Solarfilm

[Steve Hargreaves - Moderator]

Well nothing to report....no "For Sale" sign outside or anything....just the same old industrial unit with Solarfilm on t' side....

[Glasshopper]

Is there an equivalent to Solartrim anywhere?

[Bob Cotsford]

Oratrim

*Other suppliers are available

[Simon Feather]

If you haven't noticed yet, Solarfilm's online ordering site seems to be up and running. I've just managed to place an order for some Solartex...

https://solarfilm.co.uk/

Edited By Simon Feather on 13/04/2018 12:19:05

[Bob Cotsford]

No paints though, from an email reply:

Hi Bob

We do have stocks of Clearcoat and some Solarlac colours, unfortunately at the moment we are looking at ways to post/send
these products, as it is difficult due to the fact they are flammable.

We hope to go to some of the model shows to sell them also.
Sorry if we can not be of more help at the moment.
Thank you for your kind comments about the Solarfilm brand.

Best Regards
Valerie Hardman

[Tim Flyer]

Good to see some is still available. I was mighty impressed with my first use of Solartex the other day . I bought the “natural “ white as thought it most useful for the future as it’s easy to paint whatever colour.

[Michael Adams 3]

Pleased to know that Solar film is still possible to buy, also Solartex.

Thanks for the INFO.

Mike.

[Erfolg]

From this months mag, it seems only as long as present stocks run out.

Like others, I found that the Chinese alternatives are as good. Although I would prefer a UK produced product, at a competitive price.

[Bob Cotsford]

Certainly as far as film goes, HK wins on price. Unfortunately 'tex products are a little thinner on the ground.

I'm ok, my two rolls of Solartex arrived this morning so that should see me through the rest of the decade.

[Cuban8]

Was chatting to the proprietors of a well known model shop yesterday and their frustration at the demise of Solarfim products, in particular, Solartex and Glosstex was palpable. They'd already been unable to fulfil one order of over a thousand quid to a European customer and previous strong sales of said coverings to the US and at our own shows were now out of the question............ so happy they were not. Oratex was not viewed to be as good from the point of view of customers (quality and price) hence the good previous sales volumes of Solartex whilst Oratex was usually ignored. Mad situation.

[Dai Fledermaus]

The American based Facebook page Balsa Model Aircraft Builders Association with over 26,000 members worldwide are always lamenting the demise of Solartex. It seems there is still a big demand for Solafilm products and Solartex in particular.

[Nigel R]

Solartex seemed to have that particular market niche to itself, if Oratex isn't as well liked.

The films, I think the eastern alternatives had perhaps caught up. And Oracover had nabbed the ARTF market - "covered with genuine Oracover" seems to be used to signify a "better made" ARTF.

[MattyB]

Posted by Dai Fledermaus on 10/05/2018 13:32:26:

The American based Facebook page Balsa Model Aircraft Builders Association with over 26,000 members worldwide are always lamenting the demise of Solartex. It seems there is still a big demand for Solafilm products and Solartex in particular.

If there was a big demand for these products Solarfilm wouldn't have decided to stop making them. I liked Solartex too, but like many I barely build any more and haven't film covered a model in 10 years. Just because people are vocal in their support on social media/forums it doesn't mean they were buying the product regularly, or even at all.

Edited By MattyB on 10/05/2018 17:15:36

[Nigel R]

"Solarfilm wouldn't have decided to stop making them"

Solarfilm also had to be a viable company, as well as making something that sold.

" I barely build any more and haven't film covered a model in 10 years."

ARTF factories still build things - see previous post regarding "covered with genuine Oracover" (e.g. Seagull stuff).

[DaveyP]

You can buy direct from them at the moment, I've just bought 2 x 2m of Olive drab Solartex for my Sopwith Pup.

Very easy online, sorry can't do links but if you google them it should be easy.

[kevin b]

Have just put an order in, but there isn't much Solartex left.

Even less now.

[Geoff S]

Posted by MattyB on 10/05/2018 17:15:11:

If there was a big demand for these products Solarfilm wouldn't have decided to stop making them. I liked Solartex too, but like many I barely build any more and haven't film covered a model in 10 years. Just because people are vocal in their support on social media/forums it doesn't mean they were buying the product regularly, or even at all.

I think the decision was to retire and the machinery used to manufacture the product was somewhat quirky and needed a fair bit of experience to use it effectively. The article in RCME just a few months about Solarfilm certainly made ít seem a very 'cottage industry' type of operation. I suspect selling it as a going concern would have been difficult.

