How to Fiberglass ?

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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Beginners >> How to Fiberglass ?

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How to Fiberglass ? - 8/21/2012 2:15 AM

BillinIndiana

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How much is involved when it comes to fiberglassing a plane instead of using the film covering? Could I do a Sig Kadet Mark II in fiberglass? I'm sure the glass is heavier, which the Mark II is already on the heavy side I've been told.

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RE: How to Fiberglass ? - 8/21/2012 2:51 AM

JohnBuckner

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Bill glassing is not generally done in place of covering film over open bay structures. It is normally used only over solid surfaces such as a sheeted wing.

But lets talk about this idea a bit. Yes indeed the Mark 11 is a heavier design than the later similar sized Seniorita for example (a lot heavier). Any attempt to glass this airplane I feel would be a big mistake. Don,t make the common mistake on your first build by 'improving and making it stronger'. Do that and you could seriously burden what might have been a successful airplane.

Resist the powerful urge to start improving. Time for that is down the line a bit and then its fun to join the ranks of the time honored tradition of the kit basher. I am a strong supporter of kit bashing but definately not on your first build.

John

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RE: How to Fiberglass ? - 8/21/2012 3:11 AM

BillinIndiana

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Yea, I wasn't sure if the fiberglass had to have a backing or could span the open areas of a model. Looks like I should have built that Ziroli Dauntless like I wanted too !! Photos like this are what made me want to build a plane..

This guy has done some nice planes.. www.matoonline.com/davidsHobbies.htm

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RE: How to Fiberglass ? - 8/21/2012 3:59 AM

RCKen

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Bill,

I can totally understand how you want to build a great plane from a kit. Trust me, I know better than anybody that kit building is addictive. And I can totally understand how you want to make your plane to be "the greatest" out there. And trust me when I say this, everybody here wants to see you succeed, me more than anybody. So when I say this I am only saying it because I want to see you succeed. Fiberglassing this plane would be biting off more than you can chew.

Skills involved in building a kit are learned, just like anything that you learn how to do. Heck, guys that fly F-18 Hornets start out on slow prop driven planes too. So when it comes to building a kit you need to learn the skills a little bit at a time. First learn to build a simple kit designed for beginners. The kit that you have ordered is an outstanding plane to start building on. It's a very well proven design and there are enough people that have built that plane so you will have a good source of info if you get hung up as you build. What you need to focus on right now is simply building the plane. Trust me, at this stage that's enough to worry about without trying to figure out how to fiberglass. Just build the plane by the instructions and then cover it with traditional covering, Monokote or Ultracote. Trust me on this one, if you do that you're going to have a plane that you are going to be so proud of.

I'm really not trying to bring you down with this advice, but rather I'm trying to help you. I know you see lots of things here on RCU (and other forums) like the Ziroli plane you showed in your picture. And wanting to build something like that is definitely a worthy goal. But you gotta learn to walk before you can run. Learning to build is just the same way. You have to learn these skills a little bit at a time. Trust me on this one.

Hope this helps

Ken

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RE: How to Fiberglass ? - 8/21/2012 4:27 AM

Gray Beard

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It isn't too late to build the Ziroli!! Then again, think of the really basic questions you have been asking. I'm thinking the guy that is putting together the Dauntless doesn't need to ask the questions you have been asking. There is a bit of a learning curve before you tackle something like the Dauntless but you should be able to do it after you have finished your trainer. Your second kit can be much more advanced.

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RE: How to Fiberglass ? - 8/21/2012 4:32 AM

jester_s1

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I'll add that your trainer is the plane you're likely to ding up as you learn even if you don't ever really crash it. It's kinda like a 16 year old's first car- it takes abuse. The reason that the plastic coverings are so popular is that they are decently durable and amazingly easy to repair. Keep it simple and practical on your first build and save those fancy ideas for your second or third plane. That said, you can do an awful lot of fun and fancy stuff with plastic covering. Go ahead and start looking at color scheme ideas and plan out something will great visibility (consider how the pattern and IMAC planes look for ideas) and an individual flair of your own.

To answer your original question, the stuff you'd use to cover your trainer if you want a fabric base for painting is Sig Coverall. It's a polyester fabric that will hold some tension so it stays tight over time. There are some heat adhesive fabrics on the market as well that are designed to be painted, bridging the labor gap just a little between the glue on Coverall vs. the iron on Monocote.

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RE: How to Fiberglass ? - 8/21/2012 4:46 AM

BillinIndiana

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Ohhh Boyyyyy !!!

