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great planes floats question please: - 6/15/2011 2:09 AM   
Turqui


 

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From: Weston, FL, USA
Status: offline 		i just got a very reasonable deal on a set of great planes floats 40 size kit,already built,covered in monokote; should i remnove the covering and apply fiberglass?
should i open a hole and fill the floats with" great stuff" expanding foam?
recomendation please.

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RE: great planes floats question please: - 6/15/2011 3:31 AM   
StevL


 

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From: Irmo, SC, USA
Status: offline 		I'm pretty much a newbie with the float thing, but I would think to not fill the float with foam. You will add weight, make a another entry point for water, and the expanding foam could break joints, balsa, etc.

Just keep the covering ironed down.... imho




Cheers,
Steve

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RE: great planes floats question please: - 10/18/2011 9:57 PM   
fledermaus



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Status: offline 		I don't like the idea of using monokote as the sole covering on wooden floats. Look at the planes at your field and notice that over time the covering tends to lift a bit at the edges. If that is the only waterproofing on your floats, the balsa will become waterlogged pretty quickly.

I scratch built floats based on the plans from the Great Planes kit but slighly larger, and I glassed them with 1.5 oz glass cloth on the bottoms and 0.75 oz on the top and sides. Spray-painted with aluminium car engine paint, and they have lasted for about 5 years without a glitch. I have even made an emergency dead-stick landing on the beach with them, no problems.

There is absolutely no need to "fill in" well-built wooden floats with foam, just adds weight for no real gain. IMHO.

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RE: great planes floats question please: - 10/18/2011 10:20 PM   
scale only 4 me



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From: Avon Lake, OH, USA
Status: offline 		Air has more buoyancy than foam, with a whole lot less weight
Monokote will work fine if sealed well,,, glass and paint them if anything

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RE: great planes floats question please: - 3/29/2012 5:19 PM   
wetbird



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From: Fresno, CA, USA
Status: offline 		I've been using Coverite "21st Century" and before installing the coverite, I always coat the wood, inside & out with "Balsarite" adds very little weight and it seals the wood in case the floats break and take in water. The fabric seals very well and will not wrinkle or come loose. I have a pair of 60 size GP floats and I've been flying on water with them for years and still looks good. I used 1.5 oz glass before, painted it and over time, the paint started to peel and the glass blistered. I suppose that might depent on how long your floats are in the water! Coverite is the best covering I've found for long term water contact. DO NOT ADD FOAM in wood floats, GP floats are heavy enough without help! 

Happy Float flying, it's the season now! Enjoy!
Gerry


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RE: great planes floats question please: - 3/30/2012 2:24 AM   
JimCasey



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RE: great planes floats question please: - 3/30/2012 2:24 PM   
ronwc



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From: LARGO, FL, USA
Status: offline 		I would just fly them as is, i've never had a problem with just monocote -



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RE: great planes floats question please: - 4/2/2012 12:14 AM   
JohnBuckner



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Status: online 		It all has to do with your activity and frequency of use. If you are an infrequent flyer on the water, in other words not every day or perhaps several time a week then yes absolutely Monocoat brand works very well on untreated built up or wood skinned floats.

The point is if you like many of us infrequent water flyers are in the habit of a carefull preflight before a water outing and the covering is inspected every time and receives maintenance then monocoat is just fine.

If you do not do this and tend to go out without inspection and maintenance and just slid the ship in the bed of the old pickup then indeed stick with the more durable glassed floats.

I have a fair variety of ships with a wide variety of floats including a set of the Great Planes floats that are just dandy with monocoat. I do however have one set I glassed for my Schneider Sport and I do have and old set of foams whacked out and covered with an old set of the wifes panty hose (poor mans glassing).

John

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RE: great planes floats question please: - 4/2/2012 12:50 AM   
JimCasey



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Status: offline 		sorry, I keep hitting OK instead of just returning to the forum.  
There is not a "DELETE" function in "Edit". 



< Message edited by JimCasey -- 4/25/2012 2:52 AM >

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RE: great planes floats question please: - 4/24/2012 5:01 PM   
edsplane


 

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Status: offline 		Here's my opinion. Always cover the floats with either fiberglass, silk or similar fabric, painted with fuel-proofed dope or really thinned epoxy paint. Covering them with film over bare wood, is really asking for trouble. And always glue chunks of the very light type of styrofoam between the float compartments. Doing these things will better keep the floats water-tight and hold them together better in a crash. Also, the styrofoam will give you better floatation if the floats get damaged. You can do all this and still keep the plane light and it really helps when you need to find and recover the pieces if you crash. Hope this helps.
rcaeronauts.com

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RE: great planes floats question please: - 5/11/2012 10:03 PM   
box car



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Status: online 		this is what I use on floats foam or wood   http://www.wowplanes.com/product_info.php?products_id=130&osCsid=4e7dfadddd405ad9861cd0c4ef593c92

never leak


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