I've got a legacy 12 that is showing signs of paint wear from the Florida sun. I would like to know if anyone has wrapped their plane instead of/or over original paint. And if so, how has the wrap held up outside? Obviously weight is an issue but should be within the range of paint. Your thoughts are welcome. Thanks.
Van's Air Force
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Wrapping in lieu of Repainting?
- Thread starter n74846
- Start date
Ralph Inkster
Well Known Member
Other models with flush rivets I'd say sure. The RV-12 with it's raised head pulled rivets, I'd think it would be challenging getting the vinyl to stick down long term.
But maybe others have had good results... would like to hear their experiences.
But maybe others have had good results... would like to hear their experiences.
Desert Rat
Well Known Member
I think Ralph is right.
My hangar neighbor wrapped his bare aluminum RV6 and it looks really nice, but it doesn't have many raised rivet heads and the ones that it did have, he and his wife took a lot of time with whatever the process is to conform to them.
By comparison, The stripes on the Cessna singles are also vinyl and after a few months they always seems to start raising up around the edges of the raised rivet heads.
wcalvert
Well Known Member
Wraps are done frequently (mostly) on truck boxes, think big box truck, with raised head pulled rivets all the time.
There is a soft rubber roller made for adhering the wrap over things like rivets. That along with good prep, good quality vinyl and proper temperature control during the bonding, it should work fine.
There is a soft rubber roller made for adhering the wrap over things like rivets. That along with good prep, good quality vinyl and proper temperature control during the bonding, it should work fine.
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wirejock
Well Known Member
Ed_Wischmeyer
Well Known Member
What does a wrap cost? My RV-9A needs paint touched up, and a wrap might be a good alternative... And who are the vendors?
I have heard that the wraps don't hold up well in IMC, so something to consider if IMC flight is in your flight plans.
Where’d you get the cheackers
That looks awesome!
[email protected]
Well Known Member
You can investigate truck wrapping. But, I for one can tell you vinyl gapping around rivets/bolts isn't very good on truck wraps. Nobody cares. ""It's just a truck"""
I have owned a few and the wrap seems to curl at the edges and pop up around the protrusions.
We airplane owners would NEVER stand for what passes for wraps on trucks.
UNLESS you are talking show trucks. That's a different story. they don't get driven very much and surely not at 150 miles per hour. And normal cars do get wrapped But then again NO rivets protruding.
My opinion is wrapping an RV-12 would be quite hard given all the rivets
But my luck varies FIXIT
Dugaru
Well Known Member
This is what my hangar neighbors did with their restored Cessna 172, and the results were surprisingly good. They both swore they'd never paint another airplane, but it wasn't the painting per se, it was the prep work.
[email protected]
Well Known Member
I will definitely second this Idea, as this is how my RV-6A is done. Aerographic's for the stripping on white base.
My luck varies FIXIT
I agree 100% with Dan on this. That is exactly the plan for my current project.
steve murray
Well Known Member
I have vinyl on my wings. Had a good time learning how to do it, mine is definitely NOT show quality. I did put down two part epoxy primer prior to the vinyl. I am\was amazed how sheer the vinyl is., you can see an embedded hair underneath the vinyl. In general, I have been impressed with the durability. (400 hours, 3 years, plane is hangared)
Two problem areas to keep in mind.
- A weeping rivet creates a mess with vinyl. I have a weeping rivet that I have not been successful in fixing and it creates a mess, much more than painted surface.
- I struggle a bit around the gas caps as spilt fuel is pretty agressive on the vinyl, especially on film edges. I have been looking for some type fuel resistant overlay around fuel tank openings but have not found a solution yet.
- I was advised to keep vinyl way from engine cowling due to heat. Not sure if this is true or not but I painted my cowl.
Two problem areas to keep in mind.
- A weeping rivet creates a mess with vinyl. I have a weeping rivet that I have not been successful in fixing and it creates a mess, much more than painted surface.
- I struggle a bit around the gas caps as spilt fuel is pretty agressive on the vinyl, especially on film edges. I have been looking for some type fuel resistant overlay around fuel tank openings but have not found a solution yet.
- I was advised to keep vinyl way from engine cowling due to heat. Not sure if this is true or not but I painted my cowl.
A professional vinyl guy and about 5 hrs. changed my 6 from looking like a 1995 shag carpet into this. Guy said it would last years if it didn't live outside full time. Best part is for the price if you get tired of it in a few years you can just rip it off and do something new !
Skip
RV-4 built and sold
RV-6
Could you ballpark that price for us?
It was less than $1500. for the red, black and checkerboard. The airplane was originally white with some ugly stripes up the fuselage. We covered the old stripes and added the wing and tail. I drew up the design on a cheap free drawing app. and sent it to the vinyl guy. He came out and did some measuring, put the design in his CAD machine and printed it out.
Pieces fit perfect. It was like magic watching him install it. Is it a trophy winner, no but for the time, effort and cost I'm very pleased.
Pieces fit perfect. It was like magic watching him install it. Is it a trophy winner, no but for the time, effort and cost I'm very pleased.
Beautifully done!! I did it even more cheap: polish and rollers. Latexpaint - and easy-peasy repeair. Guess wrpa is more even when with your nose to the plane, but be honest: do you notice 50ft high....?
PH-MON, VAN's RV12: Een Kleurrijk Project
Foto's van het bouwproces, diepte- en (veeel!) hoogtepunten. De RV12 is een assemblage kit van Van's Aircraft Corporation.
phmon-rv12.blogspot.com
