Lining fuselage dolly

Any ideas regarding the best material to line the inside of a fuselage
dolly which will allow the glider to be slid in or out.

Old sawzall blades.

Or the stuff they call "German Felt." That's what I use.

Thanks, Bob K.

On Wednesday, April 23, 2014 12:00:50 PM UTC-6, Colin Roney wrote:
Any ideas regarding the best material to line the inside of a fuselage

dolly which will allow the glider to be slid in or out.

You probably have a local supplier of industrial gasket materials. One of those materials is "gasket felt" - a very firm, smooth material available in thickness's up to 1/2" which works great with contact cement. The one I visited had enough scrap around to do a whole trailer - it cost me $5 IIRC.

At 18:00 23 April 2014, Colin Roney wrote:
Any ideas regarding the best material to line the inside of a fuselage
dolly which will allow the glider to be slid in or out.


Some people use axminster carpet, or an old mat., glued in place.

On Wednesday, April 23, 2014 11:00:50 AM UTC-7, Colin Roney wrote:
Any ideas regarding the best material to line the inside of a fuselage

dolly which will allow the glider to be slid in or out.

Depending on the trailer and glider, you may not want to use all felt. It will slip around pretty easily. That's why Cobra, at least on many of their dollies, uses a band of foam rubber like material in the middle - to give it enough friction to stay put.

I second what jfitch posted about the non-slip liner. A friend had just waxed his newly refinished Discus to within an inch of its life (including the belly), and when it was placed in the cradle without the wings and the canopy open, a gust of wind was enough to hit the rudder and tip it to the right until the canopy struck the ground. Result? A new canopy to go with the refinish and an "adjustment" in his insurance premium.

I recommend the cheap knobby toolbox or shelf liner. Get the white color. Just lay a 12 inch wide strip in the bottom of the cradle. Remember that you don't really want to let the fuse slip at all- it is a bad idea to load the glider by sliding it into the cradle. If it is that frictionless, remember that the fuselage needs very good restraints in the trailer.

On Thursday, April 24, 2014 5:43:43 AM UTC-7, Mark628CA wrote:
I second what jfitch posted about the non-slip liner...

Another vote for the used sawzall blades, then.

At 02:42 24 April 2014, jfitch wrote:
On Wednesday, April 23, 2014 11:00:50 AM UTC-7, Colin Roney wrote:
Any ideas regarding the best material to line the inside of a fuselage

dolly which will allow the glider to be slid in or out.

Depending on the trailer and glider, you may not want to use all felt. It
will slip around pretty easily. That's why Cobra, at least on many of
their
dollies, uses a band of foam rubber like material in the middle - to give
it enough friction to stay put.
Perfect material,buy a roll mat out of outdoors shop will do dolly and
trailer and enough over for kneeling pads and lots of things,

I found indoor/outdoor carpet with the rubber backing (used on boats) to work well. I found some on sale at the big box stores.