Covering Tips ?

[Kelwilk1]

Hi all, I have been building my second plane this winter (Easy Sport 40) and it is allmost time to cover now. In my instructions it says to glue the stab and fin in place before covering. Would it not be easier to cover the stab and fin first then cut away the covering to glue in place after or should I follow the instructions ? I will be using Ultracoat. Also I want to make a 3 color scheme so should I start by covering everything with 1 color and then add my graphics over top ? Should I use Ultracoat for my graphics or decals ? I have never done multiple layers before.

Any suggestions or tips much appreciated

Kelly

[John Weekes]

Hey Kelly! Great to hear you are progressing on model #2. Can hardly wait to see it.

For sure cover ALL of your parts separately. ...Also, I'm glad to hear you are using Ultracote. Monokote bites. (Although I know some folks like it).

You can cover with your base colour then move onto others...or you can seal pieces together...or design you scheme is such a way so that the colour pieces go on separately. I've done all three...but prefer options 1 and 3. Regardless, forget about trying to mate pieces together over open fuse frame or wing bays. If you do overlap colours just make sure your iron is on a low heat setting or you will get annoying bubbles (that you then need to pop with a pin - carefully!).

Remember you can also apply vinyl or mylar. Loomis art store on Bank Street (just north of the Queensway) has a massive selection of really cool colours (including high qualiity metallics and "day glow", etc.).

...For sure cover your parts separately and leave a little overlap so that you don't get gaps at joints, etc.

Good luck with it! ...Maybe you'll win a prize at the ORCC Concours D'elegance in April.

...Should be some really good competition this year...including some BIG model entries... :D

John

[Tom Hastie]

Hey Kelly.

John is right. Layering covering is no problem at all. You just have to be more conscious to start in the middle and iron towards the edges, squeezing out bubbles as you go. I prefer to spear the bubbles with a new No. 11 knife blade (as opposed to a pin) because I find it's sharper and leaves a smaller hole.

I also could cover the tail feathers before glueing them to the fuse. The only time I wouldn't do this is if I had some reason not to. Like on my Mosquito I was forced to build the stab "Into" the fuse early on.

There are some good threads online about covering tips. The ones below pertain to "Solite", also sold in town as 21st Century Coverlite/Microlite. These are just much lighter coverings designed for small electrics. However, what works for these also works for heavier coverings.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52764&pp=100

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183916

I don't remember monokote being as bad as John says, but the trouble is, my box of covering contains half rolls going back 20 years when my dad used to build planes, and nothing has a label. So I tend to just grab the colour I want and go with it... If it doesn't seems to stick... use more heat:p

Most recently I've become a fan of solarfilm. It's light, oqaque, sticks well, and stretches well around compound curves.

Tom

[John Weekes]

Solarfilm is awesome...but for light planes...like electrics. I also liked the lite stuff I used on my SA Edge-540 (electric)...but I can't remember the name of it. Can you remember, Tom??? I got it at Fred's.

...Speaking of covering...I covered most of the fuse of my Pitts S-2A tonight...the one that I am converting to electric...but it's all white...so no layering issues.

However, I am planning on doing up the trim in metallic blue...probably sunburst (yawn), etc. Same old...but should still look pretty good.

John

[Kelwilk1]

Hey Kelly! Great to hear you are progressing on model #2. Can hardly wait to see it.

For sure cover ALL of your parts separately. ...Also, I'm glad to hear you are using Ultracote. Monokote bites. (Although I know some folks like it).

You can cover with your base colour then move onto others...or you can seal pieces together...or design you scheme is such a way so that the colour pieces go on separately. I've done all three...but prefer options 1 and 3. Regardless, forget about trying to mate pieces together over open fuse frame or wing bays. If you do overlap colours just make sure your iron is on a low heat setting or you will get annoying bubbles (that you then need to pop with a pin - carefully!).

Remember you can also apply vinyl or mylar. Loomis art store on Bank Street (just north of the Queensway) has a massive selection of really cool colours (including high qualiity metallics and "day glow", etc.).

...For sure cover your parts separately and leave a little overlap so that you don't get gaps at joints, etc.

