Film Coverings
10-03-2012, 11:29 AM
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Film Coverings
Hi all. Can anyone give me a brief primer on the different kinds of coverings that are applied to large airplanes? I have some experience with Monokote, but what are the alternatives, especially those that can be applied at low temperatures?
10-03-2012, 12:32 PM
#2
My Feedback: (-1)
RE: Film Coverings
Ultrakote, Solartex or any of the TEX. The TEX covering is fabric and I use it often for scale planes where plastic looks wrong. Ultra goes on at a much lower temp then Mono and shrinks a lot better. I have even used it on foam wings without problems.
10-03-2012, 02:09 PM
#3
RE: Film Coverings
There is also Econokote which is a low temperature polyester film. It's not as thick as Monokote.
Then there is Coverite which is also a fabric that is ironed on and heat shrunk. It can be painted easily and looks like silk.
Frank
Then there is Coverite which is also a fabric that is ironed on and heat shrunk. It can be painted easily and looks like silk.
Frank
10-04-2012, 04:19 AM
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RE: Film Coverings
G'day
One that has not been specifically mentioned is Sig Koverall. It is a cloth that you attach with dope or a heat sensitive adhesive like Sig's Stixit or Solafilm's Balsaloc. It is then shrunk with your iron (carefully - it can really cause warps if you go mad with the iron) doped to seal it and then painted or doped. I am building (it has been five years now) a Sig Clipped Wing Cub and it is covered in Koverall. The trick is to seal the weave with thinned dope without adding too much weight. And then add a light paint job. Koverall its self is quite light but it is easy to go mad with the paint and build a lead sled.
I generally use Solafilm's Solatex as mentioned above by Grey Beard. It is wonderful to use, does not need a lot of heat and can be stretched round quite complicated curves. It is about 50% heavier then film. I built a foam Me-163 and tried to cover it in adhesive tape as suggested by the kit manufacturer but I could not get it to go round the curves. Solatex was a breeze. It also lasts well. My old Kadet Senior is now about 8 years old and the covering it holding up really well. It also takes paint well too but you don't need to paint it.
I have just built a Stick to the original plan. I had also built a Sig Four Star 120 for a friend and I covered it in Cub Yellow Solatex. There was quite a bit left over so I covered the stick with it. Looks good and thanks to slightly more weight than the other Stick I have (Great Planes Big Stick 40) it flies really well in the wind with an Enya 53 with a 11 x 7 Graupner prop.
Oh yes, Koverall is quite cheap but Solatex is quite expensive. Well worth it though for a nice model.
Mike in Oz
One that has not been specifically mentioned is Sig Koverall. It is a cloth that you attach with dope or a heat sensitive adhesive like Sig's Stixit or Solafilm's Balsaloc. It is then shrunk with your iron (carefully - it can really cause warps if you go mad with the iron) doped to seal it and then painted or doped. I am building (it has been five years now) a Sig Clipped Wing Cub and it is covered in Koverall. The trick is to seal the weave with thinned dope without adding too much weight. And then add a light paint job. Koverall its self is quite light but it is easy to go mad with the paint and build a lead sled.
I generally use Solafilm's Solatex as mentioned above by Grey Beard. It is wonderful to use, does not need a lot of heat and can be stretched round quite complicated curves. It is about 50% heavier then film. I built a foam Me-163 and tried to cover it in adhesive tape as suggested by the kit manufacturer but I could not get it to go round the curves. Solatex was a breeze. It also lasts well. My old Kadet Senior is now about 8 years old and the covering it holding up really well. It also takes paint well too but you don't need to paint it.
I have just built a Stick to the original plan. I had also built a Sig Four Star 120 for a friend and I covered it in Cub Yellow Solatex. There was quite a bit left over so I covered the stick with it. Looks good and thanks to slightly more weight than the other Stick I have (Great Planes Big Stick 40) it flies really well in the wind with an Enya 53 with a 11 x 7 Graupner prop.
Oh yes, Koverall is quite cheap but Solatex is quite expensive. Well worth it though for a nice model.
Mike in Oz
10-04-2012, 08:47 AM
#7
My Feedback: (-1)
RE: Film Coverings
Number three plane in line for my building board is a golden age racer at 1/3 scale, I call it a big little plane, It cries out for Solartex, nothing else will do. The Solartex looks like the original fabric covering and goes on so easily it makes everyone look like they know how to cover. The problem is the price though. My wife looked at the plans and said to me, You Better Start Saving for the covering NOW!!! There are other ways to cover the plane but I have never found anything as nice and easy as TEX.
