spar varnish

[warlev]

We are planning to use the Stewart system to cover our plane and I am not sure if it is OK to varnish the cap strips. There seems to be different opinions. Anyone use Stewarts glue and had a problem with varnish on the cap strips? Thanks. Warren

[stede52]

I used their complete system including the water based varnish on the wood and I was very pleased with it all. To your quesiton about rib cap strips...Yes Absolutely, if you use the stewart systems, you should use their varnish on the cap strips which provide the most affective base for their adhesive and believe me it WORKS!!!

Steve

[preacoupe]

Steve,

Everywhere in the manual (I know, I know) it says not to use varnish on the cap strips themselves. But, I too will be using Stewarts and they have a varnish that would be OK there? Must be the waterbase vs the petroleum-based products.

Dennis

[stede52]

Dennis,
I know, I saw that too and it didn't make sense to me so I called Aerothane, Superflight and Stewart people and asked them about it. They all told me that their glue will adhere better to the varnished wood then it would to non-varnished wood, which is what I suspected because the varnish saturates the wood deeper then the glues and these glue are made to adhere to smooth surfaces. I varnished capstrips on both of my Highlanders.

Steve

[preacoupe]

Steve,

Yup. Makes sense....especially from the Stewarts people, if you're using their glue. Then, too, I know many of the guys mentioned using
big-head rivets. Overkill? I don't think so. I think that that is what I'm gonna do. Varnish caps and rivets.

Dennis