Brodak's ARF Smoothie Questions

[Joshua Harel]

Hi All

I just got my ARF Smoothie today and would like to ask people who have one of these a few practical questions. I have read whatever was said on this website before but more specifically:

1. The iron-on covering has some wrinkles - would you advise applying heat to smooth it?

2. It was recommended to seal the seams - how? Would a sprayed on top coat of clear automotive polyurethane be a good way to do this? If not - what method have you used?

Thanks for you help fellas.

Joshua

[Dick Pacini]

You can seal the seams with epoxy and an acid brush.  A good idea to go over them first with a covering iron.  A heat gun or a hair dryer can be played on the open bays to tighten them up.  Bubbles in the covering over wood can be punctured with a pin and then ironed down.

I have a Brodak P40 ARF and the instructions called for an iron, if I recall, and maybe even a heat gun.  My thoughts are, if you are going to buy ARF's, you need to be able to tighten the skin.

[Leester]

As far as wrinkles go use your sealing iron but with only enough heat to do the job. To much heat will shrink the covering. If you have any clear monokote you can seal the seams with with strips of that or spray clear Lustre kote.

[EddyR]

Joshua    Keep that ST/61 away from it
Ed

[Steve Hines]

use a iron and a iron sock, turn the iron on hi and with the sock on it will not over shrink the covering. I was having problems with the same thing, and a guy in the club told me how to do it. it worked great, i think you can control the heat better.

Steve

[Dick Pacini]

Yes, the sock is a good idea.  I have one and have never used the iron without it.

[Leester]

Yep, I always use the sock it's just secound nature and forgot to mention it