SIG COVERALL

[Steve Porter 1]

Evening all, New to this forum but not new to modeling, Just started a refurbishment job on a 1/3rd scale turbulent and have decided to cover all the airframe with Sig Coverall, just wondered if anyone has used this product on solid ply skinning as well as open structures, and if so cold you pass on some tips.

Regards Steve.

[Plummet]

Hello Steve,

I have just covered my first model with Sig Coverall, and you may wish to avoid my mistakes. They ( I ) say that people should learn from their mistakes. If others can, it is all for the better.

Having used it - I will use it again. So I am not saying anything against it. It just takes a bit of learning. I got my hints from a great bloke in the LMA, who pointed me towards what success I have had.

Coverall has no adhesive. I (my opinion - your mileage may vary - YMMV) think the standard type of PVA type of adhesives, for example Balsaloc, is not the best for this job.

Coverall is very similar to the coverings used on real (modern) fabric covered aircraft. For these the technique is to paint the receiving surface with a coat or coats of fabric cement. Then the fabric is laid over the surface, and thinners are used to dissolve the cement and fix the fabric. Then the fabric is trimmed and the rough bits smoothed.

Of course, on our models the scale of this means that the odd fibre out of place is visible. On full size, this is not the case. We need to be more careful.

When all the fabric is attached then an iron or careful use of hot air can shrink the film. This is the good bit. Using heat sensitive glue made this hard ( YMMV ) for me.

Then you can dope and paint the fabric to seal its pores.

My LMA friend pointed me at **LINK**

It seems that Diatex is scaled up Coverall.

The fabric cement used for this works well with Coverall when thinned with the appropriate thinners.

It's late now. I will try to point you at more when I can.

I need sleeeeeeeep.

Plummet

[Plummet]

I am more awake now.

The cement is SKY TECH FABRIC CEMENT, which needs thinning down with FABRIC CEMENT REDUCER.

As Sky Craft sells to the 100% scale market the quantities they sell tend towards the large.

There may well be modelling versions of these products. The cement seems very similar to some form of dope, but it does seem to work better than dope.

Hope this helps,

Plummet

[Solly]

Hi, - I have used Coverall a few times, I just attach it to the airframe using dope. This also makes trimming a lot easier as long as you cut along a doped surface. You can also simply use white PVA glue, but this is a bit messy.

Cheers.

[Martyn K]

If you are going to use dope, then dope the airframe contact areas first to seal the surface.

When you add the final covering, start at one edge and using full strength dope and a small brush, re-coat the contact area again, this will also soften the pre-applied dope and then push down with your thumb (wearing latex gloves) - keep rubbing until it dries. Then slowly move along the airframe - adding dope and pushing down. It doesn't take long, the heat from your thumb helps it dry very quickly, Make sure the edges are well sealed before you trim back. If the covering lifts, it can be a pain to get it stick down again as it will have a natural tendency to curl away from the structure

Good luck

Martyn

[Danny Fenton]

I have used Solly's method and attached the Coverall with dope, the airframe was given a coat of sanding sealer first and lightly sanded. One of the problems with Coverall is cutting it, the stuff frays like a good un! I found some rotary electric scissors worked a treat, I also use these for cutting glass cloth which can be equally as awful using scissors.

The other big issue, was filling the pores, or weave of the material, it takes very many coats and is difficult to tell if you have indeed filled all the pin holes. A trick I found later on was to not use just dope but sanding sealer, which is basically dope with an additive such as talc, this helps to fill the holes/pores/weave much quicker, and should mean only a couple of coats are needed. You will get pinholes in sheeted areas as well as open structure. Be careful with the heat shrinking it is powerful stuff, I applied just enough heat to removal the wrinkles and get a taut finish. The subsequent coats of dope will add more tension.

I am not sure I would use it again TBH I think tissue then silk is a better way to go but haven't tried it yet.

Cheers

Danny

[Steve Porter 1]

Hi all, Thanks for your comments,feel a little more confident in using coverall now and looking forward to many happy evenings locked in the workshop with a large can of dope! I hope you slept well Plummet?

Will try to post a few photos of said model as the covering commences, probably in a week or so, not because i am a slow builder just have other projects on the go plus i race model boats as well most weekends.

Cheers Steve.

[john melia 1]

Is koverall just for fully sheeted surfaces ?

[Danny Fenton]

Hi John, no it can be used over built up structures, my Hurricane fuselage is done in the stuff, thats the sheeted areas forward of the cockpit and all the built up areas behind the cockpit.

Cheers

Danny

[john melia 1]

Thanks danny