Temporary patch / seal

[Tailwheeler Too]

Hi:
I'm new here...

A guy carelessly parking another plane rubbed a wing tip-tank over my wingtip. It did not "tear" the fabric, but rather abraded it through at the site of most contact. Luckily it was where the fabric was bonded to the metal wingtip - so there is a hole through the fabric, but just down to the shiny aluminium. I have no choice but to keep the plane outdoors for now ( there just are no hangars available ).

What would be the best material to seal the fabric & aluminium until warmer weather so I can do a proper job? I was thinking clear RTV silicone, clear nail polish, or even epoxy. My wings were covered in the Stits PolyFibre process - the area exposed is smaller than a quarter. ( i know all those will work, but I'm concerned about compatibility with what is already there & the ability to remove it without harm later )

Thanks

allen

[cub builder]

Prep it with MEK and use some polytac to tack a piece of fabric over the abrasion. Heat it with an iron after the polytac sets to draw it tight. Finish the repairs next spring when the weather is nice. If the piece of fabric you tacked down looks weathered in the spring, pull it off, prep with MEK again, and use some polytac and fabric to start the repair over again, and follow through to finish.

If you just want to paint over it to seal it for the winter, you could just brush some polytac over the abrasion. Might as well use something compatible with your covering process.

-Cub Builder

[FlyingRon]

If you want to cover bare metal, the thing to use is not polytak but one of the approved epoxy primers which you'll need for any polytak to follow. Back in the day they just said use any two-part epoxy primer. Now they have their own (I guess they either got tired of people asking or they figured there was money to be had selling the stuff).

If you used PolyFiber, there's a whole chapter in the manual on repairs.

[Bob H]

Don't apply any silicone RTV to the area as silicone is a release material and will contaminate for remaining repair bonding. Once applied, hard to remove for good bonding.