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Your tape method for trimming the covering helps.  It still takes me a long time to get a piece done and the results are not as good as I would like.  This is only the third plane I have covered, so I guess I just need to keep at it until I get better. 

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I've also had luck putting the tape down a little further in and trimming ontop of the tape, this way your sure not to cut into the covering below, afterwards, you can pull the tape from the covering, but the trick is to use just enough heat to make it tack to the seam, but not enough to make it want to bond to the tape that well. I also use straight edges and a simple little jig for trimming seams, I might break down and buy another higgley trimmer, I had one, but I think a friend perminetly borrowed it, just like my LE & taper bar sander. I want to try and end my day somewhat early so I can get back to mystic at a reasonable time, I need to go to H&H hobby to get the drive hub, collet and a few other little things. I went to cover the top last night and realized that the vertical fin leading edge needed a smidge of filler and sanding to eliminate the sheeting seam to the leading edge stick. Other than that, I might get the base colors all down tonight, the wing is extremely easy to cover, the trim might take me a while to do, I saw a few new tricks I might try, the press and seal transfer looks really good and I might try that with my trim solvent to eliminate airbubbles. But the trick for eliminating airbubbles on covering over covering jobs is to perferate the under surface, this will eliminate them no matter what temp you chose to shrink at. I can now at least open the holes back up for the pushrods and the pull/pull cables, I use a soldering iron to open the holes back up, it melts a slight ring around the edges and makes it resist tearing. So you have any current pic's of the progress, the wheelpants & covering?

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I'll try and take some pics tonight. Thanks for the info. Part of my problem is I get frustrated from the amount of time it takes me, but the only way I am going to get better at covering is by spending the time to try to do it right and not rush it. I know that if I learn to do it right I will get quicker. At this point I have plenty of planes to fly, so there is really no need to rush, except that I am an impatient person!

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Here are some pictures. The covering I did tonight went a little better. Using tape to trim the edges certainly seems to work. For the canopy do you paint the outside part (the part that is not tinted)? Based on how I have to deal with the outside of the canopy I am not sure where the red and white covering should join.

I need to put some more coats of red on the wheel pants but I like the color and finish.

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What type of paint are you using, if it's lustercoat, be very carefull, if it's put on lexan or polycarbonate parts like normal, it will attack it and curl the part. You can use it, but you have to do dusting coats, The best place to apply the paint is on the inside of the canopy, the outside will protect the paint and is will always be smooth and glossy. Just like a R/C car body. Just mask off your tint on the inside, and spray a few light mist coats inside the canopy, check for opaqueness after each coat, when it's a solid color, your done. You don't need to scuff the surface or anything, when done glue the canopy down with the formula 560 canopy glue or screw it in the corners into the 1/4x1/4 side rails.

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Just bought a Harry Higley covering cutting device - looks pretty nifty! Also bought some water based white lexan paint. I figure I will use this for the canopy frame.

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Funny you asked me about trimming covering, I asked my buddy if I lent it to him, he said maybe, but thinks he gave it back, so either he has it, he had it and lost it or my ex threw it out in the move, which I doubt, since every screw on my bench was ina nice sturdy box that I still have to this day to sort out. So anyhow, I stopped at al's hobbies and picked up another one, makes life soo much easier ya know. All these tools really add up, but the next kit you build, tou'll have them so the cost of the next one will only include new #11 blades for the hobby knife and single edged razor blades. Before you know it, you'll enjoy building more and more as your skills improve and it get's easier to do, by then you'll find yourself going to the local Home Cheapo to get some simple bulbs for a few that burned out in the house and coming home with that and a scroll saw or a bandsaw, you get the picture. I did that last weekend, went out friday after work, picked up her shelving for the office, and had to force myself to not go and pickup a scroll saw, instead I got some pegboard and some 2x3's to put up next to my bench on the wall so I can start organizing the bagged goodies I've accumulated over the decade and a half being in this hobby. I seemed to realize that I should by stock in the manufacture that makes the stupid little hooks, I need about another 15 4pk bags and another wall?!

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The higley tool is awesome. Accumulating the tools definitely makes a big difference. I got the elevators and part of the stabs done pretty quickly tonight, with a lot less cursing! It was almost an enjoyable experience. You are right about the more you build the more you enjoy it. That is why I went from my initial RTF foamie to a scratch built last year. I built two of the same plane so that I could improve my skills. I actually built three wings because I used cheap 1/16 sheeting on the second wing and it was brittle - so I just decided to scrap the wing and build another - I also built the third wing without any dihedral so the second plane is more responsive. The plane was simple enough it only took me 4 weeks from beginning to end, but it was a great learning experience. This kit build is much more extensive build and requires more patience because it just takes longer. I will build the SSE next, and it looks like that is simpler to build.

