Vapor restore

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[Svolazzo]

After a lot of air time one of my 3 Vapors got some repair on one leading edge but was still in great shape, but flying just after the sunset I didn't saw something on the ground and got a large tear between clear and red parts  :'(
So I decided to go to a deep restoration to bring it back to new life, BTW I decided also to change colour of the red panel just because my other two Vapors are red and I wish something different. I think that sail was made with Texlon, a little hard to find here in Europe, and just to be easy and because I have some nice grape icarex I decided to go straight forward.
Also the rectangular shaped mylar for wingtips is hard to find so I used the standard modern 75g mylar. However in some pics of the last batches of Vapors I saw that also Prism used that
kind of mylar (if I'm not wrong).   
I shot some pics of the working process and I'm happy to share them with you 
But first of all I wish to thanks CaIke who helped me in getting the clear monofilm form an USA store that wasn't going to ship to Europe  .......and still now I don't guess why 

Here are the pics in the working sequence:

The sail after cutting off the leading edges and wingtips



Signature and building date



After a passage with Autocad here are the templates



All the parts cut away and the assembly process: I used duoble side adhesive tape called "no seams" as Prism used in the original Vapor. I made 8mm and 3mm self adhesive dacron stripes
as the original one cut away from a 30mm wide dacron roll.













All parts put and sewn together



As for leading edge I used spinnaker, maybe Prism used a lighter stuff but I didn't bothered in searching it just because spinnaker works well IMHO.



Nose, apa cutting, standoffs holes, leading edge sewn: I used almost flat zigzag for leading edge because it's better and stronger than the original straight stitch, and a straight stitch
on leading edge around standoffs holes to avoid cuttings in the thread making holes.







Nose with frame inserted, the finally finished Vapor back to a new life, and a couple of pictures with it's fully original, mint brothers.









Paolo

[Smeagol]

Nice work!

[chilese]

I grovel before anyone who repairs Vapors.

Well done.

Thanks for the very nice photos. 

[sugarbaker]

Yes indeed! Impressive work.

[Tmadz]

Paolo, it's nice to see such craftsmanship. People get so used to throwing away so many things. It's nice to see care and effort in preserving a great kite.

[Svolazzo]

Thank you for all your kind words, I'm very happy you appreciate so much my work, I put all my passion in restoring the Holy Graal of kites.

Throwing away such a rare and amazing kite would have been a blasphemy: you don't scrap a Ferrari just for some rust or a tear in the seats 

Paolo

[Ca Ike]

I think I started a trend   Nice job Svolazzo.  ITs one of the few kites worth restoring.  Just for your info, Prism used Texlon Polyester for the LE tunnels too.  Icarex is a good replacement since Texlon poly isn't made anymore.

[Svolazzo]

Yes Anthony, you did 
In this Vapor the leading edge material seemed more similar to a light spinnaker, but in my other two looking the weave it seems you are right, it's Texlon.
I remember we have spoken about which stuff were better as leading edge and you suggested to use icarex, however I used spinnaker just to have more strenght and durability loosing something but not too much in weight, maybe an few grams.
I reduced the regular 50mm wide spinnaker ribbon to 45mm, and in the trailing edge the 25mm reduced to 20mm, as in the original Vapor.

Paolo

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