Gap seal tape
 

Northeast Sailplane used to sell gap seal tape for gliders and other applications. It was 1" wide, about 0.009" thick, clear, and had adhesive on approximately 40-45 percent of the width of the tape. Does anyone know where to get this kind of gap seal tape?

I sent a sample to a local tape maker and may get some made if I can't find it anywhere. I used it on my planes and it is great for preventing flutter.

Don, from what I remember it was packaged by Airtronics when they manufactured sailplanes. Last time I needed some I bought a roll of the super thin 3M double sided tape in 1/2" width and applied it to some 3 mil Mylar to make my own. It was nice to be able to make the width whatever I needed.

Hobby Lobby used to sell it. They are now Hobby Express and don't.

Kurt

Or try here:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2055308

Kurt,

Thank you very much.

If the quote on the stuff I'm having evaluated to have made comes in too high or requires too much quantity to be price effective, maybe I can get it from ICARE.

I used to use the gap seal tape, but I got tired of the $3 per foot price and not being able to find it. For the last year I have been buying the overhead projector clear sheets from an office suppy store, giving the edge I want to glue a touch with some 180 grit sandpaper and using medium CA to secure it to the wing. If you run the bead of glue on the wing, place the strip down and rub it with a paper towel till it kicks, it will come out very nice. Been running them on my 426 planes for over a year with no failures yet!

Did they quit making Blenderm?

I can get Blenderm around here from the local medical supply store, and still use it to tape up things. The idea of the gap seal is it creates a very slick wiper to cover the gap even when the surface is deflected. I would think that the blenderm tape would flex inward when the surface is deflected, instead of continuing the contour of the main portion of the wing.

I see Blenderm as a gap seal where what Don is looking for is more of a gap cover.

Well, it makes no difference if the gap is sealed with with a flush cover or with a seal that just coats the inner surfaces of a hinge line. The air is completely turbulent by that point of an airfoil.

You really need to stop confusing us with facts LOL

I have a 130+ mph Sky Raider Mach II with a 428 Quickie JETT SS that begs to differ with you. I've seen Sky Raiders at 100 mph with flutter and with the gap seal, I have no flutter. My TT PRO 40 powered #88 Sky Raider outclassed almost all of the other planes in Charlotte and while it had a great engine on it, it was also completely sealed with the 1" wide half adhesive tape. It placed at the hands of 2 different pilots. True, I replace the torque rods in all Sky Raider wings, but I think the gap seal makes a difference. Especially on long narrow ailerons.

So I'm working on getting it made at a better price than $34 for a 5 meter piece. I already had that in progress weeks ago.

If you have long floppy strip ailerons, I would tape the outer half solid. Jett 428 motor on Raider is like a thousand dollar saddle on a fifty dollar horse.

Back in 2001 or 2002 I called Dub and told him I needed an engine I could put on a 428 or in a 422 plane that would idle. He recommended the Quickie JETT with the REDJETT carb. It does idle down to 3000-3500, but there is no midrange you can fly at, It either has to be at an idle or full throttle and on the pipe. I used it on a 428 plane and in a Q-40, but I had it sitting around in 2006 or 2007 and put it on a solid orange Sky Raider Mach II.

People who have flown it love it because it is fast and handles very well. Of course I have dual aileron servos in it and the mixing makes it quite neutral. In 2008 John Gibson said that was what we need to be racing. It is faster than a 424 and of course lands like a trainer.

I put a solid stab on it and it has a JETT mount on a 1/2" plywood standoff. I had to use a Dubro heavy spinner nut to get it to balance. I should have done the whole firewall with the 1/2" ply. and I would cut a couple of lightening holes in the stab if I do it again. The plane is still ready to fly, but I put the engine up wet in 2009 and it needs work.

Don I used to buy the half side adhesive stuff from Northeast and the last buy I made was thirty feet of the tape thinking that should last the rest of my life, well I was wrong and very much would appreciate info on the stuff you are experimenting with even if a little pricey am interested so don,t let this thread die:cool:

John

John, I use drafting mylar with 3M double sided tape. Clear sheet protectors have been used too. Frankly, I don't think it makes our planes go any faster, but it might reduce the throw required for a given response rate, and then only if there are conventional hinges, and not live skin hinges, which are the norm on high performance models today. I sure wish someone would try some telemetry experiments with, and without "gap seals". I think it's just one of those "feel good" features. That's my opinion on internal push rods too! Enough of my ramblings.

Thanks Greg but I have 'felt good' about every airplane since those first skin hinges and internal horns that I built starting around 98. Now have been away from ama rulebook for a while now with a diversion first to SWRA and later RCPro warbird but may get some of the fellows I have been mentoring into ama rulebook.

So Don please come on back if you do source some of the tape.

John

Greg,

Next you'll be telling us that the emperor has no clothes!

