I am currently restoring my grand fathers 1946 J3. I made the decision to replace the old fabric and put on new fabric and paint. I was having issues with fabric tearing in sections. To date I am about $25k into fabric and paint and starting to reassemble the plane. It has been a longer process than I anticipated only because as I took stuff apart I kept telling my self “since its apart clean it up”. Good luck with your project. It’ll be nice when your done.
I understand ,but I could not bring myself to tear off perfectly good, although faded, fabric. If you are reassembling after 25K in fabric and paint, you are doing well.
I've owned two cubs, one a J3 the same as yours and a PA18 Super Cub which i fully rebuilt. Its worth checking the fuselage frame for corrosion before you go too far, the worst areas will likely be at the lower fuselage longerons where they meet the bottom of the rudder post, the other area will be the lower door frame tubing, the bottom rear being most likely. The best method is X ray but just be careful with interpreting the images as some of these early Pipers were internally corrosion treated with fishaline (or a similar product) that can appear as corrosion in X ray images. If you don't have X ray a normal centre punch that you use for starting a drilled hole will work, just push it firmly by hand into the lower side of the various tubes, if you can create a dent - you've got problems. Good luck with it all.
Thanks, I am by no means a fabric expert, hopefully she will look nice when finished. I am in Central Florida, and the environment down here played havoc with the older paint.
Currently in a very long restoration of a J-4A. I’m at a point where I almost want to give up. It seems like it’ll cost more to continue than buy a flying used plane. I don’t think I felt as despondent prior to Covid, but parts and costs seem to be untenable.
Can't look at it that way, get involved, get it done and go flying. It will cost more than buying a used plane, but the used plane will need the work also.
Nice to see your plane restored!
I am currently restoring my grand fathers 1946 J3. I made the decision to replace the old fabric and put on new fabric and paint. I was having issues with fabric tearing in sections. To date I am about $25k into fabric and paint and starting to reassemble the plane. It has been a longer process than I anticipated only because as I took stuff apart I kept telling my self “since its apart clean it up”. Good luck with your project. It’ll be nice when your done.
I understand ,but I could not bring myself to tear off perfectly good, although faded, fabric. If you are reassembling after 25K in fabric and paint, you are doing well.
I've owned two cubs, one a J3 the same as yours and a PA18 Super Cub which i fully rebuilt. Its worth checking the fuselage frame for corrosion before you go too far, the worst areas will likely be at the lower fuselage longerons where they meet the bottom of the rudder post, the other area will be the lower door frame tubing, the bottom rear being most likely. The best method is X ray but just be careful with interpreting the images as some of these early Pipers were internally corrosion treated with fishaline (or a similar product) that can appear as corrosion in X ray images. If you don't have X ray a normal centre punch that you use for starting a drilled hole will work, just push it firmly by hand into the lower side of the various tubes, if you can create a dent - you've got problems. Good luck with it all.
Just a note - Randolph is the coating system that is used on top of Ceconite Fabric. Different names, but used in the same process. Plane looks good!
Thanks, I am by no means a fabric expert, hopefully she will look nice when finished. I am in Central Florida, and the environment down here played havoc with the older paint.
Currently in a very long restoration of a J-4A. I’m at a point where I almost want to give up. It seems like it’ll cost more to continue than buy a flying used plane. I don’t think I felt as despondent prior to Covid, but parts and costs seem to be untenable.
Can't look at it that way, get involved, get it done and go flying. It will cost more than buying a used plane, but the used plane will need the work also.