Originally Posted by
gauls22
I'm hoping you get some replies because I also would like to know. What did you use to attach this to the air frame. Meaning its own adhesive or something like balsarite ?
I have always used Balsarite with the covering of any model. With my Eindecker build, this is the first time that I have ever used the Solartex Fabric covering, as I have mostly covered with Monokote in the past. I will have to tell you that I think the Solartex is FANTASTIC. Parts of the Eindecker were some what difficult to cover, especially the wing tips. The Solartex stretched and rounded to every corner, with not a wrinkle, and if you are afraid that you do have a wrinkle, a little extra heat takes them away. I am quite sure that if I have any builds in the future, that I would only be using Solartex.
Getting back to the covering adhesive, I firmly believe that you need to use some sort of added adhesive. I am sure that many hobbyists out there will find and admit that these AFR's coming out of foreign countries have no added adhesives under their coverings. You can tell just by the many wrinkles.
Their are two types of Balsarite and I had an email exchange with a fellow from Balsarite as I wanted clarification on which one to use. I started by using the can of Balsarite for regular coverings, which is somewhat thick, but can be thinned out. When I ran short of the regular Balsarite a friend gave me a can of it that he was not going to use. Come to find out, it was Balsarite for FILM. I finished coating my Eindecker with the Balsarite for FILM, but wished I had stayed with the Balsarite for regular coverings.
The fellow from Balsarite did explain that either will do the job, but I did find while covering my model that the Solartex did seem to adhere better to the Balsarite for regular coverings.
My Eindecker is covered now and I must say that I really do like the finished product and you would not be able to tell where I used the two different types of Balsarite.
As for getting replies to painting this covering. I am receiving replies in other forums and they have only confirmed to me that I will be staying with the Rust-Oleum paints. One fellow stated that the just used the paint, with no primer used. But, knowing myself, I am quite sure that I will be using a primer.
Other fellows had stated that Krylon had a tendency to crack. I have personally never had a cracking problem with the Krylon on other projects, but I have a lot of time and work into my Eindecker and at this point in time, do not care to take any chances with a possible paint cracking problem.
Hope this answers you questions.