I have looked at band saws - there is no doubt that I will end up getting one at some point. The way I cut plywood currently is a total hack.

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That is too funny, I found out I waste less ply when I bought the band saw, instead of cutting out a big chunk and sanding to final, I now can cut to almost exact size around curves and do very little sanding in the endrun, there are a few benchtop tools I still want, but I've gotta get a bigger shop for those, or build a tool olny shelf. I did do some covering last night, but didn't get too far, I left my job at 3:30, stopped at the hobby shop, and eventually got home around 7:30 or so, most of that was bumper to bumper traffic, the total miles one way is olny 75, but it took me at least 3 hours. Today,.......if, and that's a big IF!, I get the absorber running right at milford hospital, then I'll call out tomorrow and work on the extra, finish it up and move on to reassembly, tonight I'll paint the parts since the weather is ok, and I have the nose covered in the colors.

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Alright just got home again, I left at 6 for work and came back at 7:30 again, these 13-14 hour days are killing me, especially when the whole time your in a room that's next to two giant boilers cranking away and the room is about 100 degrees, I need to hit the powerball!!!!! O-well, going to go cover now, and maybe paint, so I might get some pic's up tonight, GF's gone till 10:30 got the man cave to myself.

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looking great matey keep it up. this has to be the only thread iv followed and hardly spoke in haha.

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Last night, it took me three attempts to cover the turtle deck and I was still not happy with the results. I was pretty frustrated when I left off - muttering to myself as I left the room. Now that I go look at the fuselage it is starting to look pretty cool, even with just the base colors.

Do you use high heat to stretch the covering on the turtledeck?

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I unded up working on it friday night after getting home late, didn't get that far, but now I'm down to the tail surfaces and the wing. I spent all day saturday from 10 am to 8 pm working on brians boat with him, so I didn't work on it yesterday, but today it's overcast and not really sure if it's going to rain, so I'll spend today finishing the covering off and doing the trim, here's where I am, almost similar to what you've done, but my line is more angled to the intersection of the front upper former and to the lower edge of the horizontal stab, I'm trying my hardest to follow a certain design on an extra I have a picture of.

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The blue and yellow look really sharp. We have hit a heat wave with tempartures between 100 and 110 for the next week. This makes my man-room pretty unbearable to work in, so my progress may slow for a while.

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yeah the blue and yellow look real sharp together. well iv been sorting through my models and man i cant wait to get working on them. had to rehome them from my bedroom as i have changed the room around and iv rehomed them to the attick and a big walk in cuboard for the time being, im having a big clearout then i can hopefully get a bench built and start working on them, so im just about ready for that stuff ray. Your extra is looking superb though i think mine will be finished in a red and white petrolium scheme though not sure haha. it will be intresting to see both your extras done maybee when im round to it i could add a build to this thread when i get it. well off to make more room for planes cya. ps real good work for theboth of you keep it up

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Well, well,....it's pretty nice out, I might have to put down the iron and go throw the skybolt around for a bit, nothing like taking a break and going to the field, even though it's about 30 minutes away, it will feel good to do a few touch and go's, maybe a few low inverted flyby's and a tailslide or two. I'll be back on tonight, I'll see if I can take a pic of one of the flying fields in CT, Durham that is. Brent,...get ready, the box is almost complete, just need to know what color choices you prefer, I've got tons of mono and ultra for you to choose from, as far as servos, I'll see what I can dig up localy or maybe place another massive servo order for the future projects and include like 10 std extra servos. I need to unpack it and make a roster of what I'm sending you still.

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yeah a few shots of your flying field would be cool to see. any colours suit me apart from dark green ie british racing green. and bloody pink i cant stand the colour. though some point in the future amy will be learning to fly as shes taken a big intrest to them and she said i should make a big wall rack in the bedroom to hang them up on for display:D:D:D:D. yeah a few standard servos wouldnt go a miss. i have 5 maybee 6 and will buy more in the future just not at the minute as i have a house to finish furnishing. terri will be pissed when she finds out iv given almost half her clothes away to local people i know that dont have allot. i just cant wait to get building agan. iv been kept away from this hobby too long now. its like iv been chained up in a closet away from them for 10 years. im almost foaming at the mouth thining of that box. now need to sort out another electric fretsaw thanks to my old one being stolen. might get a small bandsaw too then a bench sander. that should be enough especialy i fi get a pillar drill mount and setup to fit my drill. but yeah nioce to see your work again ray

