Building Tips and technical articles. > Paint and finishing
Polyspan around curved wingtips demonstration.
Brent Williams:
Have you ever wondered how to get polyspan to form around curved wingtips with no cuts? I filmed a demonstration given by Roger Kramar as he covered a wing panel with a curved wingtip using a single sheet of Polyspan with no cuts. He shows the process of using a monokote iron to tack and shrink the Polyspan around complex curves. He and Gordan Delaney have used this method for many years on their beautiful front row quality ships.
Ken Culbertson:
That was informative! I have used a similar method to help seal the polyspan. Don't shrink it on the open bays before you dope. Then, with the dope wet use the iron or heat on low heat to shrink the polyspan. It really seals it up and you don't get those awful holes. I do monokote like Roger but I had never thought of using the same technique with polyspan - Thanks. So does the next plane with polyspan comes with three people to hold it for me? ???
Ken
Larry Renger:
A really useful show of how to do a wingtip ended panel. I learned a lot! Forms a perfect base for my following rant. R%%%%
Unless you are going for a Nationals 20 point finish, look into covering the polyspan with park flyer film. Instant colored composite finish that has proven remarkably durable.
If you are going for the top quality finish, scuff the outer surface of SLC film, cover and you are ready for your top coats of paint. No primer and prep required. Lighter, tougher, cheaper, quicker, durable, less dope fumes, what is not to like?
See the SLC over Polyspan thread. Can 112,000 views be wrong? Try it and let us know. A lot of viewers are looking to see how it works. So far the reports have been positive.
I have used this scheme for years and would never switch back to tedious, multiple layers of dope to fill a porous covering material and then try to make it shine. Life is too short for that.
By the way, Hi Gordy! Haven’t seen you in a long time. 🤠
Best regards, Larry
🤠
wwwarbird:
Great video! I use Polyspan exclusively but have only ever used my heat gun with it. For some reason I've never even thought of using my iron, DUH, looks like a better way, a lot less chance of the dreaded burn through. y1
bill bischoff:
One of the nice things about adhering Polyspan with ModPodge is the ability to shrink, stretch and stick the covering all in one step, like any other iron-on covering. Somehow, ironing wet dope "goes against the grain" for me, but I can't argue with results.
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