farri Posted July 5, 2018 Share Posted July 5, 2018 Is there anyone out there using Ripstop Nylon Fabric for the skins on their rag and tube Ultralight? I`m seriously thinking of using Ripstop for my next set of skins on the Drifter. Ripstop Fabric - Fabric.com Frank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly_tornado Posted July 5, 2018 Share Posted July 5, 2018 is it going to handle the sun and fuel ok 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deskpilot Posted July 5, 2018 Share Posted July 5, 2018 I haven't used it but it might be right for my revised wing covering as well. It's hell of a lot cheaper than Lycra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kasper Posted July 5, 2018 Share Posted July 5, 2018 I haven't used it but it might be right for my revised wing covering as well. It's hell of a lot cheaper than Lycra. Lycra? Well that’s a kinky choice - leopard print by any chance? Probably meant to say Dacron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yenn Posted July 5, 2018 Share Posted July 5, 2018 What I have seen of it is very thin.I would do a lot of research before commiting to using it. Think about what its failure could do to your day. I will see what I can find out about it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yenn Posted July 5, 2018 Share Posted July 5, 2018 ON line I have seen that ripstop nylon is used for many things. I had forgotten that it was used in spinnakers. It certainly took some hammering in the two spinnakers I used for racing. It is used for paragliders and no doubt can be bought in heavier weights than I have ever seen. Ask the manufacturer for detaails of strength, porosity, stretch etc. Nylon was a stretchy material, but the spinnaker material seemed to hold shape well, I wonder if the reinforcing material is also nylon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueadventures Posted July 5, 2018 Share Posted July 5, 2018 Is there anyone out there using Ripstop Nylon Fabric for the skins on their rag and tube Ultralight? I`m seriously thinking of using Ripstop for my next set of skins on the Drifter.Ripstop Fabric - Fabric.com Frank. Hi Frank I'd stick to what has been serving your drifter well over all your flying years. It could be worth asking your sail maker if they can do a set in the 'Xlam' fabric that Skyranger use its great although a little dearer that the Dacron ones. You will find discussion on the skyranger and other webb searches. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deskpilot Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 Kasper (and others) see my posts "A short story, then a long journey" An addition will be a foam infill so that I have something to press on and force the resin through the material. The resin is the actual skin, the material only an anchor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgwilson Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 Way way back in the early days of home building hang gliders we used rip stop nylon (we called it parka nylon) & it really stretched heaps. Of course then came dacron which didn't stretch and later mylar, kevlar etc. Cost increased as the products improved. I'd use dacron although more expensive than nylon it will outlast it by a long shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Methusala Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 I imported a quantity of rip-stop fabric in the 80's to cover a project I was working on. A friend was about to re-cover his Jackaroo and asked to buy the material from me as I was a way down the track from needing it. It was heat shrinkable but never permanently tautened. It was always stretching and quite unsuitable. I don't know whether it has advanced but I would not try it. Don 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bexrbetter Posted July 7, 2018 Share Posted July 7, 2018 Lycra? Well that’s a kinky choice ... obviously never been to a shopping center in Logan City on a Saturday. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deskpilot Posted July 8, 2018 Share Posted July 8, 2018 I'll refer you back to a video I posted some time ago. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffreywh Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 Trade name for nice ripstop fabric is ICAREX. but about 20 bucks per meter sq. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farri Posted July 9, 2018 Author Share Posted July 9, 2018 Hi Frank I'd stick to what has been serving your drifter well over all your flying years. Sound Logic, no doubt! Frank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M61A1 Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 Trade name for nice ripstop fabric is ICAREX. but about 20 bucks per meter sq. Now that looks like it might do the job. Ripstop polyester, as Dacron is just a square weave polyester. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kasper Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 Dacron/polyester may ONLY be plain weave BUT 1. It’s stretch in warp/weft are well known and VERY much less than nylon spinnaker fabric. 