Good luck with it! ...Maybe you'll win a prize at the ORCC Concours D'elegance in April.

...Should be some really good competition this year...including some BIG model entries... :D

John

With this only being my second build I had to ask the question of why the instructions say to glue the stab and fin in place before covering because my SIG LT-40 Kit said the opposite. It would seem like more work(covering) after glueing.

If I go with vinyl or mylar do they glue on or do you apply them wet and work out the water after. My first build came with the decals and I applied them wet so I could move them around a bit until they were in the proper position . I am not sure what they were made of ??. The Great Planes Easy Sport 40 came with none so I am on my own.

I am leary about sealing three colors of Ultracoat together before applying to the plane because of my lack of experience.:o I read that if you do, seal them on glass because the glue will not adhere to the glass.Is this true ? I am still not sure which route to go 1,2 or 3

Any suggestions appreciated from anyone.

Thanks Kelly

[Sev Fontaine]

I am leary about sealing three colors of Ultracoat together before applying to the plane because of my lack of experience.:o I read that if you do, seal them on glass because the glue will not adhere to the glass.Is this true ? I am still not sure which route to go 1,2 or 3

Any suggestions appreciated from anyone.

Thanks Kelly
It's true that it won't stick to glass.

I would say... if you were building a 3d or pattern type plane and wanted to save as much weight as possible then the 3 colors stitched together might be the way to go. This being your second plane and a sport plane the minuscule weight penalty won't bother it that much. So in this case stitching may be overkill. If you do go the layering route... i'd also recommend solarfilm or hangar 9 ultracote. They don't seem to produce bubbles as much when layering. Like John said... stay away from monokote.

[Tom Hastie]

I've also done the stitching on wax paper if glass isn't available. Use low heat since you really just want to "tack glue" the layers together. The real sealing together comes once the sheet is on the model. Also, make sure you lift the LOWER layer off the surface, or you risk peeling the two layers you just stitched apart.

I agree with Sev. Although stitching really isn't all that hard, it does take a bit more planning ahead than layering. Just do some layering unless you're interested in a challenge and bragging rights :)

Tom

[Tom Hastie]

I don't use the wet application method. I forget where I learned this method (maybe it's standard and everyone knows it) but here's how I place sticky back decals. It works well for all but the largest decals.

1. The decal to be placed.
2. Fold the decal forward and then unfold. The backing should separate from the decal along the fold only.
3. Use an x-acto knife to cut the backing along the fold.
4. Use scissors to cut away 1/8th to 1/4 inch of backing.

.... to be continued.

[Tom Hastie]

5. Now that you only have a small amount of sticky the decal can be placed gently, and if you're careful, even lifted and adjusted a couple of times. Once you're happy with the placement, stick down the center of the decal firmly.
6. Once you're happy with the placement, you can roll out the backing... use your free hand to keep the decal smooth and avoid wrinkles.
7. One side done. Repeat for the other side.

Like I said, I've never had a sticky decal that was so big that I couldn't place it accurately using this method. Hope it helps.

Tom

[Sev Fontaine]

I have used the wet method and it has some benefit. I used to work for a snowmobile company and the very large decals were all hand laid. The workers would start by spraying windex all over the surface where the decal would go and on the back of the decal. Then they would lay it over the area and line everything up. They would then use a small squeegy or credit card and squeegy out the windex from underneath the decal starting from the middle going out to the sides. In some cases they would even use a heat gun and curve the decal around compound curves making sure to apply lot's of windex below the heated area to prevent the decal from sticking while stretching.
In most cases... the dry method Tom described above will be the easiest but.... when the decals are very large or when going around compound curves the wet method works very well.

[Kelwilk1]

I would like to thank everyone that has contributed to this thread. The info that has been posted so far has been very informative to myself and hopefully to other new builders coming into the hobby. I am sure that there are alot more tips that you more experienced guys can share with us newbies to make our builds easier,faster and look better in the end.

I cant wait for my Ultracoat to arrive so I can apply some of the technics posted and get my plane finished. :D . Spring is here and I am itching to fly again. :) :cool:

Thanks again
Kelly