acdii

You have it right. I started off with Butyrate, so could not use nitrate, but on the door I started with Nitrate and finished with Butyrate.

cubcrasher

My Feedback: (6)

I likes me some Koverall.

smkrcflyer

What's the benefit of using Koverall over Natural Solartex if your going to paint the plane? Solartex has glue on it and the weave is already filled. The only thing I can think of is the Solartex painted would weight more then Koverall.

John_M_

The differences, other than the method of adhering the covering to the airframe, would be the grain or weave of the fabric... the koverall has a different weave to it than the natural solartex... the benefits would all depend entirely on how you finished it...i.e if you want to fill in the fabric weave or have it show through... from what Ace was saying that stits lite poly fabric is even better than the koverall.



John M,

acerc

Stits will send you a sample if you ask them for it.

John_M_

Well I'm no expert in using koverall, but from what I've read, it takes a few more coats to fill the weave than solaretx... and you have to be careful not to push the sealer coat through the weave of the fabric over the open bays (spraying is best)... I have a sample pack of solatex that BalsaUSA sent me, and the natural solartex has a tighter weave than koverall, so the solartex will take less to fill the weave... now based on the stits system and after seeing Aces pitts... the stits gives a nice scale appearance to the finished product... and acdii's 1/5 cub covered in koverall, looks great too, so you just have to find what tickles you, and go with it... back in my early days, silk span and dope was the thing to use, and it looked fantastic finished, but it has a limited life span and becomes fragile and tears easily; you can put your finger thought it if you're not careful, especially if its aged.


John M,

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Arguing over which is better Coverall or Solartex is a bit like arguing which is the better radio Futaba or Spektrum, You can ask 10 fliers, get 12 answers and never change any minds! It all comes down to personal preference.

acerc

No one is arguing, simply stating facts. What one is willing to do is what product they will use. Koverall requires much more work than Stits, Stits requires much more work than raw Solartex, raw Solartex requires more work than painted Solartex, painted Solartex is easier than 21st Century, 21st Century is easier than mono/ultra/any plastic...... There, now pick which stage and expense you are willing to put forth......

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

OK discussing not arguing but it still comes down to preference, in the end both materials get the job done.

acerc

Yea, but if you can't spray paint you can't use raw anything. Knowing what is what and how it works is the real info, not partial statements of which is best to me/you or whomever. I love starting raw, but I can do all the stages in-between. And I also know how many coats it takes to fill the weave to which stage of finish of any fabric. Example, Koverall takes 6 for a smooth finish whereas Stits is 3 coats. A Cub is less filled than a Stearman and a Waco is different than either of those. A lot of variables in any method to state which is best, but rather which can I and which will I.

SrTelemaster150

Well, for one thing, Koveall costs about 1/3 as much as Solartex & given that I am going to have to paint my "Cub Yellow" Solartex anyway, I would have been money ahead to go W/the Koverall.

acerc

Yes, it is cheaper than the Solartex, but Poly-lite will take far less to fill the weave. Just sayin....

smkrcflyer

Thanks Acerc that's the information I was looking for.

SrTelemaster150

I paid over $60 (shipped) for a 5 meter (27" wide) roll of pre-finished Solartex. I could have bought 3 yards (60" wide) of Stits Poly-Lite for $24. (+ shipping) Even factoring in the added cost of shipping & finishing, Poly-Lite seems like it would be more cost effective. Especially when the added cost of paint to bring the Cub Yellow up to snuff was factored in.

One question though. How easily does Poly-Lite form around curves? Would one use the same heat/stretch method that works W/Solartex?

Corsair2013

My Feedback: (2)

I know I love Solartex for going around curves and getting the wrinkles out. I haven't tried the Stits yet but I may if it works as good and price is that much less.

Keith

cubcrasher

My Feedback: (6)

After it's all said and done, I still likes me some Koverall.

Cub Man

My Feedback: (50)

i miss the good old super coverite

mnemennth

I like me some Koveralls...



... always have.


mnem
You can take the boy out of the country...

bigbird3

cub man, if you are talking about the coverite with no glue, I have a roll. Want it? Shipping and what ever you think it's worth and it's yours. I can send it in a tube.
bird.

ARUP

I like Koverall but will try Stits once my Koverall supply 'dwindles' a bit. You can't easily spray Koverall to seal the weave (I've not used a HVLP gun for this, maybe it will work?) for the dope just blows thru the fabric. I use a tip given to me by Nigel Tarvin of Tarvin Model Products to roll the nitrate onto the fabric. The same care must be used to keep it from pooling so just 'paint' while holding the surface above self and let gravity assist. Roll elsewhere to 'dry' the roller then go 'pick up' excess dope so it won't pool. Don't use foam roller.

I'm almost finished with Taylor J-2 and will post some pics.

SrTelemaster150

Stits is looking more & more attractive once all of the factors are weighed.

Solartex is way over priced IMO.

Over $60 just for fabric to cover a 1/5 scale J-3 & probably another $20 in paint? Too expensive for me.

Cub Man

My Feedback: (50)

What I was talking about has the heat adhesive on it.

bigbird3

[QUOTE=Cub Man;118711Q
That's the not so old stuff! I have a roll of the old stuff! You must say exactly what you mean when speaking to us old guys! LOL!
There, consider yourself 'old schooled'!
Da bird.

Cub Man

My Feedback: (50)

[QUOTE=bigbird3;11871615][QUOTE=Cub Man;118711Q
That's the not so old stuff! I have a roll of the old stuff! You must say exactly what you mean when speaking to us old guys! LOL!
There, consider yourself 'old schooled'!
Da bird.[/QUOTE]
Hey now. I have been in the hobby over 20 years now. I always remember it with the iron on type.

Super08

My Feedback: (2)

I have been in it for over 40 years and back then there was no such thing as iron on. Guess that puts me in the ancient category.