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Fabric Covering Comments Appreciated - 1/19/2003 5:12:10 PM   
kajunkane


 

Posts: 21
Joined: 9/8/2002
From: New Iberia, LA, USA
Status: offline 		Building my first true scale model. Balsa USA / 1/4 scale / J3 Cub. Looking for the real thing in realizm. What is the best fabric covering to use, ie Sig Coverall , Solartex, Worldtex, etc. Plan to paint and stitch after applied. I just am not familiar with fabrics. Looking for some of your wisdom.
Gary Manuel
New Iberia, LA
       Post #: 1

fabric - 1/19/2003 7:01:55 PM   
rcalfred



Posts: 391
Joined: 12/7/2001
From: Elk Grove Village, IL, USA
Status: offline 		Go to a fabric store and ask to see polyester dress lining. This is about the same as Sig 's koverite and F&M's poly-fabric. Much cheaper! Heat shrinks and takes various finishes, dope, poly-tone, etc. Also, much cheaper than silk and comes in any length you want. Am using it to cover a Cessna UC-78 Bamboo Bomber. Attaches to the framework with dope or poly-tack or Sig stik-it. Cost was about $3.65 per yard for 50" wide. Regards.


_____________________________

Al Sortwell
AMA 15663

(in reply to kajunkane)
       Post #: 2

Fabric Covering Comments Appreciated - 1/19/2003 8:07:31 PM   
LesUyeda



Posts: 928
Joined: 10/10/2002
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Solartex is easy to use, goes around corners nicely. All the pre-colored fabrics are heavy. Sig Koverall is a pain to use. You have to paint a heat sensitive glue to the frame, then iron on the material.

Les

(in reply to kajunkane)
       Post #: 3

Fabric Covering Comments Appreciated - 1/19/2003 10:16:06 PM   
MikeS


 

Posts: 219
Joined: 2/28/2002
From: Cincinnati, OH,
Status: offline 		Solartex = Worldtex = Colortex, all the same thing. It is great stuff, and I would recommend it over 21st century. It stretches. shrinks and adheres better. 21st Century has a more painted and finished look. Solar has an open weave that must be filled with a clear overspray or the weave fills in with exhaust junk.
21st will crack over time on an open bay surface, but I have a 9 yr old Sopwith that has 21st on it. Started to replace with solartex, the color is better, it is lighter and goes on much better.
Reason to use silkspan: If you want a lighter finish and a color that does not come in the ready to iron on. In that case, the extra glue or doping needed to install the fabric is very small compared to the time spent on painting.
Good luck,

_____________________________

Mike

(in reply to kajunkane)
       Post #: 4

Fabric Covering Comments Appreciated - 1/19/2003 10:27:03 PM   
Mr_Scale



Posts: 372
Joined: 6/1/2002
From: Seymour, IN, USA
Status: offline 		You guys that have used the "Tex's" have you ever used Nelson's Lite Fab and if so how do they compare? I have used Lite Fab, it is good covering but would not consider it great.

(in reply to kajunkane)
       Post #: 5

Fabric Covering Comments Appreciated - 1/20/2003 11:18:20 PM   
Bison



Posts: 41
Joined: 4/11/2002
From: Mobile, AL, USA
Status: offline 		I have covered two planes with fabric.

The first plane (sopwith Pup) was covered with Sig Koverall and painted with Sig dope. I liked the way the Koverall worked and and finished. The weight of the finish was pretty light but not as light as a film covering. What I don't like about the Koverall and dope finish is that is not resistant to a fuel with over a 10% nitro content and the finish tends to "splotch" with time. However, it doesn't wrinkle at all.

The second plane (CG Super Chipmunk) was covered using the F&M S**** polyester system. It was a little more difficult to cover with the S**** polyester cloth but the other products - polyseal, polytone paints were premixed for spraying and worked very well. The completed s**** finish is heavier than the Koverall & dope finish but stands up to the nitro in fuel very well ,and doesn't splotch or dull with age or wrinkle. Blemishes are very easy to repair.

I think my 60 size Chipmunk picked up a little too much weight from the finish for its size. But for 120 size planes and larger, I recommend the F&M S**** product. They have a good instructional video on how to do the whole process including rib stitching.

If you don't like using solvent based products, then neither of these finishes is for you.

