Aeronca 11CC fuselage covering?

[Red(neck) Barron]

There is a place in Georgia that does fabric work and provides materials. I once bought a pair of partial wing envelopes in Ceconite for a Colt that they custom made for me. For the life of me, I can't remember their name but I know that I had it here recently so maybe I'll run across that info again and post it. It seemed like they would make an envelope for what ever you needed. They kind of run under the radar as I remember trying to find a web site for them and couldn't but it appeared that they are still in business. Maybe someone here knows who I'm talking about. If we wait for my 'memory recall' to kick in, it could be a while.

I'm surprised to hear negative comments about Jim Miller too. I recently had my first dealings with him as I had a small repair to do on my Champ. He has been super helpful from the beginning and all the way through. I can't tell you how many times I've called him back with beginners questions and he has always been friendly and helpful. From my experience, he gets a great big 'Atta Boy'!

[Red(neck) Barron]

So what I said about Mr. Miller in my previous post was true and accurate ..... at that time. Since then my opinion of him has gone a bit South. I was doing a small repair on the Champ and I was basically all done, paint was all sprayed on and I was glad to be about finished. That is, until I started to remove tapes and covers and found out that one of the colors didn't match the old very well. It was enough off that it was very noticeable, not just a tad and it was totally unacceptable. So I called Jim back up to see what my options were. I wasn't looking to find fault or blame anyone, it was just one of those unfortunate things that makes sleeping at night difficult. However, he got real defensive as if I was blaming him. After I thought we got through that part of our conversation he said he would call the factory and see what they could do, he never offered to try to tint the paint himself. Two days later I hadn't heard from him so I called the factory and they have been very helpful. A shout out here to Waldo, one of their techs. So today I mailed a sample of the old fabric with the color on it to Poly-fiber and they said that I should have some paint within a week. Still haven't heard from Miller yet and I doubt that I will. I know I'm done calling him and if I ever have need for additional fabric supplies I'll look elsewhere. I realize that I was a small customer for my little repair and was probably more of a nuisance than the sale was worth but I thought he was an excellent resource of information and I still believe that to be true. It's just that I'm kind of a stickler when it comes to giving and getting service and being ignored really turns me off to a business.

[wisconsin7ac]

Ok Mike I am in the same boat, only I have a pre-war chief which is different as it has no balance at the top and it does not have the 'big' tail (no prewar does) but I have the fabric and was planning on pinning it together and marking and then having someone with a sewing machine sew it for me (with polyfiber thread of course). I was planning on running the seam right down the center over a stringer and right up the fin kind of making a 'tent' so to speak. Not sure if this is the right or best way but it seems like the easiest. Since we live so close (well sort of) maybe we should find the same person to sew these. You go first though I want to see if this is gonna work---
I would like to hear from someone who has had this seam sewn on a sewing machine and how they did the seam on a champ/chief.

Thanks

Jim

[MikeB]

Bill Pancake called me the other night and we were discussing covering my Chief. He said he always uses the blanket method for everything and suggested wrapping the fabric at the heavy stringers on either side of the fuselage and running the fabric over the vertical fin. He mentioned that sounds contrary to present methods (must be wrapped over a structural tube) but that's the way it was done at the factory when they were built and that is a pretty heavy stringer. Obviously you wouldn't want to wrap it around one of the narrow stringers as there's no support. You'd then finish with a piece on the top glued over the side pieces and another on the bottom. Based what Bill said I'm guessing it works just fine and factory method would trump Poly-Fiber or Superflite in that regard.

I just recieved my fabric yesterday so I'm going to look at it seriously this afternoon. Sewing is another option.

Regarding a previous post about the Millers. I was promised a couple of time that they would send me a list and price on products and a envelope needed to cover my Chief but no luck on getting back to me so I gave up and decided to go with the new Superflite 7 method. I'm familiar with that process anyway having used it on three different jobs. It's supposed to be 'super flexible' and you now use acetone to thin the glue instead of MEK which was one of the things I didn't like about the original Super Flite. I do like the finish and it's pretty easy to install even if it's heavier that other methods. We'll see how it goes.................

Mike

[dikholder]

Michael:
I am recovering a Sedan using the Stewart System and products. Stewart recommends the blanket method and he sells a set of DVDs showing how to use his system. My fuselage is covered and has two coats of his EKoFill filler on it now. The process takes 6 coats of filler and 4 coats of color to complete. The bottom is covered first with one piece of fabric, then the two sides and fin using two more pieces of fabric. You finish with a fourth piece on the roof which glues into the two side pieces ahead of the fin. When you shrink it down it looks fairly seamless and involves no sewing other than rib stitching. The total cost of his system is actually a bit less than the older systems and it is far less toxic. I have enjoyed using it so far. Your Chief looks like a mini-Sedan to me so I think that process will work out fine if you try it.

Dik Holder, N1441H
The Queen of the Berry Patch

[MikeB]

Does the sedan have wooden upper stringers for the 'wrap around' or are they metal? As Bill Pancake mentioned, the upper stringers on the Aeroncas are pretty husky and they were wrapped that way at the factory anyway but just courious.

I thought about using the Stewart System but (after research) it seems some folks had trouble with the finishing part so I decided to go back to Superflite. Supposedly the new SF 7 is 'super flex' and uses acetone instead of MEK to thin the glue which is a plus I think.

Mike

[dikholder]

MY Sedan has wooden stringers with the mushroom shaped profile to them. Some of the others have a metal replacement instead.
The upper stringers are fairly stout and thats where the seams are. the stewarts System is waterborne, so its even less toxic than the stuff you are talking about. The Company recommends a very specific set of parameters for the application and I think that turns some people off. They even recommend a specific gun and nozzle diameter. Have not gotten quite that far yet. I will probably be shooting color in January.

Dik