Alternative (and very cheap) covering material.

[Matt Carlton]

Hello all,

Whilst pondering covering materials, a thought occurred to me. My shower curtain is made of a very light woven polyester fabric. It has a texture a little like solartex.

So, I'm wondering how it would work as a covering material?

Has anyone tried this?

It's very cheap. £3.99 for a shower curtain 1.8m x 1.8m, and available in a host of colours.

It shouldn't need sealing, but even if so, then maybe a thinned coat of polyurethane varnish?

Not sure if it would shrink with an iron. I doubt it.

I'll perhaps give it a go, but just wondered if anyone had and experience using a similar material?

 

Cheers

Matt

Edited By Matt Carlton on 03/10/2020 13:57:25

[Ray Wood 4]

Hi Matt,

Have you tried gluing it yet ? I imagine it's a slippery surface ?

Sounds like a great idea btw

Regards Ray

[paul d]

I discovered a simular material a while back, its called "polyester silk " sold at hobby craft for £2.50 a metre ( it's actually 48" wide), I've covered 3 models with it so far with tissue over the top, its very thin ( just over a thou) and feather light, I apply it with covergrip and a warm iron, it shrinks with a hotter iron a treat.

A coat of dope to seal it then tissue over the top with another coat of dope and the jobs a good un! I build vintage type models with diesels.

[GrahamC]

This is covered with 38 Micron laminating film, Halford's primer and sprayed Crown Emulsion paint. A bit of a faff, with the masking, but at about £18 delivered for a 250m x 750mm roll of the stuff, another very cheap covering solution.

[Mike T]

@paul d - I'm curious as to why you would put tissue over the top? Is the polyester too fragile on its own, or is it just to stiffen it up?

A while back, somebody posted a link to an ebay supplier of "Habotai silk" which looked interesting. (The supplier was only a few miles from me, but you-know-what scuppered any thoughts of a visit...)

[J D 8]

After crashing my first power plane a CL job and splitting the tissue over most of the wing [ it was not modelspan just wrapping tissue [ living out in the country model stuff was hard to come by]

I recovered the wing with an old scarf my mam had made of Chiffon ! Not a great plan it sucked up dope like crazy and ended up somewhat on the heavy side.

Still it did fly and was tough.

[Stuphedd]

Great ideas for future builds, thanks

I have used "Tights" (ladies ??) to slip over and cover Con Liner wings in the past, People ask where I got the perculiar pattern ideas from !!!

I still have the blue with black spots one (Tee Tray I think )

cheers

[paul d]

Mike, the polyester on its own is extremely strong and tear resistant ( I fly at Chobham common...covered in Heather!) being a vintage fan I love the look of doped tissue which on its own is extremely fragile so double covering gives the best of both worlds.

The picture I posted earlier is of a model covered with polyester silk and dope with tissue trim just to illustrate the material, the model below, keil Kraft Bantam is double covered, while there is obviously a weight penalty it's actually very very little as one coat of dope is enough to seal the tissue ( I use diesels exclusively and cellulose dope is fuel proof as is). A added bonus is that the combination of the heat shrunk and doped fabric does add a lot of stiffness, the Bantam's wings could be twisted quite alarmingly before covering.

Edited By paul d on 03/10/2020 17:19:01

[Matt Carlton]

Interesting responses and ideas chaps.

I dug out and old wing to try it on. Not sure that it'll stick well with dope or PVA, but possibly a UHU permanent glue stick would work or a thin smear of evostick. Possibly spray mount might work as well.

I'll let you know once I've given it a go.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Doctor Chinnery]

My second sloper, a Veron Impala and my first i/c trainer, a Galaxy Escort were both covered in doped nylon ( the Escort was also fuel proofed obv's!) Both were a tough as the proverbial Old Boots, certainly much much stronger than their modern equivalents - and flew really well. Doped nylon is not that difficult to use and available at your Wife's local haberdashery - dead cheap and lots of colour choices - the only downside that I recall is that marital harmony is enhanced by doing all the doping outside on your faithful MDF-topped retired ironing board. Oh, and referring to a nearbye topic - I dare say that both the Impala and the Escort's longevity can also have been enhanced by their veneered foam wings.

[Guest]

I have used polyester dress lining and latterly polyester chiffon doped on over mylar.

The mylar weighs next to nothing, seals the airframe against the weather and reduces the need for multilple coats of dope to seal the fabric. Apart from slightly shrinking the fabric, the dope also weatherproofs the fabric.  Very strong. Cost is in region of £2/running metre either 1 or 1.5 metres wide

My 2 vagabonds are covered in the mylar/doped chiffon and are here on u-tube - both electric

Vagabond senior

Vagabond

 

Edited By John Laird on 03/10/2020 20:32:16

[Andy Stephenson]

Paul D

FIFY...

Edited By Andy Stephenson on 03/10/2020 22:36:08

[paul d]

Thanks Andy, I browse this forum using my phone , it seems to orintate photos what ever way it feels like!!

[Engine Doctor]

Slightly off topic sorry but does anyone know if hobbyking iron on covering resists model diesel fuel ? looking for a alternative since lightspan has gone