Nexstar covering question?
12-16-2007 | 03:37 PM
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From: , MD
Nexstar covering question?
I like my Nexstar but two things have happened.
1) The wind blew it off my flying table yesterday and destroyed my tail, rudder and damaged the end of the wing. (Lesson learned)
2) Over the past 3 months almost all of the decals and the black covering that is shaped like windows have come off the plane from fuel residue only on the muffler side.
I just purchased another new Nexstar ARF for $99 from Tower because it is cheaper than buying a new fuselage, wing and tail assembly seperately. I also bought an exhaust deflector which I hope will help.
Question?
What can I do to the covering when I get the new fuselage to stop the decals and covering from coming off? Is there some sort of coating I can spray over the plane or use nail polish or something like that.
Any advice would be appreciated.
1) The wind blew it off my flying table yesterday and destroyed my tail, rudder and damaged the end of the wing. (Lesson learned)
2) Over the past 3 months almost all of the decals and the black covering that is shaped like windows have come off the plane from fuel residue only on the muffler side.
I just purchased another new Nexstar ARF for $99 from Tower because it is cheaper than buying a new fuselage, wing and tail assembly seperately. I also bought an exhaust deflector which I hope will help.
Question?
What can I do to the covering when I get the new fuselage to stop the decals and covering from coming off? Is there some sort of coating I can spray over the plane or use nail polish or something like that.
Any advice would be appreciated.
12-16-2007 | 03:59 PM
#2
RE: Nexstar covering question?
Yes, The old saying, "Fly it till the covering falls off!" does not take long with the Nexstar. You can use clear nail polish on the leading edges of the monocoat to help it but I found that the trim covering on that plane is just poor. Everything that is not white seems to peel off easily and in short order.
12-16-2007 | 04:06 PM
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From: Port Orchard WA
RE: Nexstar covering question?
Yep, same thing happened to mine and I bought the ARF and moved everything over to it. Then I gave it to my Grandson. Problem solved!! Oh, the exhaust deflector won't help much. Mine fell off.
If you get the covering really clean you can replace the windows with the black stick-on adhesive covering. It holds up pretty good. It's just a messy engine! Runs great though!
If you get the covering really clean you can replace the windows with the black stick-on adhesive covering. It holds up pretty good. It's just a messy engine! Runs great though!
12-16-2007 | 04:44 PM
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From: Marrietta,
GA
RE: Nexstar covering question?
same here those exhaust deflector help a little, till they fall off. maybe a heat gun or iron will help untill you put new monocoat on or what stang said
12-16-2007 | 10:45 PM
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RE: Nexstar covering question?
my deflector never fell off, you have to crank the zip ties down tightly,I also made sure the tip of the muffler was cleaned with alcohol before I put it on, as well as making sure the size is right for the 46.
like what has been said the Nextar trim covering is pretty poor,but to help the covering and trim stay on, I always iron the covering before assembly of all my ARF planes, to make sure the covering has a good tight seal, just a little bit of a loose seam, the fuel oil gets in there and loosens up the glue,it will never seal down after that.
spray poly will generally stick to plastic film covering and seal the edges,but adds weight.
eventually I ended up stripping the covering repairing some broken areas and converting it to a float plane,for redoing the windows the peel and stick black covering works well you just need to make sure the surface your sticking it too is super clean any grease or exess fuel and the stuff comes off.
depending on the condition of your plane you might be able to repair it so you have some spares in reserve instead of throwing away the extra parts you might be surprised how easy it is my Nextar was crashed and rebuilt several times before I went for the full strip and overhaul as well as adding a OS61 for more power.
like what has been said the Nextar trim covering is pretty poor,but to help the covering and trim stay on, I always iron the covering before assembly of all my ARF planes, to make sure the covering has a good tight seal, just a little bit of a loose seam, the fuel oil gets in there and loosens up the glue,it will never seal down after that.
spray poly will generally stick to plastic film covering and seal the edges,but adds weight.
eventually I ended up stripping the covering repairing some broken areas and converting it to a float plane,for redoing the windows the peel and stick black covering works well you just need to make sure the surface your sticking it too is super clean any grease or exess fuel and the stuff comes off.
depending on the condition of your plane you might be able to repair it so you have some spares in reserve instead of throwing away the extra parts you might be surprised how easy it is my Nextar was crashed and rebuilt several times before I went for the full strip and overhaul as well as adding a OS61 for more power.
12-17-2007 | 12:01 AM
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From: Wynne,
AR
RE: Nexstar covering question?
