellow. It takes several thinned coats and even with that, color matching is poor.  I admit I'm a total novice at this painting business!

[docmatt]

Thanks,
I was planning to go with the 3M version to save a few bucks but if I need to spend a little more to save weight on paint, it will be worth it.  I'll have to check to see if 3M makes linen color.  I like the linen color as a finish color, ( it gives it that "birth of aviation" look).  I would think you could get a shade of tan or cream to look good with fewer coats.  Might be worth experimenting with some fabric scraps on frames.  At this point, I am leaning toward using a tinted primer and probably two well thinned finish coats.  Ron, did you use primer  to fill the weave?  I wonder if primer or one of the aviation products is better/lighter as the first coat?

[Hugh Sistrunk]

I am using the Green 3M Fastbond here.  I have put the link to the cheapest place I found it so far.  They have Neutral also.

http://www.zorotools.com/g/Combo-GKW5/00052200/k-G2655904?CAPCID=24330989862&gclid=CLbA_qjKv7kCFUQ6QgodFFMA1g&CA_6C15C=1534303657

I believe the Green does take more primmer to cover than the Neutral probably would.  My concern was missing an area or not being able to see the full 'wetting' of the fabric during the gluing process.  I believe the reduced weight of the latex will offset the extra primmer needed to cover the green - just my thoughts.  I found this process a bit more time consuming, at first, then becomes routine.
This process is going to meet my 20/60 paint scheme specs, so I will be fine with it.  Besides, when the glue dries on your hands, you can just roll it off in neat little green buggers Gotta love that.  Blue Shop paper towels are your friends.  ENJOY!

NightEagle

[rfeenstra]

As far as primer is concerned, I used Glidden Gripper.  The first cross coat was brushed on with at foam brush.  Subsequent coats were highly thinned and sprayed with a HVLP gun.  this process is outlined in an EAA webinar.  You can also join a Yahoo group called cheapaircraftcovering and get a lot of info.  I'm going to wind up heavy on the paint because the yellow color doesn't seem seem to easily saturate. I'll have about 3 shades of yellow on the plane!  Oh well - it is what it is.  If I were to do it over, I'd add the aluminum to the brushed on cross coat, then cover that with pure white primer sprayed on.  I think the brushed on aluminized primer would have sufficient cover, and the sprayed on white primer a consistent base for the color.  I think I could have saved 3 or 4 coats of paint and primer.  My calculations are pointing to about 50 lbs. of paint on this bird - way too much! Live and learn.  Of course the entire fuselage is covered and painted, and since it has a cabin, there is a wing center section that also needed paint.    My guess is that Leonard's minimal painting with Poly Fiber probably weighs way less.

Rob