A large number of people attended our first PolyFiber covering session at the Bear Creek Skunk Works today.
Thanks to EAA1114 Technical Counselor Jack Phillips for his expert guidance as we began covering the tail surfaces of the Skycoupe. Thanks also to Jim Cronin for providing us with a delicious lunch!
Special mention must be made to the nice folks at PolyFiber and Marvel-Schebler who are sponsoring this effort, to our aircraft's designer, Ray Stits, for his interest and advice, and to Jerry Stadtmiller of BIPE Inc. whose excellent workshop last week at the Triple Tree Aerodrome Fly-In prepared our team for this latest stage in our work.
If our covering work continues as it began today, we'll have one fine-looking airplanes when we're done.
The pictures below show all we accomplished today. We'll meet again tomorrow afternoon to continue covering work.
Konrad Schoen and Tom Hall apply pink PolyBrush to the horizontal stab.
Joel McLaughlin marks the dacron fabric prior to cutting.
Michael Payne learns from the composites expert, Cozy builder Bruce Edwards.
Shop Meister Terry Gardner proudly displays our first covered component - turned out great!
Composites expert Bruce Edwards describes techniques to Michael Payne and Andy Thomson.
Andy Thomson applies epoxy to glass while Skip Smoak holds the wing steady.
Claude Burkhead, Burke, and Skip enjoy one of Jim Zazas' amazing aviation tales.
Sam Allen irons the fabric under the watchful eye of TC Jack Phillips, whose experience at fabric covering was invaluable to our efforts.
Jack inspects our work as Jim Dukeman, Jim Zazas, Terry Gardner and Hari Gopalan listen closely.
Konrad removes excess fabric from the trim tab.
Konrad Schoen, Tom Hall and Sam Allen appear pleased with their work.
Jim Cronin served as chief cook and bottle washer for our group of hungry builders.
A shot of the covering effort from the wing loft.
Joel uses the iron to shrink the fabric, a truly magical moment in covering as all watch the wrinkles disappear.
The parking lot was full at the Bear Creek Skunkworks!
Below: Jack demonstrates proper ironing techniques. Hope our wives don't get any ideas that we can do the same on our shirts!
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