Lite Span

[Erfolg]

I am going to need a light weight fabric or fabric effect covering. In the past Lite-span would have come to mind.

With the demise of Solafilm, it is probable the Lite-span will cease to be available under the trade mark/brand name.

Looking at the stuff, it does seem to be a product that is not as complex in its manufacture, as many of the films. In that I seem to remember that it was only a heat shrink film, on a protective carrier film. That is no pigment layers, or adhesive layer.

Is it a bought in product available from other sources under a another brand name?

Edited By Erfolg on 16/09/2018 21:31:37

[Geoff Bradley]

Solarfilm are still trading selling off stock from a warehouse in Coppull, Lancashire.Google them.

[Erfolg]

Geoff

Although it is not clear, if the trading is solely to clear stock, or some lines will continue to be wholesaled or may be sold retail.

It is not immediately that I will be needing a preferably light weight woven simulated covering. It could be that when I come to want the stuff, there is no more available, or if i buy some in anticipation of my needs, I will have purchased enough, alternatively may be purchased to much ( a waste).

I am guessing that this is essentially a bought in product, that is pre-stretched, perhaps with a backing sheet added. I am not sure, as it is some 10 years back when I bought some Lite Span, that it comes with a backing sheet.

If it is bought in, then there could be other suppliers with their own brand name.

Incidentally some 50 years back, when I then worked in the food packaging industry, I attended a demonstration by a company called General Engineering that amongst many other machines, a machine that they produced for shrink wrap polymers. It consisted of a extruder, that produced a tube, into which compressed air was blown, sets of rollers, which maintained the tension and produced a double sheet, which was then slit and rolled. I never thought at the time that one day i would become a modeller using heat shrink material to cover a model. All I saw at the time was the first stage in the production of printer carrier film. I just accepted that it was used in food and other product wrapping machines.

[Denis Watkins]

The Vintage Model Company, do all manner of lightweight covering Erf

**LINK**

[PatMc]

Litespan isn't simulated fabric. It's more like simulated doped tissue that's a very slightly more puncture resistant than tissue. It doesn't stretch or shrink very much, so is pretty well impossible to cover compound curves in one piece.
Also it remains more flexible than doped tissue so adds little if any rigidity to, for example, an open structure wing.

Other than that it's not much use.

[bert baker]

I used litespan on a free flight Cardinal,, balsa lock all areas that need covering sticking to it.. worked well for me and bonus was it doesn’t seem to be bothered about diesel damage to the covering

[Erfolg]

I used it on a VS Playboy, yes you are all correct, in that it does not look like a woven fabric. Although it does not have the reflective properties of a film, type product.

The first mod was rounded tips as the NiCads were to heavy to fly. Then the 480 did not have the guts to climb

A outrunner replaced the 480, requiring a longer nose to avoid Lead, now the issue was uncontrollable Dutch rolling,if any control input was used, so the dihedral was drastically reduced. Now the model was Tom Boyish.

I accept it looks similar to a doped tissue, although the colour that is on my playboy is a muslin type colour a creamy yellowish hue. I seem to remember that the sheet size was also small.

I quite agree it is not the greatest product in many respects, One aspects that is almost infinity better than is tissue and that is for puncture resistance.

I am hoping to use it or something similar for a WW1 model that I hope to start in the near future. Where the colour and puncture resistance in conjunction with the light weight will e useful.

I am getting ready for the event it becomes problematical in obtaining the stuff.