Martin Levy Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 With the recent demise of solarfilm I had to choose Oracover. My goodness, why I didn't do this years ago I don't know. So superior. Stronger more adhesion. No wasted time trying to part film from backing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Purcha Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 I would be careful applying heat between edges of over lapping colors of oracover (ultrakote). Too much heat and the edges tend to shrink away. Monokote has better adhesion on over lapping colors. Have a damp cloth covering the edge to reduce the heat buildup. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel R Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Try the Hobbyking film - its excellent. And about £1.5 a metre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Etherton Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Ditto for the Hobbyking stuff. Awesome for the price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVC Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 I have used TopFloite Monokote for years, and I agree with Jim in terms of adhesion. It is also more "shiny" than Oracover in my opinion. Having said that, Oracover is great also. As for the HK stuff, I bough three rolls of different colours recently, but I still haven't tried it, although I agree that for the price, it has to be really really bad not to worth it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Hobbyking film seems excellent and a bargain at the price. What about substitutes for SolarTrim? Any experiences? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Posted by Nigel R on 20/06/2018 08:52:43: Try the Hobbyking film - its excellent. And about £1.5 a metre. Unless you bought it at a show, eg a Weston Park trader was selling it in 2M rolls at a fiver a time. I don't remember ever seeing Monokote on sale in the UK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manish Chandrayan Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Monokote has also changed over the years. But it is still more pliable under heat (for compound curves) and glossier when compared to HK films. Never used Oracover so can't comment on that. Solarfilm was lighter than Monokote (and also thinner) and did not tolerate any abuse with a heated iron. It would poke right through at temperature Monokote would accept. My first ever plastic covering was Solarfilm and I did end up with few holes through the covering while learning to use the film Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Posted by kc on 20/06/2018 11:29:22: Hobbyking film seems excellent and a bargain at the price. What about substitutes for SolarTrim? Any experiences? I've always prefered to use suitable colour offcuts of whatever heatshrink material I have. If using Solarfilm on Solarfilm just a light smear of Prymol then apply it with the lowest heat that activates the adhesive but HK film sticks well without any preparation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel R Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 "Solarfilm was lighter than Monokote (and also thinner) and did not tolerate any abuse with a heated iron" You coerced Solarfilm around compound curves. But once you had it going, it stretched. And stretched and stretched. HK film, you have to force it. Different strokes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVC Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Posted by Bob Cotsford on 20/06/2018 13:12:04: I don't remember ever seeing Monokote on sale in the UK I used to buy it in the US (Tower Hobbies). I hardly have found it regularly in Europe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Posted by Bob Cotsford on 20/06/2018 13:12:04: Posted by Nigel R on 20/06/2018 08:52:43: Try the Hobbyking film - its excellent. And about £1.5 a metre. Unless you bought it at a show, eg a Weston Park trader was selling it in 2M rolls at a fiver a time. I don't remember ever seeing Monokote on sale in the UK I needed a small amount of black film to effect a minor repair to torn covering after landing out and bought 2m of black film at Weston Park. It was unlabelled but I asked another customer if he'd had any experience with it was assured it was pretty good. I haven't got round to using it yet but I won't mind too much if it turns out to be HobbyKing film which I really like. I did buy some silver grey film for a Hangar 9 P47 a few years ago which may be Monocote. It was easy to use. Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Evans 3 Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 After applying Balsaloc and waiting for it to dry ,do you cover it straight away or do you sand it lightly to reduce the raised grain ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 What's with the Balsaloc ? Why should it be applied ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVC Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 It is a sealer for balsa which also reacts slightly with the heat and helps the adhesion of the film to balsa wood. I have never used it, so I can’t comment on how good it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McG 6969 Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 Hi to all, IIRC, Balsaloc was a Solarfilm product. So it should be off the shelves very soon now. A great alternative - cheaper & even easier - is to paint some diluted PVA (25%) to the surface and let it dry. As PVA is a thermoplastic, it will soften again with heat and bond perfectly to the covering glue. If you prefer an even 'neater' job, it can be slightly sanded before starting the covering job. Please note that as Aliphatic is resin based and not thermoplastic, it isn't suitable for this job. @ Alejandro > nice to have you back to the forum. Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piers Bowlan Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 Balsaloc is used for films that don't have a layer of adhesive, litespan, solite, fibrafilm (when it was available) etc. Not heard of it being used with solarfilm, Monocote etc. before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVC Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 Posted by McG 6969 on 21/06/2018 07:50:22: @ Alejandro > nice to have you back to the forum. Cheers Chris Hi Chris, thanks! Nice to be back here. It's been a long year and half away from the forum and the models! BTW, my Ballerina is still to be finished, so I will revive my thread at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manish Chandrayan Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 Posted by Piers Bowlan on 21/06/2018 07:51:06: Balsaloc is used for films that don't have a layer of adhesive, litespan, solite, fibrafilm (when it was available) etc. Not heard of it being used with solarfilm, Monocote etc. before. It does help provide a better bond especially on substrates where the monokote/solarfilm etc did not bond easily or good. Like on ply or glass fiber surface. Then it also helps put down the Chinakote coverings on ARF's that start to come off after some time. Just a thin coat under the he piece coming off, let it dry and iron it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Holland 2 Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 Another convert to HK film, just received a 10m roll of white from RCLife (who I believe are the latest incarnation of Giant Cod/Shark). £19.99 plus p&p, ordered evening 19th, received early morning 21st. Can't grumble at that. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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