Covering advice - technique
05-02-2004, 12:30 PM
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Covering advice - technique
Hi all,
I am about to start covering the fuselage of my 4*60 and wanted to know a bit about technique. For example when applying Ultracoat to the fuselage sides would you iron down the whole surface of the covering or would you do just the edges and then use a Heat Gun to get the covering tight.
Also i guess for the wing you would do top panel starting at the low main spar, wrapping it around the leading edge onto the top surface..??
Thanks for any advice you may give
Oddball
I am about to start covering the fuselage of my 4*60 and wanted to know a bit about technique. For example when applying Ultracoat to the fuselage sides would you iron down the whole surface of the covering or would you do just the edges and then use a Heat Gun to get the covering tight.
Also i guess for the wing you would do top panel starting at the low main spar, wrapping it around the leading edge onto the top surface..??
Thanks for any advice you may give
Oddball
05-02-2004, 06:32 PM
#2
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RE: Covering advice - technique
Follow this sequence for all covering jobs.
Fuselage:
Start doing the bottom, always cut material about an inch larger overall so you can pull on the material as you tack down all the perimeter of the surface first, pull enough as not to create creases that can not be fixed later by the use of either the iron or the heat gun., after the area has been glued all around the perimeter, then it is your option of either using the heat gun or the iron, the first method will give you a smoother finish, if applying the iron, there will always be some scratches present, but doing it this way will impart more strength to the surface (a lot more), after the surface is shrank, trim any excess material with a new Xacto # 11 blade.
Then do the sides and then the top last, using the same technique.
When doing the wings, always do the bottom first, the covering should be placed short of the leading edge, by around 1/2 an inch and in the trailing edge, about 1/8 of an inch, should be OK. First tack glue the perimeter, pulling the material as you go, stretch it as much as possible by hand, then iron down all the perimeter surface, now you can use the heat gun or iron to do the rest of the surface.
When doing the top surface, you want to have the covering go over the bottom one (at the leading edge) by no less than a 1/4 of an inch, tack it first at different locations, about 3 to 4 inches apart, do the entire perimeter, then iron down the leading edge first, then the trailing edge, remember to pull as you go, then center area and last the wing tip, here also it will be your choice if to use the heat gun, for a smoother finish or the hot iron. And finally shrink the rest of the area. Sit back and enjoy your beautifull work!
Wingtips must be done with care and time, I like to bring the bottom covering as close to the middle of the wing tip as possible then the top one will overlap the bottom by around 1/8 of an inch, do not try to do the overlapping in one shot, it will not work with the Kotes materials, instead, do use a sharp blade to slit the material to overlap itself, start at the rear of the wingtip moving forward, when you notice that a crease is created, slit the material and repeat the process as necessary to create a smooth installation, at the end a final strip of maybe a 1/2 inch can be glued over the joint to seal everything and making for a neater job. It takes a little practice, so why not do a wing tip first just to get a hang for it.
Fuselage:
Start doing the bottom, always cut material about an inch larger overall so you can pull on the material as you tack down all the perimeter of the surface first, pull enough as not to create creases that can not be fixed later by the use of either the iron or the heat gun., after the area has been glued all around the perimeter, then it is your option of either using the heat gun or the iron, the first method will give you a smoother finish, if applying the iron, there will always be some scratches present, but doing it this way will impart more strength to the surface (a lot more), after the surface is shrank, trim any excess material with a new Xacto # 11 blade.
Then do the sides and then the top last, using the same technique.
When doing the wings, always do the bottom first, the covering should be placed short of the leading edge, by around 1/2 an inch and in the trailing edge, about 1/8 of an inch, should be OK. First tack glue the perimeter, pulling the material as you go, stretch it as much as possible by hand, then iron down all the perimeter surface, now you can use the heat gun or iron to do the rest of the surface.
When doing the top surface, you want to have the covering go over the bottom one (at the leading edge) by no less than a 1/4 of an inch, tack it first at different locations, about 3 to 4 inches apart, do the entire perimeter, then iron down the leading edge first, then the trailing edge, remember to pull as you go, then center area and last the wing tip, here also it will be your choice if to use the heat gun, for a smoother finish or the hot iron. And finally shrink the rest of the area. Sit back and enjoy your beautifull work!
Wingtips must be done with care and time, I like to bring the bottom covering as close to the middle of the wing tip as possible then the top one will overlap the bottom by around 1/8 of an inch, do not try to do the overlapping in one shot, it will not work with the Kotes materials, instead, do use a sharp blade to slit the material to overlap itself, start at the rear of the wingtip moving forward, when you notice that a crease is created, slit the material and repeat the process as necessary to create a smooth installation, at the end a final strip of maybe a 1/2 inch can be glued over the joint to seal everything and making for a neater job. It takes a little practice, so why not do a wing tip first just to get a hang for it.
