AndyW

My Feedback: (1)

I've been recommending Litespan for 1/2A models for a while for its light weight. I've had correspondence with some who are having a fair bit of difficulty applying the stuff. I guess my free-flight, tissue application experience gave me an advantage. Be warned that Litespan and the Coverite clone Coverlite is unlike any covering you've ever used.

I've got a sheet showing the relative weights of many of the coverings available and there's quite a stretch in weight. The lightest is Japanese tissue and the heaviest is prepainted coverite fabric. I exclude the mylar and condenser paper the indoor folks use because those would not be practical for most of us.

Among the iron on films, the transparents from Monokote and Ultracote are the lightest with the edge going to Ultracote. I used Ultracote on my Tsunami and am generally happy with it but it doesn't seem as durable as Monokote. The edges lift more easily.

Carl Risteen in Canada makes an opaque, very light film on a limited basis for electric but the stuff isn't fuel proof.

What I would like to see is genuine, opaque Monokote in the basic colours but done up with 1/2 as thick a film and colour/adhesive. This would make it slightly transparent but not so much as a true transparent.

Any chance we could get up a petition going to convince Top Flite that they should make this stuff for us?

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Andy:

It is called "EconoKote."

Bill.

Larry Driskill

I have been using Nelson LiteFILM. It is .6 ounce per sq yard with a heat sensitive adhesive. It reminds me of Solarfilm, except it is thinner and lighter.

Japanman

Larry,
Where do you get it from? do you stock it?

J.M

Larry Driskill

J.M. you can get it from Nelson Hobby Specialities, (www.nelsonhobby.com). It is not listed on the site, but they have it. I have red, yellow, and trans red.

Jeff Leavitt

Guy's

My experience with Econocote was that it was heavier than anything I've ever used. Were talking red here and it may be one of the heavier colors.

Andy, Agree totally with your Ultracoat experiences, edges do lift, aside from that probably the lightest all around covering. I think that the Ultracoat transparent is a little heavier than the opaque. If ultra coat had the monocoat adhesive, I think that would be hands down the best.

I recently finished a 1/2a racer in Solar Film, picked it up at the LHS, couldn't find the Nelson Lite brand. A pretty knowledgeable buddy of mine claims that solar film and nelson lite are the same. The solar film is a different animal to work with that's for sure. Not hard, just different, takes a little more time.

I'll enclose a pic of the racer. 204 sq. in wing, weighs 10.4 ready for fuel. Color is transparent yellow, although seems more to the orange side. 10.4 includes a Sulivan 2.0 oz. tank @ .8 oz. After the trim flights. I'm going to try a bladder, weight then should drop to about 9.6 oz. Compared to other racers I've built, I think the weight savings is about 1 1/2 oz. using the Solar Film. If it's durable, then it will be worth it....Rgds, Jeff

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Jeff:

Really good looking plane. Bet it goes well, too.

Bill.

AndyW

My Feedback: (1)

EconoKote is Top Flite's cheaper version, low temp film. It's appears to be no lighter than regular MonoKote. I've tried many other films but I keep going back to MonoKote. The adhesive seems to have a magnetic affinity to the film. Have NEVER had an edge lift.

If you're into small aircraft and had seen the Risteen film, you'd be saying, "Now THAT'S more like it." If we could have a thinner film with the MonoKote adhesive, we'd have the best, I think.

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Andy:

When EconoCote hit the market it was touted as being lighter, as well as less expensive, than MonoCote.

Bill.

PS: It always felt thicker, but I never weighed it or checked the thickness. wr.

Jeff Leavitt

Bill,

Thank you. It hasn't flown yet, so can't say yet how it goes. The wing planform is from the "Undertaker" with a much thinner airfoil, MH43. The rest is just a top loader fuse. Hoping it will go and be a really nice flyer like the Undertaker. Maybe will call it the "Overtaker"

Andy,

You used the name of a covering that I've never heard of. Sorry I dont remember what it is. Is that a Canadian thing? Where do you get it?

You are right. Monocoat does have the best adhesive system going. How come mfr's don't see the same things we see and build something that is really good? It can't be profit. $12.00 to 20.00 for a roll that costs a buck to produce don't sound too bad to me.... rgds, Jeff

AndyW

My Feedback: (1)

Bill,

Yes, I recall the ads about Econokote and that might have been true, in general.

Here are some weights from the chart I mentioned.

Monokote,
Red 5.8 gms/sq ft.
Yellow 7.5
White 7.3
Florescent
Orange 9.4
Trans Red 5.5

Ultracote
Red 8.5
Cub Yellow 6.6
Trans Yellow 5.0
Trans Yellow
Lite 3.4

Coverite
21 Cent Fabric 10.4 Ouch!

Micafilm
Yellow &
Red 4.0
Clear 2.2

Esaki Silk .97 Needs dope, of course.
Japanese
Tissue .65 d i t t o

No figures for Econokote

The full chart can be seen at www.fatlion.comsailplanes/weights.html

Carl Risteen's Microlite covering can be seen at www.ramicrolite.com

Two grades, 3 micron and 5 micron

The 5 micron comes to 1.14 gms/sq ft. A hair over undoped silk.
I have some and it goes on nicely but perhaps it's a little TOO thin. It's really meant for electrics of the Park Flyer variety. What we need is something that's good for .049/061 planes and under. The other problem is, it's not fuel proof to the degree that we are accustomed to.

IF Top Flite made an 8 micron film with their adhesive put on just a bit lighter than the regular stuff, I think that might come to about 2.5 ounces/sq ft. Transparent version might be 1.5. I'd buy lots if they made it.

Mike Taylor

My Feedback: (1)

I use the Nelson Light Film on lightweight electrics, and it is very nice stuff to work with. Its ease to apply, does compund curves, and except for serious static cling it has no bad tendencies. I get mine from Homefly (http://www.homefly.com/). There is also a list of a bunch of coverings and their weights...

AndyW

My Feedback: (1)

Mike,

Thanks for reminding me.

I ordered a batch of Nelson Litefilm after the girl assured me that the guys were using them on glow aircraft. When I got my 12 rolls in, I tested one roll with a couple of drops of raw fuel. The colour/adhesive promptly melted. So, it all went back except for that one roll for my HLG.

However, it went on easily and shrank down nice and drum tight. The weight and feel is about right but we need the same thing for glow application. Something with Monokote's characteristics.

Mike Taylor

My Feedback: (1)

Bummer about the fuel probelm... That is a serious probelm, but could you run a stripe of fuel proofer over the edges and get away with it? Since the outside is mylar, it shouldn't hurt that part...

AndyW

My Feedback: (1)

Geez Mike, a strip of fuel proofer? Yukk. What kind of fuel proofer? What sticks to mylar?

Litefilm is so thin, that seams really do disappear. Imagine running some kind of sealer along the seams. Yukk.

The problem appears to be the size of the market. Electrics are enjoying a boom period so that's where the investment in new products is going,, for now. Hopefully this will change for the glow guys some time soon.

Hey, Top Flite. If you made a really light version, at least in the basic colours, opaque and transparent, you'd get both markets, electric and glow along with the glider guys. And, with the superiority of your product, I'd bet you'd dominate the market in no time. Just like your regular stuff.