Graff Posted December 20, 2024 Share Posted December 20, 2024 Hi, I have had a problem finding a good textile covering for my scale airplanes. Oratex is expensive and not as nice as Solartex. Koverall from SIG is good, but the weave takes a lot of material to fill. I got this tip to use polyester lining fabric. I visited my local haberdashery and asked if they had some, which they did (in several colours). I got a free small sample to try out. I have this small wing that I use to try various coverings on. I use Mod Podge matte as glue, it gets to dry thoroughly before I tacked the fabric in place with the covering iron. I shrunk it with the iron as well. I'll try to shrink it with the hot air gun tomorrow. It'll be interesting to see how the dope will work on it. And how the weave will fill in. If this turns out okay, it will be a cheap alternative. It's sold on 140 cm width, and costs £8 per meter. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted December 20, 2024 Share Posted December 20, 2024 Interesting but how small is the test wing? The weave looks rather large in the photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis 2 Posted December 20, 2024 Share Posted December 20, 2024 You could always put tissue or doculam onto the airframe first, then put your polyester lining material over the top. That way you might use less dope. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Wolfe Posted December 20, 2024 Share Posted December 20, 2024 2 hours ago, David Davis 2 said: You could always put tissue or doculam onto the airframe first, then put your polyester lining material over the top. That way you might use less dope. Silk over Doculam works quite well and is quite light. A few coats of thinned dope gives a nice textured finish that is pretty tough. * Chris * 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graff Posted December 20, 2024 Author Share Posted December 20, 2024 6 hours ago, Martin Harris - Moderator said: Interesting but how small is the test wing? The weave looks rather large in the photo. It's tiny, an old Keil Kraft. Maybe 7 cm wide? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Laird Posted December 20, 2024 Share Posted December 20, 2024 I found dress lining a bit heavy and tried polyester faux silk. It was lighter , looked right and with a tight weave needed less dope to seal over doculam. dope was about 50/50 thinned. similar price and available at haberdashery or online. john 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graff Posted December 20, 2024 Author Share Posted December 20, 2024 (edited) I just ordered another fabric as a test. 100% polyester lining, 45 g/m². At €3 per meter at 150 cm width, it was really cheap. That fabric has a very tight weave. It is also lighter (the same weight as Koverall), and is described as being "like silk". The new fabric: The old with lots of structure. Edited December 20, 2024 by Graff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solly Posted December 20, 2024 Share Posted December 20, 2024 Be aware of using these materials on sheeted surfaces. The shrinkage on some of them is not permanent and after a week or so bubbles can pop up, even if doped down. If the surface is painted ironing them back down is not an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graff Posted December 20, 2024 Author Share Posted December 20, 2024 1 minute ago, Solly said: Be aware of using these materials on sheeted surfaces. The shrinkage on some of them is not permanent and after a week or so bubbles can pop up, even if doped down. If the surface is painted ironing them back down is not an option. I can't see how? I have used SIG Koverall for several years now, and that hasn't lost the tightness, or lifted from planked surfaces? It is a polyester fabric as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted December 20, 2024 Share Posted December 20, 2024 Just now, Graff said: I can't see how? I have used SIG Koverall for several years now, and that hasn't lost the tightness, or lifted from planked surfaces? It is a polyester fabric as well. Fair enough, but Sig is pre-stretched, heating causes it to relax to fit what it is struck over. I would use doculam, my preference is light 29 micron. Good enough to cover big stuff, cheap as chips, and apply a fabric over the top with a dope. Brush or roll away from the center to remove creases. Fabric you use is what you want, nylon, silk, or polyester. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solly Posted December 20, 2024 Share Posted December 20, 2024 Quite right, I wasn’t including Koverall, I was thinking about the cheap materials used in dress making. I tried one once and never again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 There is a chap on YouTube called Mark Croucher who has a lot of experience and videos demonstrating the use of Polyester. I'm trying it myself on a build at the moment as an experiment also. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
payneib Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 I've been doing this myself for the last few years, most recently on the back end of my Galaxy Hurricane. I like the mix of "old timey craft" application, reliable heat shrinking and it's CHEAP! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graff Posted January 8 Author Share Posted January 8 I have tried the new polyester fabric, and it works perfectly fine. It shrinks like Koverall and doesn't take as many layers of dope to fill the weave. Pics will come. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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