oscarthompson

I am about to cover my plane with solar film, I have never covered before.
so i would like some tips on how to apply it and how to apply double layers etc.

I would also like to know if there are any videos or websites that show you how to cover with solar film.

p100d

go to You Tube and look up Monokote. There are lots of how to video's.

raydar

http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/a...article_id=726

Hossfly

Others have provided some help areas. One tip on solarfilm is that it is very low heat material. It sticks to itself - glue side to glue side - without much heat at all, so one needs to be careful when applying.
The coloring is the adhesive. You can get a very nice finish job, but after some active flying it will begin to peel and takes reapplications if using glow fuels.

Double layers will definitely require a route for the air to escape from between the layers.

jaka

Hi!
Don't use Solarfilm. The best covering film is Oracover and if you want a fabric look, Solartex or Oratex.

Fs one

Do not use solarfilm is not good does not tolerate heat not strong.I use monokote and oracover both are good coverings.hope this helps.keep smiling keep flying.

Fs One

sir crashallot

iv got a quick tip, before you cover use the backing that you remove and throw away to wipe down the fus or part you are covering, its static helps pull dust away from your parts needing covering and gives it a better surface to stick to.

kargo

The solar film sounds a little like nelson litefilm, although i thought it was a bit tuffer stuff... The litefilm would stick glue to glue side too, but it had some really nice results. I covered a decathlon with a starburst pattern with litefilm, using windex and a "squeegee" to get the star decals nice and smooth. almoust 0 bubbes. it was cool until i flew the hob decathlon into a pole its back on the board for a rebuild.

question for you Jaka, which covering did you use on the dc3? WAY cool...

oscarthompson

I Have already orderd the solarfilm

oscarthompson

Do you suggest putting pins in the lapsed layers to let airoutor cover seprate area's in red and white with on. ( Eg. where i want red I will will put that down and where i want whiteI will put that down)

Oscar

Hossfly

That may work, however I have not done that with solarfilm. I have done such with monokote and had it work quite well when using red over white - wing stripes.
I suggest when using white with layers, always have the white on the bottom. May not be needed, however I do so. Of course white stripes over another main color covering, well guess the white HAS to go on the top! [sm=confused.gif]

Best of luck with your project.

raydar

I have solarfilmed my two planes and found it ok to work with, one plane has 40 plus flights and is showing no signs of loose covering problems due to oil from the fuel.
I have no experience with other coverings and im sure as experience has posted there is far better coverings out there but if you have bought and payed forthe solarfilmI would not stress to much about using it.

Domino60

Hi,

I've been looking to cover my airplane too and searched on internet people use different types of materials to cover frame wings or just simple foam wings to be tight, waterproof and look nice of course.
but all types that i searched i found they are all kinda expensive (Laminat, Monokote, Ultrakote, oratex, solar film and hear shrink film), all that instead of the last one cost a lot of money per meter, like 5~10$ per meter,
only think about to cover a 3~4 square meter plane that's about 40$ just of covering. Isn't there a cheaper covering film?

Hydro Junkie

Don't know if you noticed but this thread is over 5 years out of date. What was applicable then may not be applicable now

Domino60

What's applicable now then?

I searched on ebay and other online shops, I've seen Laminat, monokote, ultrakote, heat strink, they are all expensive at hell
What people use nowadays to cover their airplanes? I've heard of solar film but i found only few of them and looked on youtube there is no tutorial on solar films, only tutorials how to setup on windows with water..etc

Any idea with what to cover my plane beeing water proof..etc ?

Hydro Junkie

Do a search through the forums and see what you find. I know at least one of the coverings has had the adhesive changed and many don't like it. Something about it not being as sticky or as fuel proof as it used to be.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Some people that take the time to do a search may have discovered I started using what we call Chinacote that is sold through Hobbyking. Before I started using it there were a couple other guys posting about it. It comes in 5 meter rolls. Borrow a computer and do a search in the Hobby King adds. It's faster then pulling up threads from 1999. I even posted in a build thread how to use it but that may also take a few minutes to look up.

Domino60

ChinaKote (heatshring film) found on hobbyking 8$ per 5m sounds good deal but hobbyking have a really high shipping minimum 30$ in my country, ***
I found on ebay with 9~10$ 5m but the shipping is 45$ :S this film start piss me off I'm gonna cover my airplane with tapes in the end.

Well i will keep searching on internet about shops with covering films. if you got any websites pls tell me

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

What country you in?? I never ordered much from HK until they opened up warehouses here in the states and have a contact phone number. Shipping from China cost too much and if there was a problem there was no way to speak to a human. Now there is a warehouse closer to me so shipping isn't bad at all.
Before heat shrink covering we used Dope and Silkspan to cover models in. Several threads on it on RCU.

Domino60

I mostly live in Europe but right now I am in a country for a period of time, between Urkain and Romania, I tryed Russian warehouse or international, the shipping for a 8$ is 30$ shipping in any kind of ways,
I tried to ship to Romania and the shipping is 3$, that's really stupid.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Sorry, I know nothing of that part of the world, a bit surprised about the cost from Russia, I know nothing of there RC world but they do make the MDS engines there so thought they would have more in the way of hobby items?
I have friends in some places that it's very hard to get the needed RC items due to the shipping and tax prices so they have worked around it. If you know anyone that travels between where you are and the UK you can have them hand carry items for you. HK has a warehouse in the UK I think?? If not the the Ultra/Ora cover is available in the UK.
Last resort is shelf lining paper with the sticky back. I have seen some ARFs with crap like that covering them. Look into the Dope and Silkspan.

Domino60

Well I need to build that plane fast so I don't have time to travel or even ask friends to buy for me, probably I'm gonna use glue with thin paper and spray color.