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Author Topic: Is there a film covering that stays tight?  (Read 779 times)

Mike Griffin

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Is there a film covering that stays tight?
« on: September 05, 2008, 08:05:18 AM »
I have used Monokote, Ultracote, Oracover (Polycote), Tower brand and I contstantly have to re-shrink the film after the plane sits for a few days.  The problem comes when you paint the film covering the wings and the stuff wrinkles and you have to re-shrink the film and the paint cracks.  Rustoleum and Duplicolor have some flexibility but when you re-shrink it causes a problem with cracks showing up in the paint.

Anyone out there have some words of wisdom for this problem.  Maybe I am doing something wrong and at a loss of how to correct it.

Thanks

Mike

Offline Andrew Hathaway

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Re: Is there a film covering that stays tight?
« Reply #1 on: September 05, 2008, 08:24:43 AM »
If you stretch the covering before you tack it around the edges, you don't have to depend on the heat shrink action to keep things tight and you won't get wrinkles since it's already tight in it's original state. 

Offline Ralph Wenzel (d)

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Re: Is there a film covering that stays tight?
« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2008, 11:46:07 AM »
It helps if you add a coat of clear (I use Nitrate) dope on the framework edges. Sand lightly. This provides increased adhesion and minimizes "creep".

Ralph
(Too many irons; not enough fire)

Ralph Wenzel
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Offline Phil Coopy

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Re: Is there a film covering that stays tight?
« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2008, 12:08:11 PM »
From 30+ years of experience with $kote......

Always use BALSARITE around the edges for adhesion.

Wrinkling is always caused because the film was not tight enough when it  was sealed around the edges. The trick on a wing is to tack down the center ends of the covering first (just like in their instructions) not the corners. Then the corners.  Then with very little pulling pressure tack down the trailing edge.  Now using your HEAT GUN, hold the leading edge film with a glove and while pulling it taught use the gun to tack the leading edge down.  At this point the covering over the span should look as though it has already been shrunk, if not repeat the last step again. Do the same with flaps unless you prefer to stick the covering to the balsa, which is a whole diffferent game.  Use you heat gun to pull the covering around compound curves a little at a time.

On closed areas like a built up stab make sure there is a way for the air to escape as it pressurizes inside from the heat because it will blow the covering up like a baloon and when it cools wrinkes will reappear after shrinking. Good way is to have the hinge slots open during covering or drill some small holes in the TE.

There is a ton of tricks applying $kote and they are usually learned by experiance over a long time.

Phil

Offline minnesotamodeler

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Re: Is there a film covering that stays tight?
« Reply #4 on: September 11, 2008, 11:53:36 AM »
I've just been experimenting with some Docu-Lam like the combat guys use and it seems to hold its "shrinkage" better than most.  It's clear, but I'm told you can paint it on the underside before installing.  Haven't tried that yet. I think the stuff I have is 1/5 mil, it's very light. Takes a lot of heat, which may be why it holds its tautness better.
--Ray 
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AMA902472


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