ORIGINAL: bigtim
my deflector never fell off, you have to crank the zip ties down tightly,I also made sure the tip of the muffler was cleaned with alcohol before I put it on, as well as making sure the size is right for the 46.
like what has been said the Nextar trim covering is pretty poor,but to help the covering and trim stay on, I always iron the covering before assembly of all my ARF planes, to make sure the covering has a good tight seal, just a little bit of a loose seam, the fuel oil gets in there and loosens up the glue,it will never seal down after that.
spray poly will generally stick to plastic film covering and seal the edges,but adds weight.
eventually I ended up stripping the covering repairing some broken areas and converting it to a float plane,for redoing the windows the peel and stick black covering works well you just need to make sure the surface your sticking it too is super clean any grease or exess fuel and the stuff comes off.
depending on the condition of your plane you might be able to repair it so you have some spares in reserve instead of throwing away the extra parts you might be surprised how easy it is my Nextar was crashed and rebuilt several times before I went for the full strip and overhaul as well as adding a OS61 for more power.
my deflector never fell off, you have to crank the zip ties down tightly,I also made sure the tip of the muffler was cleaned with alcohol before I put it on, as well as making sure the size is right for the 46.
like what has been said the Nextar trim covering is pretty poor,but to help the covering and trim stay on, I always iron the covering before assembly of all my ARF planes, to make sure the covering has a good tight seal, just a little bit of a loose seam, the fuel oil gets in there and loosens up the glue,it will never seal down after that.
spray poly will generally stick to plastic film covering and seal the edges,but adds weight.
eventually I ended up stripping the covering repairing some broken areas and converting it to a float plane,for redoing the windows the peel and stick black covering works well you just need to make sure the surface your sticking it too is super clean any grease or exess fuel and the stuff comes off.
depending on the condition of your plane you might be able to repair it so you have some spares in reserve instead of throwing away the extra parts you might be surprised how easy it is my Nextar was crashed and rebuilt several times before I went for the full strip and overhaul as well as adding a OS61 for more power.
12-23-2007 | 09:24 AM
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From: , MD
RE: Nexstar covering question?
I got my ARF in and spent an hour on the covering. Making sure all the edges were sealed and getting the wrinkles out. I sealed all the edges with clear nail polish and epoxied around the engine compartment overlapping the covering. I also spent a lot of time with epoxy inside the fuselage on the areas that had given out on me on the first RTF I bought. Its funny but when I first got the RTF a few months back I was very impressed with the build quality.. Now that I have seen all the problems with it and from reading here I can see what a piece of junk this ARF is out of the box (although for $99 I guess its not bad). With the work I did on it, it should now be half way decent now.
Anyway, I do have a question. I moved all the radio gear from the RTF to the new ARF but I don't want to move the switch. I want to keep that in the old fuselage. If I go to the lhs is there a difference in quality/brand of switches ?? Is this the type of switch I need? http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXJC15&P=ML
Thanks in advance!
Eric
Anyway, I do have a question. I moved all the radio gear from the RTF to the new ARF but I don't want to move the switch. I want to keep that in the old fuselage. If I go to the lhs is there a difference in quality/brand of switches ?? Is this the type of switch I need? http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXJC15&P=ML
Thanks in advance!
Eric
12-23-2007 | 12:23 PM
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From: Nevada City ,
CA
RE: Nexstar covering question?
That is the switch you will need. If you get one at the Hobby Shop the only brand I reccomend avoiding is Airtronics, because the plugs they use are hard to modify to match futaba well.
The other thing that I didnt see suggested before for sealing down the covering is Clear Nail Polish. Works wonders for me
The other thing that I didnt see suggested before for sealing down the covering is Clear Nail Polish. Works wonders for me
12-23-2007 | 02:19 PM
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From: Mosinee,
WI
RE: Nexstar covering question?
If you drill a small hole[1/16] in the end of the muffler and screw a no. 2X1/4"metal screw into it, then slip the deflector over it and tighten the zip tie well above the screw it will stay on otherwise when the fuel gets to it and makes it slippery it will come off. The bump of the screw head will hold it on.
12-23-2007 | 03:48 PM
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From: , MD
RE: Nexstar covering question?
I went to the LHS and found a hobbico switch that appears to be the perfect match. I also bought a vat of clear nail polish! That is what I am going to try first.
RCTRAX: Good idea but why couldnt I just put that screw through the deflector?
RCTRAX: Good idea but why couldnt I just put that screw through the deflector?
12-24-2007 | 03:17 PM
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From: Mosinee,
WI
RE: Nexstar covering question?
I guress you could but it don't work as good putting a screw thru rubber, then metal as there is nothing to tighen against and the head will just pull thru.
12-24-2007 | 08:13 PM
#13
RE: Nexstar covering question?
I have the same problem with my NexStar. I just flew it this week for the first time in months. The red striping is coming off the muffler side. I just peeled it off all the way. I got tired of trying to make it stay there. However, the covering is the least of the NexStar's problems I have found out. When I crashed my first one I got another ARF and did a little extra structure work around the nose and main gear area to beef it up a bit. Haven't had anymore problems in that area. Other than that the NexStar seems to be a great plane...
12-26-2007 | 09:42 PM
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From: east moline,
IL
RE: Nexstar covering question?
I know What you mean.Mine is 3 years old with 20 gallons of fuel ran through it.When the stickers start to come off on mine.I wipe it down with a little alcohol and put a little piece of packaging tape on it.But all and all my stickers have held up well.
