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Glider Wraps, Gelcoat Refinishing



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 11th 12, 07:33 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Herbert kilian
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Default Glider Wraps, Gelcoat Refinishing

Soaring Cafe has published an article I wrote about the subject:
http://soaringcafe.com/2012/09/whats...r-glider-wrap/
I would be interested what this forum thinks about the points made and
what the potential downsides are of wrapping a glider in plastic.
From my research, it should be a viable alternative to total
refinishing.
Herb Kilian
  #2  
Old September 11th 12, 10:58 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
JohnDeRosa
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Default Glider Wraps, Gelcoat Refinishing

Herb - I am betting that you read the same Sunday Chicago Tribune article "And that's a wrap" I did about wrapping a car in vinyl. It never occurred to me to use that on a glider. I now have visions of wrapping my wings in tiger stripes!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/classi...0,314744.story.
  #3  
Old September 12th 12, 05:03 PM
Brad Alston Brad Alston is offline
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Location: Salt Lake City, UT USA
Posts: 79
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnDeRosa View Post
Herb - I am betting that you read the same Sunday Chicago Tribune article "And that's a wrap" I did about wrapping a car in vinyl. It never occurred to me to use that on a glider. I now have visions of wrapping my wings in tiger stripes!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/classi...0,314744.story.
Yes, this is an interesting concept. My son does wraps and he has wrapped portions of his car. What I've noticed is that the areas wrapped tend to accumulate dust a LOT more than those areas that are not wrapped.

My assumption is that the static electricity build up on the vinyl is what keeps the dust particles attached more readily...but I'm no scientist! What that may mean in glider terms is that you may need to spend more time dusting the glider before take-off and, maybe after flying a while, any static build up may attract particles you don't want hanging around attached to the glider. This sounds like a great opportunity for some field experimentation!

Brad.
  #4  
Old September 12th 12, 05:58 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
[email protected]
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Default Glider Wraps, Gelcoat Refinishing

On the bottom wing surface one could put all kinds of fun stuff, also fuselage.
On a refinish the hard labor to remove the gel coat would still apply? Weight
would not be a problem?

Dieter

On Tuesday, September 11, 2012 12:33:42 PM UTC-6, Herbert kilian wrote:
Soaring Cafe has published an article I wrote about the subject:

http://soaringcafe.com/2012/09/whats...r-glider-wrap/

I would be interested what this forum thinks about the points made and

what the potential downsides are of wrapping a glider in plastic.

From my research, it should be a viable alternative to total

refinishing.

Herb Kilian


  #5  
Old September 14th 12, 12:13 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Dave Nadler
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Posts: 1,610
Default Glider Wraps, Gelcoat Refinishing

I suggest wrapping the canopy.
It would reduce all that annoying glare
that makes PDAs so hard to read.
See ya, Dave

  #6  
Old September 14th 12, 05:46 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Paul Remde
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Default Glider Wraps, Gelcoat Refinishing

Maybe wrapping the pilot would lower injury rates...

Paul

"Dave Nadler" wrote in message
...

I suggest wrapping the canopy.
It would reduce all that annoying glare
that makes PDAs so hard to read.
See ya, Dave

  #7  
Old September 13th 12, 02:43 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
[email protected]
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Posts: 7
Default Glider Wraps, Gelcoat Refinishing

On Tuesday, September 11, 2012 1:33:42 PM UTC-5, Herbert kilian wrote:
Soaring Cafe has published an article I wrote about the subject:

http://soaringcafe.com/2012/09/whats...r-glider-wrap/

I would be interested what this forum thinks about the points made and

what the potential downsides are of wrapping a glider in plastic.

From my research, it should be a viable alternative to total

refinishing.

Herb Kilian


I would call Dick Butler he can tell you about that.
  #8  
Old September 13th 12, 07:41 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Herbert kilian
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Posts: 48
Default Glider Wraps, Gelcoat Refinishing

On Sep 12, 8:43*pm, wrote:
On Tuesday, September 11, 2012 1:33:42 PM UTC-5, Herbert kilian wrote:
Soaring Cafe has published an article I wrote about the subject:


http://soaringcafe.com/2012/09/whats...ey-fajita-or-g...


I would be interested what this forum thinks about the points made and


what the potential downsides are of wrapping a glider in plastic.


From my research, it should be a viable alternative to total


refinishing.


Herb Kilian


I would call Dick Butler he can tell you about that.


Dick Butler's Concordia has - from the reports I've read - some
control surfaces wrapped in Monocote, a shrink film used for model
airplanes. This was done solely for mass reduction reasons, no gel-
coat on those structures. Car wrapping films are quite different.
I'm contemplating starting a field study by wrapping the (short)
winglets on my LS8-18 in white glossy film and to apply it myself
since I have some background. This is a non-structural component and
mine are like the rest of the glider in immaculate condition. The
material is available on-line and would cost around $50 for the two
winglets. That's cheap enough to remove the film after 1-2 years and
see what's underneath (if it holds up that long).
Herb
  #9  
Old September 13th 12, 08:18 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Bob Whelan[_3_]
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Posts: 400
Default Glider Wraps, Gelcoat Refinishing

On 9/13/2012 12:41 PM, Herbert kilian wrote:
On Sep 12, 8:43 pm, wrote:
On Tuesday, September 11, 2012 1:33:42 PM UTC-5, Herbert kilian wrote:
Soaring Cafe has published an article I wrote about the subject:


Snip...

Herb Kilian


I would call Dick Butler he can tell you about that.


Dick Butler's Concordia has - from the reports I've read - some
control surfaces wrapped in Monocote, a shrink film used for model
airplanes. This was done solely for mass reduction reasons, no gel-
coat on those structures. Car wrapping films are quite different.
I'm contemplating starting a field study by wrapping the (short)
winglets on my LS8-18 in white glossy film and to apply it myself
since I have some background. This is a non-structural component and
mine are like the rest of the glider in immaculate condition. The
material is available on-line and would cost around $50 for the two
winglets. That's cheap enough to remove the film after 1-2 years and
see what's underneath (if it holds up that long).
Herb


If you ever fly from "gravelly strips" (e.g. WW-II concrete airbases tend to
qualify in this neck of the woods) another area to consider wrapping might be
(part of) the tailboom aft of the main wheel where - in my experience - rock
damage accrues...an easy wrap, no laminar flow there to be disturbed, possible
reduction in "gravel damage"...

Regards,
Bob W.
  #10  
Old September 15th 12, 12:42 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Muttley
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Posts: 89
Default Glider Wraps, Gelcoat Refinishing

Hi Bob

For your particular problem you do not need a full wrap but the following
could help

http://www.streckenflug.at/shop/prod...roducts_id=800
 




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