Author Topic: I Just Can't Understand It, More Gladiator (Read 1570 times)

Randy Ryan · « **on:** February 14, 2009, 11:01:26 AM »

I just can't understand why Oz Cover never caught on. Here's my Gladiator (I finally got back to covering it) in Oz, I've got about 1 hour in covering and its ready for primer. I do still need to finish the fillets but my point is if this were silkspan, I'd still have doping, filling, sanding numerous times and all that to look forward to. Here all I have to do to the wings is light prime and paint.

Nope, I just can't understand it.

Clint Ormosen · « **Reply #1 on:** February 14, 2009, 11:34:40 AM »

I must admit, I have no idea what Oz covering is. Looks like Fascal or clear Monokote.

Randy Ryan · « **Reply #2 on:** February 14, 2009, 12:34:31 PM »

Hi Clint,

Its a covering material that came out of Australia. It is meant specifically to be applyed and painted. It forms a beautiful surface to recieve our stunt finishes.

Bob Reeves · « **Reply #3 on:** February 14, 2009, 12:42:49 PM »

Maybe weight.. A 32 sq/in piece of OZ weighs almost exactly twice as much as the same size piece of Polyspan.. Polyspan would need to be filled and OZ needs a coat of primer, not sure which would end up lighter. Also could be that you need to be very good at covering with plastic to hide the edges and insure you have no wrinkles because you can't sand it.. If your that good with plastic might as well use one that is already painted..

I've tried it on a few small parts, the elevators and Rudder on my new ship are OZcover, It's OK but have a couple places on the elevators that keep puckering.. A heat gun will take them out but they seem to come back.. And yes I was careful to pull it as tight as I dared when I covered.

My understanding is it's no longer being sold and the closest thing would be SLC.. SLC is a tad thinner, measured some time ago when I had a roll of SLC..

Added, I believe they are all some form of laminating plastic. Combat flyers have used various versions for years.

Randy Ryan · « **Reply #4 on:** February 14, 2009, 02:04:47 PM »

Bob,

I use the light weight Oz, its definitly lighter then pply or silk span for the same end finish, its also much faster. As for puckers, I've found if you heat it with you gun and rub it down firmly with a hot mitt, you can actually push the air out through the wood unless its completely saturated with glue of filler. I've done several front row models with this stuff and its great.

"If your that good with plastic might as well use one that is already painted?"

Because I like rubbed dope finishes and I can do it with this faster, lighter and easier. (I do use Monokote as well for my "lessor" models"

Randy Ryan · « **Reply #5 on:** February 14, 2009, 04:01:21 PM »

Ty,

Cold I haven't experienced with it (I'm a fair weather pilot) but the Oz I took off this model was 8 years old and it was just as supple as the day I put it on.

rustler · « **Reply #6 on:** February 14, 2009, 05:08:21 PM »

Hi Randy. I look at three forums, this one, Stuka, and Barton. On one of them there's in the last few days a discussion on Ozcover. Apparently it's a laminating film still easily available from apropriate sources. Great I thought, I'll remember that. But..... Can I find it again? Should have noted it better, but with luck someone who knows will chime in, for both of us. It comes in various weights.

Randy Ryan · « **Reply #7 on:** February 14, 2009, 07:45:24 PM »

Moo Ding-a-ling clank!!! Moo Ding-a-ling clank!!!

Neville Legg · « **Reply #8 on:** February 21, 2009, 09:50:37 AM »

This stuff looks interesting? Does it stiffen up the framework like silk and dope does?

Cheers Neville

Randy Ryan · « **Reply #9 on:** February 23, 2009, 05:26:27 PM »

Quote from: Neville Legg on February 21, 2009, 09:50:37 AM

This stuff looks interesting? Does it stiffen up the framework like silk and dope does?

Cheers Neville

Neville,

No, like any other plastic film. it doesn't add much rigidity. But, that said, the finish will be and was originally in dope and the shrinkage causes this stuff to be better the average film but not quite as good as silkspan or other doped coverings. In this "D" box structure it does just fine, don't know what it would be like on say and "I" beamer, but I'm going to find out one of these days.

Steve Helmick · « **Reply #10 on:** February 23, 2009, 08:38:49 PM »

I'm happy to see that it looks quite clear...'cause I have some, earmarked for an already portly Ornamental ARC. My plan is to cover the wing with the stuff, and paint on some graphics, in a very bright color, leaving the rest clear. It won't be hard to see, willit? The rest will be semi-transparent dope, I think. Maybe "Leo Orunge". We gotta find out what shade of orange that is...

Steve

PS: I also have a little "Fas-Cal", but no "SLC". I have a good Ohaus triple beam balance...if sumbody would mail me a sample to weigh. I would be happy to post the results, of course.

Randy Ryan · « **Reply #11 on:** February 23, 2009, 08:50:17 PM »

Steve,

Yes, its milky colored until you heat it, then it goes clear. Not quite transparent, but close. Its very easy to work with. I tried some SLC and it stuck well to the wood, but not to itself, it seems to creep. I had a wing half covered bothe sides with a very good lap around the tip. I shrunk it with my heat gun and it looked great except for one spot. A littl more heat and the wrinkle moved, I cahsed it around until I realised the lap join had slipped and the covering pulled off the tip. It was well sealed because the adhesive was left behind. I suppose with some practice I'd get it down, but I ripped it off and put Monokote on it instead.

Brian Massey · « **Reply #12 on:** April 21, 2009, 04:33:06 PM »

Maybe because some of us have never heard of "oz". Looks good; is that a U-2 your building?

Brian

john e. holliday · « **Reply #13 on:** April 22, 2009, 08:56:24 AM »

If Oz cove is anything like SLC, here is my experience so far. On the little "Circus Prince" I covered the whole plane with SLC. I thought instructions said I could dope it, so I put on two coats of dope and talc. Trying to level the areas of overlap and minor wrinkles. When I went to sand it the dope started coming off.

Then it was posted on another thread to buff the surface before painting. So on the "Cardinette" I covered the whole plane with SLC. Then I put silkspan on with dope after buffing the surface with 400 grit paper. What a difference. I now have plane that looks like it is silkspan covered and only about a third of the dope/talc. It is ready for primer.

I plan on using SLC as the only covering on a sport plane I have in mind. But, I want to stain the wood first.. As with anything it takes practice, trial and error. Otherwise we would never learn anything. DOC Holliday

Author Topic: I Just Can't Understand It, More Gladiator (Read 1570 times)

Randy Ryan

I Just Can't Understand It, More Gladiator

Clint Ormosen

Re: I Just Can't Understand It, More Gladiator

Randy Ryan

Re: I Just Can't Understand It, More Gladiator

Bob Reeves

Re: I Just Can't Understand It, More Gladiator

Randy Ryan

Re: I Just Can't Understand It, More Gladiator

Randy Ryan

Re: I Just Can't Understand It, More Gladiator

rustler

Re: I Just Can't Understand It, More Gladiator

Randy Ryan

Re: I Just Can't Understand It, More Gladiator

Neville Legg

Re: I Just Can't Understand It, More Gladiator

Randy Ryan

Re: I Just Can't Understand It, More Gladiator

Steve Helmick

Re: I Just Can't Understand It, More Gladiator

Randy Ryan

Re: I Just Can't Understand It, More Gladiator

Brian Massey

Re: I Just Can't Understand It, More Gladiator

john e. holliday

Re: I Just Can't Understand It, More Gladiator