Kurt

Kurt, I know it sounds blasphemous, but just maybe the emperor really is naked? A couple of years ago I borrowed a friends Eagle Tree telemetry system to do some prop testing. I also did some limited testing on how much drag it takes to make a noticeable change in airspeed. I was surprised at the things we normally think of as drag, that didn't amount to a hill of beans! I gave the Eagle Tree back, but to this day would like to run several dozen experiments. It's my "warped" opinion that the speed of our models is most dependent on the thrust package (engine & propeller). The air frame is important, but in racing events most of them evolve to be about the same. Of course how straight it is, and how well it's trimmed is important, but once again the best builder/fliers have the best equipment. Finally all these modelers employ all the conventional "speed secrets", so they must help, right? Maybe not! I'd like for someone to prove me wrong. Until then it's my belief that a lot of what we accept as necessary to get the most out of our airplanes doesn't help at all. Besides my own testing, I've seen a number of examples where the things we believe make a difference, didn't. Collectively, the mentioned examples have solidified my opinion about the things we do, that are a waste of time. But by all means don't take my opinion as gospel, and don't bother to tell me why I'm wrong. It's only my opinion. But if anyone really thinks I'm wrong, give me proof. Until then I hold onto my dumb opinion. And it won't hurt my feelings if you disagree, but don't use words like dullard, or idiot, because some days I resemble those remarks.

Gentlemen I have no idea if the double entendre and apparently rude remarks are directed at me or not, perhaps this forum and AMA pylon is no longer any place for me since I have been away, all I wanted was product source information and yes Bozarth I did catch your link above thank you for that I had only hoped for a US based supplier since I do not do Paypal but maybe the point is moot now.

John

John, I hope it wasn't my words that offended. Your contributions to this thread are greatly appreciated. It's all good, Greg

John,

I hope you didn't find my words offensive. None was intended, especially towards you. I echo Greg's words above!

Kurt

Kurt and greg thank you very much for clearing that up, I did not have a clue.

Here is a little update on Kingman. We have never had a ama rulebook event here in the past. Only the warbirds and not to many of those. With the RCPro warbird having been a strong supporter I have in the past stirred up the passion and remember those wonderful caravans down to speedworld where actually got ten folks to participate on one of those events. Another nine, as I am sure you know its not easy to stir up that many especially when you have to drive a lot of miles.

OK back in 2011 is when it all came tumbling down (at least for me) that is when the walls of Jericho came down and electrics forced their way into a successful racing format that was predicated on a wing area / displacement formula. Could they not have their own race? Oh no heaven forbid They just had to break up a successful format and it seems to me they have been going downhill ever since.

This last year while I did not participate two of the fellows who I have mentored for some time now did race and I did not like what I was hearing with each of the CD's changing rules from event to event. So perhaps its time to come home to AMA rulebook.

This year there are two new and enthusiastic CD's (not counting me) and the first one cut his teeth last October with a club forty race and for a small town I think the 13 entrys if I remember correctly is quite a success. I hate to say it but last year during the tt .40 pro engine shortage, well I know where a lot of them went.

OK July 11 is the target date of our first Q-500 race and yes it will be on the AMA two pole course. This is to be a 424 event and yes I know it has been somewhat replaced by EF-1 Hmm sound familiar! This will be a sanctioned race, I am not the CD. The sanction is not in place yet but should not be too much longer.

If this is any kind of success then the club has already set a tentative date for a 424, 426 race. That one excites me having never been involved with that class before but have a suppliy of my old 428 stuff.

John:cool:

John, good luck on you new racing season. I've been around RC Pylon racing for about 1/2 century, and the one constant is that nothing remains the same. Some changes are good, and some are bad. I've seen the rise and fall of: Sport Pylon, Ugly Stick Racing, Toad Racing, 1/2 A racing, Quarter Midget (15 disp. engines), at least 6 different Quickie 500 classes, Formula I & II, 3 different FAI events, Club 20, several War Bird classes, and probably many more that I can't remember. As you related, sometimes rules changes ruin events. Many events die out from lack of support, both from contestants, and clubs willing to put on the races. I too am a CD, and I've run a number of local races, team trials, Championship Races, and the AMA Nats. I've personally raced in about 30 of the lower 48 States. However in the last 20 years my only contribution to the Pylon Community is to serve on the FAI Team Selection Committee, and occasionally race. I only mention this to point out that when guys like you and I are no longer a driving force for pylon, our influence diminishes, but sometimes "new blood" helps to rejuvenate events. Club 40 is a good example of a different approach to Pylon Racing that has been very successful. My approach is to encourage, and support whenever I can, and based on what I've seen in these forums, that's what most of the other contributors are trying to do. Just sometimes we don't choose our words very well. Like I said "it's all good" so long as we are still racing. Greg