What to do about my ugly down tube above the panel?

[DaV8or]

Have any of you guys come up with a slick solution to making the cage tube that comes up out of the panel look any better? I guess the tube is stainless steel and mine has been painted black in the past... badly. The paint is flaking off all over the place. I'm not so thrilled with stripping the paint off and rattle canning it with black paint again. I would like to cover it with something if possible. If I do paint again, what if anything have you found to really stick during hundreds of seat adjustments?

 

Thanks for the help!

[Rwsavory]

I don't know about paint options, but you might consider using something else to hang onto when adjusting your seat. There is a structural tube below the panel near the center that I use. The F might be a little different. BTW, the tubing is not stainless steel.

[Andy95W]

Fuzzy dice.

[slowflyin]

I hung an expensive compass on mine.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[kmyfm20s]

My plane has a Vinyl sleeve with Velcro down the length so you can take it on and off.

[M016576]

Have any of you guys come up with a slick solution to making the cage tube that comes up out of the panel look any better? I guess the tube is stainless steel and mine has been painted black in the past... badly. The paint is flaking off all over the place. I'm not so thrilled with stripping the paint off and rattle canning it with black paint again. I would like to cover it with something if possible. If I do paint again, what if anything have you found to really stick during hundreds of seat adjustments?

Thanks for the help!

Paint flakes right off that tube! Here's what I did, and it worked great to really improving the look inside the cockpit- If you look at auto detailing shops, you can find adhesive masking designed for both interior and exterior use on cars. All sorts of different colors and finishes. The one I used on the mooney center bar is a carbon fibre finish, but you could get a matte black cover instead. It applies just like a sticker, and you can heat form the stuff using a hair drier or heat gun. There are a ton of YouTube videos displaying this process. The best part is that if you don't like the results, you can peel the vinyl covering right off. Anyway, I removed the compass mount and Glareshield and wrapped the bar, then ran a hair drier over it to smooth out the wrinkles and it came out looking just like the bar was carbon fibre. Took about 20 minutes and the total cost was only $10.00.

Edit- I'm going to try to find a picture of the finished product and post it here.

[DaV8or]

Paint flakes right off that tube! Here's what I did, and it worked great to really improving the look inside the cockpit- If you look at auto detailing shops, you can find adhesive masking designed for both interior and exterior use on cars. All sorts of different colors and finishes. The one I used on the mooney center bar is a carbon fibre finish, but you could get a matte black cover instead. It applies just like a sticker, and you can heat form the stuff using a hair drier or heat gun. There are a ton of YouTube videos displaying this process. The best part is that if you don't like the results, you can peel the vinyl covering right off. Anyway, I removed the compass mount and Glareshield and wrapped the bar, then ran a hair drier over it to smooth out the wrinkles and it came out looking just like the bar was carbon fibre. Took about 20 minutes and the total cost was only $10.00.

 

I like it! Questions-

 

• Did you wrap it around and round like handle bar tape, or did you go length wise with the seam in the back?
• Is it easy to get the bubbles out and fix mistakes?
• How well has it held up?

I like the idea of different finish options. Thanks!

[DonMuncy]

If you are really careful, you can cut a strip of soft leather, a 3/4 inch or so wide and spiral it down the tube. A dab of adhesive at the top and bottom to keep it in place. You have to take the compass off, cover it and reinstall it.

[M016576]

I like it! Questions-

 

• Did you wrap it around and round like handle bar tape, or did you go length wise with the seam in the back?
• Is it easy to get the bubbles out and fix mistakes?
• How well has it held up?

I like the idea of different finish options. Thanks!

 

I cut it lengthwise after measuring a couple times, and did a single solid wrap.  The carbon fibre finish kind of needed to be one large piece in order to preserve the effect.  I put the seam in the back.  It was very easy to get the bubbles out and fix mistakes with the hair drier.  I tried initially to just squeeze them out without heating the vinyl up, but it didn't work.  I used a needle and the hair drier and the few bubbles I did have disappeared.  The whole role of material was only 10 bucks, and I had waaaaayyy more than I needed to wrap the single bar.  I found a couple pictures (a bit blurry) that I'll post right now; I'm heading down to the hangar today, so I'll take some closeups and post those later.

