Sharpeye22

I have never used this product before but I have picked up some to cover my Pete n Polk. I plan to use Balsarite to adhear it to the wood. The question is do I paint on the balsarite to all the wood that will be making contact with the Koverall or just to the edges where one peice will stop and another will start. Edges such as the leading and trailing edge of the wing.

andrew66

I dont think that balsa rite can be used to attach the koverall. balsarite is just a sealer. The product to use is Stix-it, or like me and many others, use polycrylic. The poly is a little more like using dope, and i only do the outer edges of open bay structures. I find it reduces warps. This stuff shrinks down tight, so only go a little at a time. If you try and force wrinkles out it can spell disaster. Other than that, its great stuff to work with, and i like it alot more than plastic film

RCPAUL

My Feedback: (1)

Balsarite fabric is the product to use. I do the perimeter only then shrink the Koverite around the interior.
I don't like Stix-it.


Paul

gene6029

Sharpeye, I used Sig Koverall this past week for the first time & here is my take on it. I used the stix it, didnt hear about the balsarite for fabric, until rcpaul mentioned it. The stix it worked fine for me as long as i didnt go back over it. Once it starts tacking up, if you drag your brush accross it again it gets rough or bumpy, so i found once i paint it on leave it dry. I painted the entire wing pannel with the stix it, not just the edges. I left it dry, then draped the koverall over the bottom surface and tacked the edges down pulling it as tight as i could to get all wrinkels out. It really looked great at this point, but i then used the iron and worked from the center out towards the edges to seal & shrink the fabric to all the wood. I should mention here i applied one coat of DEFT sanding sealer to all the wood before i started this process. I then trimmed the edges off with a razor blade. I now sealed the edge again with the iron to get the trimmed edge sealed to the frame. I now applied a coat of stix it to the edge where i just trimmed, my reasoning for this is the top piece will adhear to the stix it but not to the koverall. It worked ok for me, but the stix it gets stuck to the covering iron sock and can make life miserable if you get too much built up on the sock. I just changed socks at this point. Once the top piece is applied, i trimmed it off & went around the edges with the iron like before. I applied 3 coats of Minwax polycrilic over top of the koverall followed by two coats of Rustoleum sandable automotive primer. The surface is as smooth as glass at this point, after considerable sanding. Im ready for paint, but havent made up my mind yet if i'm going to use spray bombs, or spring for a cheap air gun and use latex. Hope this helps, Oh yea, but a pair of Fiskars pinking shears, you wont regret it......Gene

Sharpeye22

I have been using Balsarite for a number of years to restick the edges of the film type covering when it peals up over time and use. It is also great to reapply covering to an oil soaked area after I have removed as much oil as possible with K2R. I have just never used it as it was designed for. That being applying fabric covering that does not have its own heat activated glue on the back.

andrew66 and RCPaul I will take your advice and do just the edges.

gene6029 are there Fiskars pinking shears that are around 1/6th scale? Only pinking sears I have seen are my grandmothers which made large zig zag cuts. (large for a model airplane)

Sharpeye

Mode One

I have used Balsarite for many years. When I use it, I put it on all surfaces that will make contact with the covering. The idea is to adhear the covering to the surface, so I feel it certainly should be put on all that portion of the airframe that will make contact with the covering. I have not used Koverall, yet. However, when I do, I will use either Balsarite or Stix-it to adhear the covering.

TFF

Cut it with a rotary cutter and a mat; best thing going, and will help keep your shears sharp because Koverall will dull them some when used all the time. I also dont use a sock; not needed; its to keep a scratch free surface on smooth surfaces. I constantly clean the glue off the iron with thinner and a towel so I dont make a mess. I also trim of the strings after the first coat of what ever I am putting on top and I use double sided razor blades for most trimming.

gene6029

TFF, I must have had a brain fart! I have been covering with the sock for so long I never even thought to remove it! Oh well, must be the 40 plus years of glue & paint fumes Some times the obvious isnt so obvious. I'll try it on the fuse with the sock off. I never used Koverall before and had alot of things concerning me about it, but its really not that bad a product once you get the hang of it.

Sharpeye, as far as the fiskars go, i just picked up a pair at wallmart, for about $20, but i wasnt concerned with the size for what im doing. Im sure someone mskes a pair that will cut smaller cuts....Gene

pmw

My Feedback: (1)

I spray non-water based hair spray on the line I intend to cut. Keeps the edges clean and free of threads. The hair spray is compatible with nitrate, Stix-It, BalsaRite, etc. I was very frustrated until someone showed me that trick. Works very well.

pmw

TFF

The fumes make all covering jobs look good It is not the perfect product, but nothing is. What I like is it is almost like covering a real plane and it takes mistakes and comes out better than most.