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

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.

Originally Posted by JohnDeRosa

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.

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

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.

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

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.

No need to run the experiment. Just look under contest numbers on gliders and trailers. If I had a new glider with gel coat I would really look at wrapping the whole glider. I did the numbers a few years ago and total weight was only about 30 pounds or less for the wrap.

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

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