I sat down at my computer to order some fabric and apparently have lost the link. I know Where to get Koverall easily. Stits also sells fabric. The one I'm looking for is a company that sells the stits brand but in a wider roll and a tighter weave. So, does any have the name of said company?

Would you be be thinking of Aircraft Spruce and Specialty?

http://www.stits.com/store/index.html ?

The link above is Chip Mull, He has the best fabric. A yard is 72" wide and no grain. Can't beat it.
Chip and his wife are wonderful towork with!

Don

Aircraft spruce was it. I use the stits a lot especially their paint's. I have been told the Aircraft Spruce has a tighter weave. Getting ready for a Pitts and this one has a finish much slicker than most so I would like the tighter weave. Would one of you gentlemen happen to know which has the tighter weave?
And thank's for the assistance!

Ceconite from Aircraft Spruce, they have it in different weights. Get the lightest for your models.

Aircraft Spruce is a really great place to shop for our modeling needs, I have shopped there for nearly 30 years now.

Bob

Rodney, what is ceconite and how does it compare to polyester. Tighter weave, stronger, shrinkable, etc.
Sensei, havw you used the pollite from Aircraftspruce? If so, how is it. Details please.

I have always used the Ceconite 4oz. on my models. The stuff works so good that I just never wanted to use anything else. I have even used the heavier Ceconite on three home built full scale airplanes to date along with Stits Poly tack, Poly dope, Poly Spray and Poly color. In addition I have used the Ceconite with Stits and performed the paintwork utilizing Dupont Croma Systems Base Coat Clear Coat with exception long team results. So I cannot say enough good thing about this system and too me, everything else plays a very distant second choice.

Bob

Or, you can go to your local Walmart and buy the polyester fabric there for a very low cost.

Ceconite is very easy to work with. It will shrink a lot with heat though so make sure you have a strong enough structure under it to withstand the shrinking. A very close weave material and goes around compound curves with ease. You do have to use your own adhesive though as described in some of the comments above.

My wife wanted to goto the Super Walmart here in San Antonio today so I decided go with her and check out the polyester cloth while we were there, they had it and the price was right as stated so I decided to purchase a couple of yards to play with when I got home. My finings are it does work, but I think I will stick with Ceconite for my models. Now that is just a personal preference of course.

Bob

Guys, great info. But what are the main differences of ceconite versus typical polyester/ polylite?

From what i have heard is that ceconite, stits and the other fabrics designed for aircraft shrink at a more equal and consistant rate by the temperature used. With regular linen polyester, areas can shrink differently all in the same sheet of fabric.

skeeter

Here is a FAQ page that can explain part of our concerns:

http://www.polyfiber.com/faq/index.htm#confused


I know that nitrate dope tightens up the fabric better than the polyester paint, but Ihave never asked if I could cover nitrate dope with polyester paint and maintain the drum-tight fabric.
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From what i have read the "polyester paint" does nothing to tighten the fabric. With stits and similar systems, use heat after glueing the fabric to the structure. The heat shrinks the fabric to the desired tautness. With a dope system the dope is applied to shrink the fabric. the problem i have heard about dope is that it can continue to shrink the fabric for years after it is applied, albeit only a small amount. I have no idea how dope would work on polyester fabric.

skeeter

This statement I made earlier may not be correct. On the model that Iwas thinking about I used water based polycryllic on to fill the weave of the fabric prior to spraying the Poly-Spray. I know that the fabric will not be as tight after using the WBPC as it is if sealed with nitrate dope.

Dope works just fine on polyester fabric. As to dope continuing to shrink. I guess it does, but I never noticed any ill effects form it.

Ken

Nitrate dope stops shrinking once it's cured, butyrate ? is the one that just keeps shrinking over time. there is also a taunting dope used for the shrinking and thats all it does, then you can paint it with what ever.