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BUBBLED COVERING
Why is this happening??? I am using Coverite fabric and it has been sitting in a warm room for a couple months only and it is already bubbling. I put it on flat and tight without bubbles or wrinkles but it already looks like this. I know I can iron it back or use a heat gun to heat it back but in another month won't it just happen again?
Why is it doing this? Is it because of a too hot room or . . . why???? How can I prevent this happening on other models? Put my models in a cool cellar because the room is too hot? Brush on Balsarite adhesive first to better hold it? Any advice would be appreciated. I think if this is always going to happen maybe I will use silk and dope for now on, I have used it before and it looks pretty good when done. Thank you. |
RE: BUBBLED COVERING
tiger,
calm down a little bit.... Film type covering tends to do this. another cause is the balsa expanding and shrinking due to humidity/moisture in the air along with temp changes. I've used Coverite, Monokote and Ultracote and whole all three look good they all need reshrunk at times. Sometimes it only takes a couple of degree's to cause what you are saying, especially when the air is dry If you think that is bad, try getting the Great Planes Super Stearmen and then spending 12 hours getting all of the wrinkles out just because I took all the pieces out of the bags. And that was Monokote. And guess what, I had to do it three more times in 2 weeks until the balsa finally finished changing. I still need to hit certain area's now and then and that includes all of my planes. It's just part of the hobby and the type of covering Fabric and dope will add a ton of weight so be careful there |
RE: BUBBLED COVERING
Tigerdude,
I answered this question in the other thread where you also asked this same question. Here's a repost of my answer. Tigerdude, This happening because you're not getting the covering tight enough before you start to "attach" it to the wood underneath. The trick is to first pull the covering as tight as you can by hand before you start to shrink it and finally attach it. Once you have it as tight as you can pull it by hand, use a heat gun or covering iron (it's a lot easier with a heat gun) to shrink the covering. As you heat it will shrink and pull the wrinkles and bubbles out. After you have it shrunk then use a covering iron to iron it down and attach it to the wood of the plane. You shouldn't get any bubbles as you do this, but if you do use the point of your hobby knife to poke small hole in the bubble and use the covering iron to force the air out of the bubble towards the hole you made. I know that it's a little bit of a frustration, but covering is like just about everything else we do in this hobby in that you just have to practice to get better at it. One huge key to covering is to not get in a hurry. If you are in a hurry you WILL get wrinkles and bubbles, it just takes time to properly do this. Ken Ken |
RE: BUBBLED COVERING
Brush on Balsarite adhesive first to better hold it?
You answered your own question great stuff. But it can't help you much on that plane of course. Myself never liked Coverite or Monokote it's Ultracote all the way for me. Best stuff ever made! |
RE: BUBBLED COVERING
ORIGINAL: tigerdude426 Why is this happening??? I am using Coverite fabric and it has been sitting in a warm room for a couple months only and it is already bubbling. I put it on flat and tight without bubbles or wrinkles but it already looks like this. I know I can iron it back or use a heat gun to heat it back but in another month won't it just happen again? Why is it doing this? Is it because of a too hot room or . . . why???? How can I prevent this happening on other models? Put my models in a cool cellar because the room is too hot? Brush on Balsarite adhesive first to better hold it? Any advice would be appreciated. I think if this is always going to happen maybe I will use silk and dope for now on, I have used it before and it looks pretty good when done. Thank you. Yes, it is a fabric and SHOULD breathe, HOWEVER, the paint is so thick on it it acts like a film covering in that it doesn't breathe. You can do what most of us do with film coverings - get a SHARP pin, puncture one end of the bubble and iron it down. FWIW - the next time try SolarTex. The weave is more open than Coverite fabric so it will breathe. It is also noticeably lighter in weight. |
RE: BUBBLED COVERING
1]Is SolarTex a fabric? I will only use it if it is a fabric.
2]If it is fabric where can I find it and how much does it cost? 3]Is it pre-painted or will I have to paint it? If I have to paint it what paint would I use? 4]Is this covering fuelproof or does it need a protective coating of some kind and if it does what kind of protective coating will it need? 5]Does it iron on the same way as Coverite? 6]At a rating of 1-10 how much better is it than Coverite? No matter what fabric I am going to use I bought a can of Balsarite fabric adhesive to brush on prior to covering. |
RE: BUBBLED COVERING
Solartex is a fabric weave mylar covering. It imitates fabric perfectly, is fuelproof and prepainted.
If you're insistent on using fabric, buy a bunch of Sig Coverall and some model airplane dope, and go to it. Dr.1 |
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