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RE: How to Fiberglass ? - 8/21/2012 2:56 PM

KW_Counter

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Bill,

Here is a great tutorial on glassing.
http://www.airfieldmodels.com/information_source/how_to_articles_for_model_builders/finishing_techniques/apply_fiberglass_finish/index.htm
Somewhere on his page he mentions that if your planes last less than 2 full seasons it isn't worth the work.
Something to consider if you are knew to this hobby.

Does anyone know what happened to Paul Johnson, Cafeen Man?
His website, Airfieldmodels.com doesn't appear to have been updated in a long time.

Good Luck,
KW_Counter

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RE: How to Fiberglass ? - 8/21/2012 6:28 PM

Gray Beard

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Jester likes Coverall and it is a fine product. You will also find that any of the coverings called TEX like Solartex will do a fantastic job and is easier to work with then any other type of coverings. It looks like a real cloth covering because it is. Comes in several colors so doing trims is very easy. The main trick to it is to do your main color first, shrink it up nice and tight then take the plane and set it out in the hot sun for a while. It will sag, take it back into your shop and shrink it again, do this several times until it isn't bothered by the hot sun. Now it is ready for your trim and it will never sag on you when sitting out in the sun. I will attach a couple of photos of a bipe I built for IMAA events and it sat out in the hot sun for days on end without sagging or wrinkling.
It is the easiest covering you can work with, it makes everyone look good!! The weight is just a bit more then plastic so it can be used on your trainer. The plane I'm showing is a 68 inch Boeing and not only are the wings open bay but so is most of the fuse. The photos were taken in 03 and I still have the plane. I have it on my wall and take it down every year or so and assemble it, fly it for a while then take out the gear and hang it up again. Bipes are a pain in the butt to haul so I no longer fly it a lot. There are no IMAA events in the Vegas area.
Give Solartex a thought, it is something that works well on a trainer and looks and feels cool.

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RE: How to Fiberglass ? - 8/22/2012 5:03 AM

jester_s1

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I haven't used Solartex but everyone I know that has says the same thing you did Greybeard- that it's easy to work with and looks great. I only recommended Coverall because the OP was asking about doing a glue on type of finish.

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RE: How to Fiberglass ? - 8/22/2012 6:22 AM

Gray Beard

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He was asking about glassing but it is an open bay plane he has. If I had to cover all my planes and if I could get away with it I would use nothing buy TEX. I think I could cover a golf ball with it, it's that easy and very strong. It does weigh a bit more then plastic covering so if you are a weight watcher it isn't good for everything.

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RE: How to Fiberglass ? - 8/24/2012 8:59 PM

bruce88123

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quote:

ORIGINAL: KW_Counter

Bill,

Here is a great tutorial on glassing.
http://www.airfieldmodels.com/information_source/how_to_articles_for_model_builders/finishing_techniques/apply_fiberglass_finish/index.htm
Somewhere on his page he mentions that if your planes last less than 2 full seasons it isn't worth the work.
Something to consider if you are knew to this hobby.

Does anyone know what happened to Paul Johnson, Cafeen Man?
His website, Airfieldmodels.com doesn't appear to have been updated in a long time.

Good Luck,
KW_Counter

I don't know exactly what he's doing regarding his site but he last logged in on 08/18/2012 12:46:58: AM. See RE: Biggest Boat-Anchor of an Airplane EVER! for latest post. In the All Forums >> Electric Aircraft Universe >> Foamies! - RC Electric Foam Aircraft >> Biggest Boat-Anchor of an Airplane EVER! forum

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RE: How to Fiberglass ? - 9/2/2012 7:12 AM

CafeenMan

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I'm still around and not getting any model-airplane related stuff done. In fact, I had photos for a half-dozen articles and lost them all somehow. Almost every second of my free time is spent making fixtures. So business is good but no time to actually build anything.

As to the topic, I never think glassing a solid fuselage is a bad idea if for no other reason than to ensure it's absolutely fuel-proof. I started and left the hobby for years more than once and always came back with a new trainer. Several of them had glassed fuselages with Monokote on the wings.

It doesn't add a lot of weight and it's probably the simplest thing to glass since it's flat all the way around. I also glassed the tail feathers.

On the down side it does cost more and take more time. If you have never flown and don't have natural ability then you probably will crash your plane a few times and it might not be worth the effort to initially glass and paint and then repair. Film repairs are child's play compared to repairing paint.

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RE: How to Fiberglass ? - 9/2/2012 2:22 PM

KW_Counter

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Paul,

Glad to see you're still around!
Also glad to see you're so busy.
Someday you'll get back into the swing of things.

Thanks for all your help to everyone,
KW_Counter

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