 

It has held up extremely well.  It did rip a little where the glareshield rubs the bar on installation, but you can't see that once the glareshield is installed (the tear is below the exposed part of the bar).

[M016576]

Paint flakes right off that tube! Here's what I did, and it worked great to really improving the look inside the cockpit- If you look at auto detailing shops, you can find adhesive masking designed for both interior and exterior use on cars. All sorts of different colors and finishes. The one I used on the mooney center bar is a carbon fibre finish, but you could get a matte black cover instead. It applies just like a sticker, and you can heat form the stuff using a hair drier or heat gun. There are a ton of YouTube videos displaying this process. The best part is that if you don't like the results, you can peel the vinyl covering right off. Anyway, I removed the compass mount and Glareshield and wrapped the bar, then ran a hair drier over it to smooth out the wrinkles and it came out looking just like the bar was carbon fibre. Took about 20 minutes and the total cost was only $10.00.

Edit- I'm going to try to find a picture of the finished product and post it here.

http://mooneyspace.com/gallery/image/35672-carbon-fibre-wrap-on-post-2/

http://mooneyspace.com/gallery/image/35671-carbon-fibre-wrap-on-post/

[rbridges]

I'm interested in seeing the options.  I've repainted some of the aluminum panels and the mixture knobs, but that bar is pretty distracting.  Sounds a lot like Dave's.  I've thought about hitting it with paint but was worried about making a mess.

[Awful_Charlie]

The previous owner of mine wrapped something around it in a spiral - I'm guessing it is golf club or tennis racket hand grip. Starting to get a little tired after a few mistakes removing the glareshield, so following this thread with interest!

[PaulB]

I was just thinking about posting the same question this morning before I saw this.  I was thinking about something that not only looks better but will also make it colder so when i grab it to pull my chair forward in the heat I don't get second degree burns.  Maybe a piece of foam but that might look pretty crappy.

[Bennett]

When I had my interior redone Tim covered the tube with black leather with the stitching done on the backside. Very nicely done. I suspect the he started the ditching facing the interior, turned it 180 degrees when almost done and finished tightening up the stitching then. Looks great, and no problem mounting the compass.

[TWinter]

Used black pad leather steering wheel wrap found at auto parts stores. Cut to length and neatly wrap the elastic strand around it like you would a steering wheel. Looks great, comfortable to grab when adjusting seat or if your like me and have a habit of grabbing it during heavy turbulence. Not for everyone, but works for me and looks neat and clean.

[bonal]

You said it yourself why not use handlebar tape. Lots of choices for color and texture and easy to install and replace when it gets dirty.

[jetdriven]

That carbon fiber tape looks good but I'd be concerned about long-term durability of the adhesive in the extreme heat this piece gets. Sewn black leather would be a great choice. My friend with a J model has sewn leather from aero comfort.

Since I put in the new windshield you can see this bar on my plane and it looks terrible.

[KSMooniac]

When I had my interior redone Tim covered the tube with black leather with the stitching done on the backside. Very nicely done. I suspect the he started the ditching facing the interior, turned it 180 degrees when almost done and finished tightening up the stitching then. Looks great, and no problem mounting the compass.

 

Eventually I plan to do this as well.  Can you share some pics, Bennett?

 

Another alternative is to cut a pattern yourself from butcher paper or similar, and go to a local alteration shop, seamstress, etc. and have it stitched up nicely in leather and velcro.  You could make a pattern that easily clears the compass.

[jetdriven]

You can see that Velcro. Sewing it right onto the down tube you can get it really tight with a baseball stitch. Kinda like what Don Muncy did on his yokes.

[DaV8or]

You said it yourself why not use handlebar tape. Lots of choices for color and texture and easy to install and replace when it gets dirty.

 

The reason I haven't done the handle bar / steering wheel / golf club handle tape yet is because I'm not all that thrilled with the way it looks and I'm wondering if there aren't better solutions out there.