On Sun, 2 Aug 2009 18:52:35 -0500, "Mike Spera"
wrote:

We've got some Madra droop-tips on our straight-wing -180. Although we've
enjoyed their
performance (good slow-flight characteristics, unchanged cruise/top
speed), my partner on the plane can't
stand the looks. So, we're looking to put Hoerner-style ones on. As far
as I can tell, there are at
least 6 different manufacturers/varieties:


.stuff snipped

I flew our 74 140 for a couple of years and a couple of hundred hours before
I put on the Met-co's. If there was a difference, I could not tell. My main
reason for the switch was cosmetic. The old stock tips were pretty crazed up
and flimsy.


mike
the old stock tips can be restored pretty easily.
the ones I restored are still pretty schmik some 9 years later.

you sand off all the outer paint and filler back to the glass base.
then you lay up two layers of lightweight glass cloth using epoxy.
do it neatly. allow to cure.
sand it off until any raised bits are removed, ie so that it is
smoothish but you can still see the weave.

leave the outside for the moment.
sand the inside back to the glass and lay up 1 or 2 layers of fine
glass cloth. allow to cure

back to the outside and you mix up a paste of epoxy and talcum powder
or other fine filler. screed this on with a spatula to fill the weave.
allow to cure then sand back until smooth.
prep and paint the tip.

there is no need to throw away old tips.

the technique also works on mushy crazed nosebowls. just degrease them
as the first step.

Stealth Pilot