2. It’s cost in white in 4-5oz is equal or less then nylon ... colours are generally around 50% more than white unless you buy the entire roll 3. UV stability well known and very good Sorry but if nylon was actually well suited to hard work you’d have seen them rolled out in the mainsails decades ago - it has not because higher load is not well handked by it due to stretch and deformation from the required cut and in aircraft use the limited stretch and retaining shape wins hands down. Polyester wins unless you have the money for a laminate ... and even there laminated for yachts are often not well suited to aircraft because they have accepted increased cost and stability over UV life. Trilam is a good laminate if you can get it ... and it’s polyester core with clear laminate overlay. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boleropilot Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 a Drifter with leopard skin lycra wings - I'm gettin' a woody here..... BP 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bexrbetter Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 2. It’s cost in white in 4-5oz is equal or less then nylon ... what's the phone number for 000, and how much does 4-5oz weigh? (1 square meter?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kasper Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 what's the phone number for 000, and how much does 4-5oz weigh? (1 square meter?) Was short hand for 4 to 5 oz. And that’s light weight. Most coloured Dacron sailcloth eg contender coloured - is 4oz / sailmakers yard White plain weave I’ve used in thruster, flightstar and a couple of others I made sails for were either 4 or 4.4oz. The leading edges on the weight shift sails I’ve made are all 8oz with a 4oz outer colour sleeve. And for clarification a sailmakers yard is not 9ft^2 but 36”x28.5” So doing a bit of conversion 4oz Dacron weighs around 172g/m^2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bexrbetter Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 Was short hand for 4 to 5 oz. Yes, you may have missed my joke there .. The leading edges on the weight shift sails I’ve made are all 8oz with a 4oz outer colour sleeve. Not quite understanding there sorry, you have a leading edge with a total of 12oz dacron covering? The reason I'm asking is I'm toying with an idea of making metal wings using perforated metal skins, 40 or 50% (the measurement for the amount of hole area, which of course is also the reduction in weight), and then covering it. I have zero knowldge of materials and covering experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kasper Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 Yes, you may have missed my joke there .. Not quite understanding there sorry, you have a leading edge with a total of 12oz dacron covering? The reason I'm asking is I'm toying with an idea of making metal wings using perforated metal skins, 40 or 50% (the measurement for the amount of hole area, which of course is also the reduction in weight), and then covering it. I have zero knowldge of materials and covering experience. I miss most jokes. It’s a feature. As for leading edges on ws theee is usually the leading edge fabric - very heavy because it’s a structural element in the wing that’s holding the curve in the leading edge tube then a light weight pocket sleeve and in the sleeve is slipped the leading edge stiffener - usually Mylar or fibreglass. There is a lot of design and structure at the leading edge of a ws wing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kasper Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 Yes, you may have missed my joke there .. Not quite understanding there sorry, you have a leading edge with a total of 12oz dacron covering? The reason I'm asking is I'm toying with an idea of making metal wings using perforated metal skins, 40 or 50% (the measurement for the amount of hole area, which of course is also the reduction in weight), and then covering it. I have zero knowldge of materials and covering experience. I wouldn’t do fabric over perforated. You’ll save very little weight but add heaps of cost and time to the build. You will get a better surface finish for less cost and time by just leaving it solid metal 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bexrbetter Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 I wouldn’t l Ideas have to be tested or we just rot in stagnation. .. and BTW, I've seen it done on a fiberglass wing where the guy cut multiple bits out of the fiberglass out and then covered it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunder Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 I like the idea of covered perforated sheet. Oracover which make the Oratex fabric also make a "Film" ORASTICK Breite: 60 cm Länge: 2 m - Oracover The sheet maintains structural integrity and shape while the oracover covers the holes and provides the colour as a bonus. Win win? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bexrbetter Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 I like the idea of covered perforated sheet. Oracover which make the Oratex fabric also make a "Film" ORASTICK Breite: 60 cm Länge: 2 m - OracoverThe sheet maintains structural integrity and shape while the oracover covers the holes and provides the colour as a bonus. Win win? Well I need to do a few test pieces and see what's what. Can't see a downside in theory, and theres a couple of advantages, rivet holes already there being one of them. A Mate of mine here has just bought into a perforating machine, very similar to this one .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now