Best covering?

what is the best thing to cover an open structure other than film ?

How big, how strong, what sort of structure, what power source? Sorry but that question is a bit like asking what's the best thing to put in a saucepan.

if its iron on, then solatex, if traditional, nylon, dope, and sanding sealer, messy, but not hard to do, but tex is by far the easiest

well bob

not sure i want to put things in a saucepan just at the moment !!

but i can tell you that it will be a wing for a sunday hack model say something like a 50" or 60"

if it's a light glider, then you could use Fibafilm from Solarfilm, if it's power then I'd go with Alan's suggestion of Solartex or similar.

bloomin eck, i got a mention

solatex is good, solar film i use a bit, but gee they are getting expensive in oz.

Profilm is the best covering for such a project. Do a decent job on the covering and it'll still be drum tight in ten years time.

He did say 'other than film' leccy!

Tissue and dope, sig coverall and dope, ask around some of the silver fox brigade ( I only have the streaks and the silver trim at the moment.) they will know for sure and wil pass on that knowledge for free and you don't get much for free.

bbc.

Gary

In answer to your original question ,I recommend using your girlfriends stockings and dope.Best covering I have ever known (on the flying model of course)

Yes I know. He also got suggestions of Solarfilm.

Truth is that (IMO) all of the coverings mentioned are inferior to Profilm, which is the best for the job by a mile, unless the OP intends to paint the model, in which case Solartex is an alternative.

Myron, I keep ripping my girlfriends stockings ( keep that a secret, don't want wife to know.)

leccyflyer, i have never used Profilm but i am building a little sporty job .25 size, open structure wing, boxy fuse go or no? 30-40 oz dollars per 2mtrs roll.

bbc.

All I can say BBC is that I built my first electric model in 1996 and it was an open frame structure 40" wing and boxy fuselage. The wing is right behind me now (though with a bit of a scrunch on one wingtip from a crash) and the Profilm covering is as tight as it was when it was built. You can bounce a penny on it and it rings like a drum. Yes, it's a bit more expensive than older style film coverings but IMO worth every penny. - plus you can hinge the control surfaces with it, in one piece.

BBC

Rest assured,your secret is safe with me ! Maybe you should get 15 Denier ones with a seam down the back then you know the grain direction of the material before rolling it onto your wings or whatever prior to shrinking .

Myron, should i use that seam over the spar for extra strenght? just in case wife hits me with one of wings because she recognised the little bow at the bottom has never been on her stockings. lol.

bbc

Solartex .

Apply & shrink with a covering iron such as the excellent Prolux one

on a current thread.

Go to Solarfilm.co.uk to download Solartex instructions.

It might be worth looking at some of the heat shrink coverings used in full-sized aviation such as Dacron, I've heard of these being used on larger models.