(in reply to kajunkane)
       Post #: 6

Silk and Dope - 1/22/2003 5:47:03 PM   
Mike Denest



Posts: 725
Joined: 5/21/2002
From: Newark, DE, USA
Status: offline 		Much has been written about fabric covering over the years. It comes down to what you want for a finish. Spend the money on the iron on type coverings or spend the hours on a fabric and dope (or any other system) finish. Work with what you can use in your shop environment. You may not have the equipment required (sprayer, compressor, protective clothing) to do a dope and fabric job, not to mention stinking your family out of the house for that super finish. Rule of thumb; try a system and select one that works for you.

I grew up with silk and dope; the techniques I learned I now apply to aircraft fabric covering (cotton, ceconite, Poly Fiber). I've done silk and dope, coverall and dope, glass cloth and resin, Money, er, Monocote and still prefer the good old silk and dope job. Iron on finishes are ok but to do a super trim job requires templates and a good eye with the scissors.

Unfortunately, because of political correctness and environmental issues, most dope formulas today ( Sig , Brodak/ Randolph) do not have the ability to resist higher nitro fuels. I'd love to find a warehouse full of that good old Aerogloss dope. Now that was fuelproof!

Mike

(in reply to kajunkane)
       Post #: 7

Fabric Covering Comments Appreciated - 1/22/2003 6:50:52 PM   
MikeS


 

Posts: 219
Joined: 2/28/2002
From: Cincinnati, OH,
Status: offline 		Bison, is F&M S**** the real name of the system you refer to? Couldn't find a thing searching for that.

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Mike

(in reply to kajunkane)
       Post #: 8

"s****" - 1/22/2003 7:14:03 PM   
rcalfred



Posts: 391
Joined: 12/7/2001
From: Elk Grove Village, IL, USA
Status: offline 		The site for F & M Enterprises is: [url]www.s****.com.[/url] They used to be in California, now located in Texas. (The RCU system blocks the word and inserts s****. Just type it in it correctly and you will get to the site.) Regards.


_____________________________

Al Sortwell
AMA 15663

(in reply to kajunkane)
       Post #: 9

S**** - 1/23/2003 5:23:25 PM   
Mike Denest



Posts: 725
Joined: 5/21/2002
From: Newark, DE, USA
Status: offline 		To quote Groucho Marx,

"Say the secret word and win a $100"

S*T*I*T*S


Just watch out for overflying ducks.

Mike

(in reply to kajunkane)
       Post #: 10

Paxaero - 1/23/2003 6:18:21 PM   
vinnie



Posts: 651
Joined: 1/7/2002
From: hollywood, MD, USA
Status: offline 		Hey Mikey,
How you doin'? How is that Pa. winter treating you? When are you coming back to Maryland? I need to fondle that Kraft single stick once more before drifting off into senility.

_____________________________

Regards,
vinnie
AMA 680367

(in reply to kajunkane)
       Post #: 11

Fabric Covering Comments Appreciated - 1/23/2003 7:24:47 PM   
Mike Denest



Posts: 725
Joined: 5/21/2002
From: Newark, DE, USA
Status: offline 		Egads,
Is it as cold down there as it is up here? Cripes, I never know when I get the call to spend time in Southern MD. Don't worry about that Kraft, if I make it back down, I two more for you to fondle. Say hi to the folks at Doug's for me.

Best regards,

Mike

< Message edited by Mike Denest -- Jan 23 2003 2:35PM >

(in reply to kajunkane)
       Post #: 12

Fabric Covering Comments Appreciated - 1/23/2003 8:25:01 PM   
vinnie



Posts: 651
Joined: 1/7/2002
From: hollywood, MD, USA
Status: offline 		Yeah Mike it's cold. About 15 right now and 20mph winds. Managed to sneak a flifgt in on Monday afternoon, but it was so windy that it wasn't much fun.

But, the days are getting longer and before you know it...spring will be here.

Take Care.

_____________________________

Regards,
vinnie
AMA 680367

(in reply to kajunkane)
       Post #: 13

Fabric Covering Comments Appreciated - 1/24/2003 12:26:42 AM   
DMyer


 

Posts: 478
Joined: 10/16/2002
From: Potomac, MD, USA
Status: online 		The S*T*I*T*S Poly-Fabric is excellent stuff, but too heavy for my taste. I would not use it on anything less than 1/4 scale 90 -100" span. I loved the entire S*T*I*T*S process and would substitiute another lighter polyester material the next time I use it.

(in reply to kajunkane)
       Post #: 14

Fabric Covering Comments Appreciated - 1/24/2003 7:41:11 PM   
Bish Wheeler


 

Posts: 262
Joined: 1/12/2003
From: Boise, ID, USA
Status: offline