My Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 Rebuild Diary 2008.

29/30-March-2008. Fabric covering & Trim control.
This weekend my brother (who helped me collect my Great Lakes from Phoenix) came to visit for the first time since the 'Lakes arrived. Saturday the weather was not great so instead of going flying Andy helped me work on the 'Lakes. Sunday the weather looked better but the forecast was not very good - however Saturday evening after a converstation Andy demonstrated he could splice rope. So suddenly priority shifted to fitting my trim control rope. Thanks for all your help Andy.

L/H Upperwing fabric tensioned.
Before tensioning the fabric I fitted the aileron bay strips and screws .
Andy arrived and helped out.
Another brush and pot of Rando-proof ment we were both working on the wing.
With both of us working on the wing it was quickly doped.
L/H Wing. Agin with two of us after doping the R/H wing we switch over to the RH and tensioned the fabric.
Guy with iron - no shirts in sight!
Quickly flipped over and second side fabric tensioned.
R/H wing doped.
The R/H wing again quickly covered as both of us were doing it.
The second generation Great Lakes the wing fabric was riveted to the ribs rather than stiched. Here I am fitting the re-inforcement tape.
I didn't realise Andy could splice rope. So I asked him to sort out the trim control. However we quickly discovered after splicing the 6mm rope grows to 9mm and will not pass through the guides - about 8mm.
So we had to get some different - thinner rope.
The problem with the trim contril is it has to be done on the aircraft as one of the guides is welded to the frame.
The plans call to splice the rope, but the factory series two were stiched. On a hunt for thinner rope I found this starter rope (pull cord for lawn mower). It is exactly the same as came off. So Andy stiched it as original.
Rear pully .
Andy used cable ties to hold it in place while he stiched.
Finished result just as original. Tested and it passes through all the guides freely.
Back to the L/H wing and Andy helped fit the rivets.
Progress was again quick with both of us working on it.
Jo and Andys wife came out to see what we were doing.
Everybody wants to have a go - Jo fitting a fabric rivet decided it was quite hard work.
Mandys turn.
Wing end tape fitted.
I used the original covering as a gude to where drain and inspection holes are.
Drain and inspection holes.
R/H wing now........
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