RAA Fabric Covering Workshop: Tiger Moth Rib Sampler

The Winnpeg area RAA, Brandon RAA, Brandon CATP Museum, and Springfield Flying Club hosted a fabric covering workshop March 15th at the RAA Workshop Final Assembly Building, Lyncrest Airport.with Gil Bourrier and  Henry Riege (from Oak Hammock Airport). Avid builders, designers, and pilots shared fabric covering tips and practised their rib stitching in preparation for covering the Tiger Moth ailerons and wings. March 15, 2012

 

 Steve, Gil, Steve, Bob, George, John, Jim, Harry, Ben, Jill, Don (left to right) are a few of the 15 people attending the workshop.

 Henry Riege (left) and Gil Bourrier, gluing the fabric to a wooden frame; Ben Toenders is in the background gluing fabric to one of the Tiger Moth ribs we built at the workshop last Thursday. We're planning to use the rib as a sampler (Larry Brown's idea) so some of the ribs sold at the Brandon CATP Museum will not only show the original Tiger Moth rib structure, they will also demonstrate the steps used to cover a part with fabric.

 Henry Riege demonstrating the heat shrinking system - 225 degrees at first, then 250 degrees, finish with 350 degrees, double checking that iron is at correct temperature. From left, Henry, George Inman, Jim, Steve Sadler, John, Jill, Ben and Gil.

 Ben Toenders heat shrinking the fabric on the Tiger Moth Rib Sampler, with Gil Bourrier advising.

 From left, Don Hutchison, Gil Bourrier, Ben Toenders, Bob Stewart and Peter Moodie, brushing on the first coat of PolyBrush. The Brandon CATP Museum Board recommended we use the modern system of recovering to reduce the amount of maintenance needed to keep the Tiger Moth flying once it is returned to airworthy condition.

 Henry Riege brushing the 2nd coat of PolyBrush onto the box sampler with Jim Oke, Don Hutchison, Gil Bourrier, Ben Toenders and Bob Stewart watching.

Henry Riege demonstrating how not to use bias tape - if you pull the tape it will stretch and deform so just lay it on the curved edge, clamp it in position, without pulling or stretching it. Jack Sauerbrei, Henry Riege, Peter Moodie and Jim Oke helping.

 Bob, Gil, John, Henry, George, and Peter watching Ben learn how to rib stitch following Henry's instructions.Peter Moodie's photo series of the knot Henry taught will be posted next week!

 Mark the position of the stitches on the top and bottom to help keep the stitches perpendicular to the wing's cord. (Cardboard is used instead of fabric for this exercise)

Congratulations Gil!! RAA President, Jim Oke awarded Gil Bourrier the ARRO Award during the business meeting at the end of the fabric covering workshop, acknowledging the many years of volunteer service Gil has provided to the RAA.