Soleair Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 I hope this doesn't revisit a past thread, but I would value informed comment. I want to build a wood & fabric plane (Super Koala or MiniMax), but am concerned about hangarage costs. Is it possible to store a wooden structured plane outside all year without damage from sun & rain? I'm wondering if some form of insulated cover would work. Has anyone tried this successfully? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly_tornado Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 I looked @ a VP1 that had been left out in the weather. not pretty. you will need to seal the frame to stop moisture getting into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Woodn't try it with wood. Wooden be pretty. Sun for the fabric and heat and moisture change for the wood. No good. Nev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffreywh Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 really simple answer, no Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbleboy Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Im building a Pietenpol Air Camper with a 3 piece wing. I can trailer it and store in my garage if needed. Scotty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza 38 Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 I hope this doesn't revisit a past thread, but I would value informed comment.I want to build a wood & fabric plane (Super Koala or MiniMax), but am concerned about hangarage costs. Is it possible to store a wooden structured plane outside all year without damage from sun & rain? I'm wondering if some form of insulated cover would work. Has anyone tried this successfully? no Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gforce Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 100% NO ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soleair Posted August 7, 2013 Author Share Posted August 7, 2013 I'm getting the impression it's not a good idea, then. . . Thanks, guys. Worth an ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdarby Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 What about just buying one? You can get a Koala for pretty cheap, probably cheaper than building. There was one on this site for $10k or less I remember. That could leave enough money left for a hangar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 How would one of those cheap temp igloo style fabric hangars go for a wooden aircraft? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayavner Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 You'd also have to consider moisture evaporating up from the ground... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffreywh Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 I would think that the igloo type is probably ok. My hangar has a dirt floor I dont see much evidence of condensation. Although a concrete floor is preferable. You pay your money and take your choice... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andys@coffs Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 If going to the extent of a concrete floor then one with a plastic moisture barrier (ala Orange plastic) for a few more dollars is the go I reckon Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deskpilot Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 getting back to the plane itself, why not build it all of wood and then seal it with a Wests System f/glass and high gloss glaze. Imagine a good selection of wood colour and grain, no need to paint, and have all metal parts that are on show, gold/anodised. A bit nautical like but hey, it'd be a standout in a crowd. Brown or gold perspex screens would look nice but not sure what it'd be like from the inside. Brass instrument surrounds maybe? I'll get my coat............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metalman Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 My plane is in an igloo type hangar , seems pretty good although if it blowing the dog off the chain it gets wet. The biggest thing I feel is regular use, every machine suffers if its just left for long periods, my plane gets used probably twice a week so I'm always blowing the mould spoors and the spiders out, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly_tornado Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 I thought the hot cold daily cycle and dew was what destroyed wooden. That and mold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 Changes of humidity and mould are bad for them Any coating you add thickly makes them heavy. I like wood (Nature's composite) but I wouldn't want an old wooden plane, that hadn't been kept out of the elements. All planes should be hangared. They are pretty delicate things . You wouldn't leave a lawnmower out in the rain for a year and expect it to go. Nev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soleair Posted August 10, 2013 Author Share Posted August 10, 2013 Igloo sounds good, but I'm not sure the airfield would be overjoyed. Particularly if I laid a concrete slab It's true wood comes up beautifully when coated with clear West epoxy. I did that on a dinghy I built once, & it looked superb. But I wouldn't do it on a plane because of the weight. Wood is excellent for strength to weight, but coated in epoxy & fibreglass it would lose much of it's advantage over ally or composites. That's prolly why plans call for varnish, where most of the solvent evaporates. So it's back to researching wooden planes with genuinely deriggable wings. I gather the MiniMax is a pain to derig on a regular basis, & I'm not that keen on disconnecting control systems every flight. Oh well. If it was cheap & easy, everybody would do it, then we'd be regulated out of the sky instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soleair Posted August 10, 2013 Author Share Posted August 10, 2013 On another topic, if you're interested in homebuilding & in particular engines, see my VW rant in the Firewall Forward forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Methusala Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 Only wooden aircraft that I've ever seen in natural finish was a Messerschmidt ( I think it may have been a racer) in the Deutsches Museum in Munich. It looked fantastic, built in the early 30's I reckon. Don't know of any others. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnarly Gnu Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 Just buy a tensioned fabric structure - very effective at stopping sun and rain and dirt cheap (especially with a dirt floor). Alternatively I did an el-cheapo raised wooden floor in mine with sheets of particleboard sitting on timber pallets. As long as you don't get creatures living underneath or thieves paying a visit it's all good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deskpilot Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 Just an image or 2 of graceful, wooden planes. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soleair Posted August 11, 2013 Author Share Posted August 11, 2013 Wow! Those planes are just so beautiful. Bet they wouldn't need much power to push them along, either. Why aren't SLMG more popular? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DGL Fox Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 You could go to any of the cheap shops or camping stores and get some of those interlocking rubber mats, lay down some thick black plastic and then lay the mats on top of that, it would make a pretty nice floor that would be cheap and impervious to water coming up out of the ground and would probably keep the airfield owners happy, a win win... David 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly_tornado Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 or just get some old carpet. its cheap and plentiful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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