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Well, I'm back and I still own a skybolt in one piece, a little more mud on it, but it's all good, the field was drenched, squishy grass and some jackazz decided to do a doughnought in the field with thier crappy truck. If they were there I would have blocked them in and gotten the cops involved, it's getting to the point here in CT that it seems that if some idiot thinks they are going to have fun and destroy a perfectly good grass runway because they are too chicken-&#*$ to do it to someones lawn, then they deserve the worst to come. I think next time I go to the field I'm taking about 30 1" black pipe liengths about 3' long with me, I'm going to pound them in the tall grass around the entrerence to the field. Nobody walks through the tall grass, so it's a null issue, they walk on the path to get to the field. That way the next time ding-dong decides to show off for his girl or buddies thinking he's the bomb, he'll find himself stranded in the soft mud with his precious little 4x4 impailed on a 1" black pipe spike, hopefully it get's his oil pan and he has to pay for the hazmat cleanup. But now I have to wash off my skybolt, yes, wash with a hose, it's loaded with mud on the fronts of the wings and the bottom as well.

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yep i know exactly what you mean. the last time i went to my field it had been torn up by people owning 4x4s and offroad bikes. its a problem we have been batteling years but the police dont want to know anything about it.

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The funny thing is it's a public park, owned and ran by the town, the town granted the end of the field as a R/C flying field, named the "Black Sheep Squadron", it's mowed by a voulinteer, but even he's an idiot, the field was devistated mainly by the guy mowing it when it was too soft to mow, so I don't think anyone would object to putting the pipes in place, this happens about 3-5 times a year, after one time of some kid high siding mom and dads suv or truck on a pipe trap, they will think twice about haveing a little fun at our expense, at least it will get the law involved. The town will do the charges against the offenders, the funny thing is I'm stealing a chapter out of the book of pederson. Pederson is one of the guy's who ran the durham fair, it uses the field we fly at, they had problems with offroad guys in trucks running through the fields and down some of the steep hills, so he burried a 3" pipe about 8" out of the ground on the hill right where they went. The next day he said there was engine oil and trans fluid down the hill and a parked 4X4 left at the bottom, that stopped the idiocy.

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Sorry to hear about the idiots wrecking your field. I guess we should count ourselves lucky out here. We have a asphalt runway at the club I belong to, that is surrounded by tall grass - the only thing you have to worry about at this time of year is rattle-snakes in the grass! I hope your plan to hobble their truck works out - you would get a lot of satisfaction out of seeing a disable 4x4.

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well if it works then to hell get doing it. serves them right if the wreck then motor with it.
heres a pic of my flying field, you can see with all the lines all over motor bikes and 44s use it allot. and yes i know it is in the shape of a giant breast:)

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Just be careful putting "traps" up. If someone was injured then they could get u in alot of trouble with the law. Its stupid how stuff like that works. On my parents farm, we have to take down our electric fence that goes across our creek every winter, cause apparently if a snowmobiler hits the fence (even though they dont have permission to be there) we can be charged.
Our flying field had similar problems with off roaders. we posted a few signs, and put up fencing around the parking area (had to for insurance purposes) and it cut down alot of it. I guess if someone is always stopping in (a pain to do, but it works) they will realize that someone might see them, and they will find another place to tear up.

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Yes I thought of that, I thought I'd post a few signs saying "enter with vehicals at your own risk, you will be proscuted". If they are smart enough to read it, then they might think twice, but they have been forwarned. I might put another sign by the rule board stating the deterences are in the tall grass outside the walkway area, or I could just put up a snow fence with the pipes, they might think the pipes are a joke, but when in the ground 3-4 feet and only 3 feet above the ground, it makes a great vehical catcher when they hit the soft ground and ride harder on the bent pipe, if they try to back up, hook line and sinker done.

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Here are a couple of pics of the Extra up on the rack - I keep my wings covered in towels both in the shop and when I transport them - my wife is still trying to figure out where all the pool towels went!

I have added red to the lower sides but not the bottom because I dont want to see any red when I am looking up at the underside of the plane - I have found this really helps me quickly see which way up it is. Also added black ultracoat trim tape which came out better than I had expected. It will probably be a pain continuing these narrow black lines on the cowl, but what the heck.

I have started the wing and have most of the little fiddle parts done and am about ready to put white on the underside. I still haven't decided exactly how I am going to do the top - but am leaning towards red along the leading edge and where the wing meets the fuse and then have the rest white.