Coverings

[andy paterson]

Hi all
Help is required please, I am building the above model as reviewed in the RCM&E a little while back, not to sure whether to use solar film and tex or nylon RCM&E used film and tex, instructions recommend nylon which I have never used, is it similar to dope and tissue but strong? How is it applied? Any web sites to look at?
Thanks
Look forward to the replies

[Bob Cotsford]

Nylon is applied in the same manner as tissue - give the airframe a coat of dope, then cut a panel of nylon to size and shape allowing a couple of inches all round. Wet the nylon and squeeze out the excess water, lay it over the airframe and pull out the wrinkles. Now just brush dope through the nylon where it touches to attach it to the balsa. As the nylon dries it will shrink nicely. Now apply dope to seal the weave.

Tex gives a similar standard of finish without the smell and mess, is just as strong and only needs a coat of clear to make it easier to clean in the long run.

[andy paterson]

Thanks Bob
I was not sure whether to use tex or not

[Simon Webber]

Hi, I'm building the DB Gypsy Moth. After much head scratching I went for Sig Koverall. This is a med-weight material (nylon?) which you can affix by any means you like, then heat-shrink. I'm going to use Balsaloc heat activated glue. Reason was I want to add some rib stitching/tapes, and a sprayed finish. Tex was in the running but would have cost a fair bit more. Will post some pics when it's finished (but dont hold your breath - it's been almost 2 years so far!)

Simon.

[andy paterson]

Hi Simon thanks for the reply is Sig Koverall better looking than tex?

[Simon Webber]

I guess that depends how good your finish is. I'm going for Poly-C brushed on to fill the weave a bit, then a spray coat of paint.

[Chris Dickens]

I built one of the two original prototypes back in the early 1980's and I only sold it a couple of years ago, in all that time it was recoverd twice, both times in Solartex, originally it was in camoflage which was had painted with Humbrol enamels, the second time I used silver tex for the flying surfaces and solarlac paint, sprayed, for the fuselage.
It still looked good when I sold it and the covering/paint was then 7 years old.

[andy paterson]

Thanks Chris, I think Silver Tex sounds good to me , looks more life like

[fly boy3]

Hi all, Can anyone inform me of what glosstex looks like.  My Puppeteer, was to be covered in Solartex, until Glosstex was mentioned.Is it similar to Solartex with a shine on it.Also is it more expensive. Thanks FB3

[Richard Wood]

Hi FB3,

You're right - Glosstex is a sort of shinier version of Solartex. It's a bit heavier

& thicker than solartex if I remember correctly but certainly harder to apply.

I used it a couple of years ago & TBH didn't much like it!

I found it very difficult to cover wing tips with it for example without leaving

creases.Care is needed with the iron to avoid marring the surface.

I think it's a couple of quid dearer than S'tex.

Solartex is miles easier to use IMHO.

 

If you want a shiny finish why not consider Solartex with a sprayed coat of

clear varnish?

But you don't want a shiny Puppeteer do you ?!!

 

 

[Jimbo565]

Andy,

 

This my Flair Tigermoth covered with Solartex and a coat of satin varnish applied with a small paint roller,----- no brush marks and easier than a spray job.

 

Hope htis helps.

 

Jim

[Richard Wood]

Nice model Jim.

One thing about Solartex is that although it is fuelproof, it can get a bit scruffy

with oil ingress into the fabric. A coat of matt,satin or (not!) gloss varnish

helps keep it spanking.

Why anybody uses IC engines any more is a mystery !.

 

 

[Jimbo565]

Thanks for the kind remarks Richard but you cant have a Tiggy flying round sounding like a glider

 

hehehe

 

Jim 

[Danny Fenton]

Just my two penneth here, Solartex changed in the late 80's to being a painted surface. It used to be dyed. In my opinion the new painted surface type is harder to apply and I will always stay with natural solartex, a coat of dope, and then spray your final finish.

 

I recently covered a DB Cirrus moth with silver solartex at the request of a friend and it was awful to keep the paint from seperating from the tex when you stretched it over the wingtips.

 

 

[Richard Wood]

That's Interesting Danny.

Some solartex colours come off onto the iron when edge sealing & make

a right mess of it. Comes off a hot iron with a turps dampened rag & a lot

of hard rubbing. Red seems to be the worse. Blue & yellow seem to be alright.

Wonder if all 'tex is created equally...?

 

 

 

[kc]

Just a point about nylon & dope covering.  Note that it shrinks and you need to take care the wings etc don't warp!  Doped nylon or tissue is good for re-covering models that have become oil soaked because it's the heat from the Solarfilm iron which draws up more oil and stops adhesion.  Dope avoids this.

 

Solartex is easier.  Up to now I have always used Ronseal clear varnish  which is solvent based to coat the 'tex.  Are all  the new water based acrylic varnishes known to be fuel proof?

Edited By kc on 14/04/2010 11:32:56

[frank killan]

One advantage with Sig Coverall compared to nylon, is that you heat shrink it, then fill the weave with non shrinking dope. This is much gentler than shrinking dope, much less chance of warps. I think tex is the most convenient covering and as already said, when given a coat of clear varnish is easy to keep clean.

                                                                                                FK

[fly boy3]

Hi all,thanks to all who replied to my question re Solar tex for Puppeteer.  Solartex plus varnish put on with a roller seems the way to go.. Jim, if I could get half the finish that you got on your T/Moth I will be happy.  PS ,was it a foam or lambswool type roller. ? Thanks FB3

[Jimbo565]

FB3

 

Small foam roller

 

 

JIm

Edited By Jim Carss on 16/04/2010 17:30:16

[fly boy3]

Hi all, does any one know of a supplier of cheaper price Solartex,  it is getting quite expensive these days.  Thanks FB3

[Richard Wood]

Hi FB3,
SIG 'Coverall' is a heat shrink fabric that's a possible alternative to Solartex.

I haven't used myself but might be worth a try.

The airframe requires some kind of precoating with it if my hazy memory

serves me right.

Why not try it & let us know how you get on?!

I think Profilm do a fabric covering as well but not sure of prices.

Coverall

 

Richard

 

[fly boy3]

Thanks for the suggestion Richard,but I managed to "find" some Solartex.  Now I need an on line video to give me some tips.  Thank you FB3