Graham Davies 3 Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 Hi Chris, and welcome. Laminating film can be used in a similar way to solarfilm type coverings (Soalrfilm have ceased trading, but oracover and the excellent hobbyking films are all largely similar). It is applied with heat, and shrunk with, er, heat. There are lots of articles and youtube videos showing detail on covering. Laminating film is a little different from the dedicated modelling films with regards to the temperatures needed, but if you haven't used either, you will need a bit of trial and error anyway. You will need a modelling iron. You won't need any additional adhesives for the edges, etc. Ron Grey is probably the best resource regarding laminating film; I am sure he will chip in. Graham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Davies 3 Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 Right on cue Ron! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Watkinson Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Great, thanks for the replies guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyGnome Posted February 23, 2021 Author Share Posted February 23, 2021 Being impatient, and needing to leave ebay feedback, I decided to try the laminating film on the P-47 rudder, a mix of sheet balsa, solid balsa, and litelply. Fired up the iron, battled with the sellotape holding the roll of film closed..... off I went. Total anti-climax. Using iron at 147 degrees, covers like a dream! Seems to go on at least as easily as film (Solarfilm/Oracover/HK) and shrinks drum tight using just the iron. I'll post a pic tomorrow, and then add some paint to see how that goes. Before strip it off ready for final finishing of the rudder and 'rea' covering. So far, so good for 75 micron film. Only caveat is there are no significant compound curves to deal with. But, as I don't plan on covering the fuselage and fin in laminate, I feel quite comfortable. GG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 I've never seen or used laminating film. How resistant is it to tearing? I had an ARTF glider which had the wings covered in some sort of shrunk on transparent sleeving. Looked fine but a small nick rapidly turned into a mostly detached loose cover - luckily it was on the way to the car and not on the way to a significant encounter with the ground! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyGnome Posted February 24, 2021 Author Share Posted February 24, 2021 Hi Martin I am yet to find out 'in the real world' but it's as tight as film and seems more resistant to poking with a finger! I'll post updates but others will have much more experience than me. GG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 Quite a few of the vintage boys are using laminating film and doping coloured tissue over the top. That way you get a puncture resistant covering with an authentic appearence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 Lam film is much more puncture resistant than normal covering film but as to tear resistance on an open framework, I’m not sure. As I’m interested in the answer I’ll do some testing today to see it stands up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyGnome Posted February 24, 2021 Author Share Posted February 24, 2021 Just did some quick calcs...... The roll I have bought cost £15 incl delivery. It is 100 metres long and just over 30cm wide. I reckon on using about 5 metres of the 100 metres to cover all the open structure elements..... under £1 for the model! I will have to add the cost of glass/epoxy/wbpu and paint but provided it goes as well as the test, and works in real life, seems a bargain. GG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 I’ve got a roll of 30 micron laminating film. I’ve used it to cover a Panic, 2.4 kilos, with a 2.4 horse motor up front, hooligan mode. It flies off a crushed and rolled stone to dust runway, which is abrasive and sharp. The film is a tough as old boots. One thing to note. It comes in all finishes from shiny to matt, but be aware that most of the ones described as semi matt, look to me semi shiny. The matt types take paint better, all benefit with a rub over with a degreaser like meths for adhesion of paint. Never tried to stick tissue to it, but I would consider a test to see if degreasing improves adhesion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John T Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 During the first lockdown last year I recovered an old model that had been languishing in the loft for a few years using tissue over Doculam. When we were able to fly again, on one flight I forgot to extend the aerial on the 35 meg transmitter (got too used to using 2.4 radio), and the model took off and did a neat half roll into the ground when it flew out of range at the end of the strip. Rather than the shredded remains I was expecting, the model was completely intact, which makes me think that this combination is as least as strong as normal film covering. Whether it would have survived without the tissue I don't know, it's not an experiment I really want to try again ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyGnome Posted February 24, 2021 Author Share Posted February 24, 2021 I am pretty sure I will be testing it's durability ? GG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 (edited) All of the tests I have done on lam film (didn’t include the tear test!) have shown that it is far stronger than standard covering film, and I’m talking about the 38 micron lam film not the thicker options. I’ve dropped large bolts onto it to compare it to the likes of Solarfim and HK film and it is far more resistant. Another good test was forming holes in open areas for things such as pushrods and for this I used a length of piano wire heated with a blow torch, nice neat hole in lam film that stayed that way when a cold wire was pushed through, other films were a big problem, difficult to form a neat hole and had a tendency to rip when the cold wire was inserted and moved about (actually that could be the tear test!). Also dropped small screwdriver onto the surface, straight through the normal film, bounced off the lam film or just dented it (this latter test was not from a great height !). And I’ve also done the crash test too! My LA-7 was caught on a landing approach by a ‘rotor’ wind which flipped the model over at about 3ft off the ground. The damage was the nose being ripped off and the wing getting ripped away from the fuselage. Apart from localised damage to the wing mounting and a wing tip there was no other damage and the nose was stuck back with some internal reinforcement. Edited February 24, 2021 by Ron Gray 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyGnome Posted February 24, 2021 Author Share Posted February 24, 2021 That is dedication! Cheers Ron. Hope my initiation to glassing is as successful - deffo months off! GG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engine Doctor Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 You wont be disappointed in the toughness of the laminating film . I did a test piece of 75 micron matt and dropped a ball point pen ( blunt end) onto it from about a meter and it just bounced off . Doing the same with normal covering resulted in the pen going through. Also any overlaps seem to almost weld together so no peeling . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 I've now carried out my experiments: 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil McCavity Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 Your demo appears to show that it is indeed far more resilient to tearing than heat shrink film .What's it like to remove Ron? does it come away easily with heat without tearing the balsa frame? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 It really does depend on the heat used to attach it, circa 100 degrees it’s easy to remove with very little balsa removed. Using 150 degrees it’s somewhat harder to peel off and the top layer of balsa comes with it! I’ve put a vid on here somewhere showing this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil McCavity Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 Thanks Ron, I'll look for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 Watching with interest. Does anyone know whether the laminating film / adhesive is glow / petrol resistant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 (edited) @Gary Manuel whilst I haven't let it soak in either glow or petrol I can say that no covering has lifted from my models that are glow or petrol powered (to be fair, those models have been painted then given a coat of Clearcoat). But maybe there's another test for me to carry out! Edited February 24, 2021 by Ron Gray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 @Phil McCavity here you go 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil McCavity Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 Thank you again Ron, you are a gentleman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 Currently there are 2 sample pieces languishing, 1 in petrol and the other in glow fuel! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 Crikey @Ron Gray. You spoil us. You really do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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