I've built and covered several models in the last couple of years but used HK film where it was appropriate because it's so cheap and so good but there's nothing to beat Solartex for a so-called golden age model like my DB Gypsy Moth. I've bought a couple of rolls to put in stock but I'll miss the range of colours.

Solartex is the covering that will be missed most. And I know people who use it a lot for big models.

Geoff

[McG 6969]

I think Geoff approaches it the proper way.

There wasn't clearly a wish to 'continue' the business, neither was there a way to sell it properly.

Clearly the Shenzhen film killed the Solarfilm sales and the Solartex range seemed business wise some kind of a 'secondary' product to them.

But MattyB is right too as there are are lesser 'building' guys around. And Oracover seems to have targeted the top-end ARTF market.

Strangely, HK was the only 'international' large distributor of the Solartex range...

Now, if there is a viable market for that kind of 'textile' range of products, maybe we could all be surprised with the introduction of the brand new 'Kingtex', available from US, AU, UK and hopefully EU warehouses...

Cheers

Chris

[David Davis]

Isn't it also true that many traditional modellers, i.e builders, are also hoarders?

I have a potato sack full of rolls of Solartex and another full of film, mostly Profilm but including Solarfilm. I really don't need to buy any more covering material and having turned seventy in March I will not live long enough to use all of it.

I also have 46 engines, 8 unstarted kits,12 "projects," either incomplete airframes or models awaiting repair and 8 models in flying condition. That's not to mention the electric motors.

I'm probably quite a lightweight compared with many others!

[Cuban8]

On the subject of ARTFs being covered in 'genuine' Oracover, the material that is described as such in the few models that I've put together either for myself or for friends, doesn't really seem the same stuff as the Oracover (as Profilm) that I've bought off the roll. It feels and handles differently and doesn't resist the ham fisted use of the covering iron (don't ask )

Given the high price of Oracover / Profilm (retail) I'm surprised that the material is used by the Chinese and Vietnamese factories.

Sadly, after reading the recent RCM&E article, it was clear that Solarfilm was a car crash in the making, and IMHO, characteristic of far too many of our companies not investing properly in their businesses when times were good. I'd love to see a similar article after a tour of the German Oracover factory. Slick marketing campaigns over the years, nicely packaged products and a loyal customer base count for nothing if you don't adapt to competition and changing markets.

[Nigel R]

C8, I would suspect that the Oracover used on the ARTFs is a lower cost item, marked up as being the actual aftermarket, mainly done as a license deal to get the Oracover brand associated with the ARTF in question. An "OEM" version, if you will.

This sort of tactic is used in other industries, the example that springs to mind is the tyres fitted to brand new cars.

 

"maybe we could all be surprised with the introduction of the brand new 'Kingtex', available from US, AU, UK and hopefully EU warehouses..."

Chris, I would not be at all surprised to see HobbyTex or KingTex appear soon (ish).

Hobbyking show every appearance of being business savvy, and if there is a niche to be filled they seem to be the likely outfit to fill it. After all they are already churning out the adhesive and colourings, it may be a smaller step to apply those to a tex fabric vs polyester film.

Edited By Nigel R on 11/05/2018 09:07:59

[Bob Cotsford]

If we do see Kingtex or Chinatex or whatever they should call it appearing, I wouldn't mind betting that it will be a very usable product. However, with no real competition and proven demand I doubt we will see the same low pricing that we see with the various chinacote variants.

As for Solarfilm, the current generation don't appear to have any interest in modelling other than professional so I can fully understand their willingness to just walk away and retire. Being as they are not passing the business on to further Hardman generations I don't suppose throwing money into equipment upgrades for the future was a priority. Shame, but in reality, it is just toy planes,

 

As for the 'Genuine Oracover' claims, I've often wondered whether Oratex, Toughlon and Ezecote(sp?) were actually made under contract in the same Chinese factory as the chinacote supplied by HK, GiantCod etc..

Edited By Bob Cotsford on 11/05/2018 10:04:06

[Nigel R]

"Isn't it also true that many traditional modellers, i.e builders, are also hoarders?"

I prefer to think of it as "maintaining a stock of useful items & particulars".

[Tomtom39]

I must admit going into panic mode on first reading about the demise of Solarfilm on this forum and pretty much bought at least ten years of supply . Wonder if I could have my body wrapped in any unused Solartex . Might save on the cost of a coffin!

[J D 8]

When singer Gene Pitney died the undertaker received a request for a special coffin,The coffin maker wrote back saying that to make it from oak would take a week, but Only twenty four from Balsa.