Fabric attachment, front carrythrough.

Bill Vickland

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Joined
Jan 4, 2020
Messages
28
I am installing new fabric on my 7ECA which came to me without old fabric to tell me exactly how to treat the cutting and gluing. It's pretty straight forward except the area where both external fabric (no skylight window) and the headliner attach to the wood former and front wing spar carry-through. here are my qustions,
1. Am I missing a metal covering that should cover the forward facing surface, I would think the fabric or headliner material need UV protection. Therefore, if there is no metal cover, it would seem that the fabric would cover the headliner material. Is that right?.
2. Both fabric and headliner appear to have been stapled to the wood former leaving an uneven surface, regardless as to which is glued over the other. How can I smooth out that surface to make it "beautiful" like the rest of the plane will be.

By the way, I have designed separate rotisserie fixtures for the wings and the fuselage. If they work out, I will share my design.

Any help on the fabric issue will be greatly appreciated.
Bill Vickland.
 

Champdriver

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Joined
Apr 21, 2018
Messages
49
Location
Anoka County airport, KANE, north of St Paul MN
I don't know if any of these photos in this link would help.
I don't have any photos from my files of that area, it's not something I normally think about to shoot.
I do know that the part no. for the windshield upper support is 3-549 and is .032 aluminum and 23" long, sorry I can't read the width on the drawing.

On my 7AC it had the upper support and inside the windshield I believe maybe, there was a 90 degree piece of aluminum across the width just under the upper support . The fabric was wrapped over the front wood former a bit and stapled, then the headliner was also stapled to that same former. You could cover it all up with a painted piece of aluminum.
If I find anything else I'll let you know.

Headliner Install Photos | ChampCitabriaDecathlonForums

Okay, I just found this photo and this blog, scroll through to see if any other photos help.
7AC-1787 Aeronca 7CCM N83129 headliner.jpg
 

Hiperbiper

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Joined
May 30, 2020
Messages
680
Location
Shreveport Louisiana DTN
I am installing new fabric on my 7ECA which came to me without old fabric to tell me exactly how to treat the cutting and gluing. It's pretty straight forward except the area where both external fabric (no skylight window) and the headliner attach to the wood former and front wing spar carry-through. here are my qustions,
1. Am I missing a metal covering that should cover the forward facing surface, I would think the fabric or headliner material need UV protection. Therefore, if there is no metal cover, it would seem that the fabric would cover the headliner material. Is that right?.
2. Both fabric and headliner appear to have been stapled to the wood former leaving an uneven surface, regardless as to which is glued over the other. How can I smooth out that surface to make it "beautiful" like the rest of the plane will be.

By the way, I have designed separate rotisserie fixtures for the wings and the fuselage. If they work out, I will share my design.

Any help on the fabric issue will be greatly appreciated.
Bill Vickland.
OK, the fabric needs to attach (adhesive) to the wood cabin top...remember your fabric will be tightened/pulling against it. If you were to just staple it if the fabric pulled thru the staples your top fabric would become loose...I'd also glue to the front of the carry thru.
Now you can glue-staple-tack-velcro your headliner material over the fabric.
If you were to attach the headliner material first the covering would have to be glued over that. The headliner material would come apart in short order and once again your cabin top covering would get loose.
JMPO
Chris
 

Bartman

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Mar 27, 2018
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Location
New Jersey, USA
OK, the fabric needs to attach (adhesive) to the wood cabin top...remember your fabric will be tightened/pulling against it. If you were to just staple it if the fabric pulled thru the staples your top fabric would become loose...I'd also glue to the front of the carry thru.
Now you can glue-staple-tack-velcro your headliner material over the fabric.
If you were to attach the headliner material first the covering would have to be glued over that. The headliner material would come apart in short order and once again your cabin top covering would get loose.
JMPO
Chris
so you start by mostly installing the headliner and then do the fuselage fabric, and then finish the headliner before installing the greenhouse glass?
 

Hiperbiper

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Joined
May 30, 2020
Messages
680
Location
Shreveport Louisiana DTN
so you start by mostly installing the headliner and then do the fuselage fabric, and then finish the headliner before installing the greenhouse glass?
Bill noted he doesn't have a skylight my description pertains to attaching the fabric to the front of the cabin top/spar carry-thur...
Actually, IMO if you attach the headliner to the two top tubes that go from the rear spar carry-thur to the tubing cluster prior to covering all the other places the headliner attaches to are easy to get at no matter what airframe you've got...

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Chris
 

Hiperbiper

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Joined
May 30, 2020
Messages
680
Location
Shreveport Louisiana DTN
gotcha and thanks for the explanation. is that a wool headliner?
Yep. Airtex Tan wool. Easy to work with and if you do have any slightly loose spots when you're done a spritz of water and a couple of passes with a hair dryer* will shrink out any wrinkles...
* for those who are bal...folicly challanged; a heat lamp will also work.
And if you think the Aeronca headliner is a beeacch, a 1946 Navion is much, much worse...
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šŸ˜· Chris