Scale 25% Krier Kraft build, a tribute to grampa.

[HRRC Flyer]

Hey @Bipeguy03,

You need to cover it in clear covering to show of your handy work. . . . .

 

[Bipeguy03]

Hate to have anything be kind of a downer on my build thread, but with this being a tribute to grampa I figured it should be posted.

Yesterday the was March 28... Papaw passed away 29 years ago yesterday.

I still think of him at least once everyday, and well it's been about a thousand times a day the last few months while building the Krier Kraft..

Miss ya Papaw Mickey..


So, enough with the sad stuff I guess, we ordered the first round of Dope as well as a Randolph Color chart so I can start picking a orange

 

[Snoopy1]

Hate to have anything be kind of a downer on my build thread, but with this being a tribute to grampa I figured it should be posted.

Yesterday the was March 28... Papaw passed away 29 years ago yesterday.

I still think of him at least once everyday, and well it's been about a thousand times a day the last few months while building the Krier Kraft..

Miss ya Papaw Mickey..


So, enough with the sad stuff I guess, we ordered the first round of Dope as well as a Randolph Color chart so I can start picking a orange

Why not Stits. It much easier to work with and it will not pull in the corners.

 

[Bipeguy03]

I like dope better.

This is a personal opinion, but Stits is great on full scale, its not as great on models.

If butyrate is pulling from corners, there isn't enough nitrate on it. It blisters because butyrate doesn't stick well to polyester fabrics (Koverall). Kinda like putting a thin paint on something without the proper primer and it pulls away from the corners, same idea.

 

[Snoopy1]

Where were you 12 years ago when I was cursing the dope. I loved it, it was the only thing that beat me and I never figured it out, there was no internet. So I changed to Stits and never looked back and never had the corners pull again. By the way I have with out a joke many gallons and colours of dope that I have never used because of the corner pulling. I guess I have learnt something again. And if I understand you correctly all I needed is more nitrate dope in the corners. Thanks.

 

[acerc]

I like dope better.
This is a personal opinion, but Stits is great on full scale, its not as great on models.

Hi Bipeguy,
I know this is your thread and the such but, I have been using Stits for several years and to date have not had a single issue, all the models look as good as the day I finished them. I use their entire system with exception to the initial adhesive, use Sigs Stix-it for that. So what happened for you to have such an opinion, if you don't mind my asking?

 

[Bipeguy03]

Where were you 12 years ago when I was cursing the dope. I loved it, it was the only thing that beat me and I never figured it out, there was no internet. So I changed to Stits and never looked back and never had the corners pull again. By the way I have with out a joke many gallons and colours of dope that I have never used because of the corner pulling. I guess I have learnt something again. And if I understand you correctly all I needed is more nitrate dope in the corners. Thanks.

Mind you I am no dope expert (that was my grampa lol) but I do think the key to dope is the process, get one step wrong and it will give you trouble. The other thing is how you put the coats on, every color needs to be treated like red. Many, many light coats, with dry time in between. The Randolf STC gives a good rule of thumb as 2 coats a day. Stits is more forgiving in that manner, as you just put it on.

My only issue with dope has ever been getting the sheen that I want. Dope will never have that wet look that urethane, enamel, epoxy and so on have but you can get a relatively good shine with dope, just look a grampa's Skybolt.

But, I have done a ton, and I mean a ton of research on covering with dope and I think I have found what has always hung me up so I got some experimenting to do.

 

[Bipeguy03]

Hi Bipeguy,
I know this is your thread and the such but, I have been using Stits for several years and to date have not had a single issue, all the models look as good as the day I finished them. I use their entire system with exception to the initial adhesive, use Sigs Stix-it for that. So what happened for you to have such an opinion, if you don't mind my asking?

Honestly, I've never used it on a model with the exception of using the glue. I've only ever used it on full scales, and I'm just not a fan, never could get the hang of it and you can't sand out mistakes lol. I know that you are supposed to be able to use your iron to fix them but I always ended up making a bigger mess! And a small mistake on a full scale looks horrible on a model.

I'm sure if I used it more that opinion might change, but I'm just a dope fan. I don't have a ton of fabric experience, and most of that has been with dope so I know that I can at least do a respectable job with it.

 

[Bipeguy03]

Tonight, I crossed finishing the cowl mounting off of the list. Dad and I got the nut plates riveted to the back side of the mounting arms and I drilled and counter sunk the holes in the cowl for the warshers and screws.

The nut plates in place, these are what are called hot nuts. They lock because the bottom of the hole is actually egg shaped. I think they call them hot nuts because the screws get hot as h*ll when you put them in and take them out lol.

The nut plates are flush riveted to the mounts so they sit against the cowl with no problem.

The #8 machine screws and 100 degree flush washers that hold the cowl on.

The screws and washers sit nice and flush with the cowl, I mean there is already enough drag on a biplane, no need for the cowl screws to cause more!

 

[pawnshopmike]

Now that's fancy right there. Nice job bro.