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laminate substrate type(s)


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I should first stress that I am a couple of notches from being a novice builder, I am however a returnee learning about new methods/materials again.

I bought a quantity,like many others via this forum of the laminating film(Thanks for that Ron much appriciated). I have just used it for the first time. If I have applied it correctly , it looks good. I basically did what Ron reccomended in a thread . ie tack and gun heat.

What bothers me is that it is said that it should be used on prepared bare balsa!!!!

I have been reading/ folowing various threads re building of various models in order to learn the basics and improve my skills.To this end I have read various threads re surface preping, these include the use of various fillers, including the generic polyfilla, fine scratch fillers, sanding sealersetc  of various types.

What is bothering me is the effect of the much higher temps used during application. For instance OZCOVER says to start with put your iron on its highest setting!!!!!. I have been starting at 150 for tacking and hot air gun remainder.( This is simplified for reporting).But basically exceeding the temps for ordinary film.

Surely these higher temps must have an effect on the coating/filler substrate, or am I completly wrong in this conclusion?.

The question is what can you use/avoid for use as a prep/filler at these high temps.

What temps should be reccomended when applying laminating films by iron and heat gun.(Bearing in mid that most guns are not temp controlled.( I just finish when it looks evenly stretched and rub in with a clean cloth, rightly or most likely wrongly)Basically what feels , looks right.

I would appreciate some guidance!!!!!!!!!(Press enter/submit and pray)

Bas

Edited by Basil
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Basil, a couple of weeks ago I covered my Rival in Ron's laminating film, really good stuff by the way. I used a little light weight filler in a couple of places and generally gave a good run down with silicon carbide paper. I set my iron to about 110/115C to tack down and then run the iron all over, then I turn the iron up to 150C and run it all over and to shrink the open structure parts. I never go anywhere near a heat gun because as you say you cannot control the temperature.

Laminating film can take a much higher temperature than Solarfilm but but having grown up with Solarfilm I only use just enough heat to do the job. If I have one of those stubborn little corners that won't quite shrink I turn the heat up a bit to sort it.

Edited by Outrunner
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I have used the lam film on balsa (bare), balsa (painted), ply (bare) ply (painted - and fuel proofed), lightweight filler, open structures, patch repairs to Solarfilm and the like (where I had some punctures caused by stubble) and foam. None of the above has posed a problem, but on painted (in particular fuel proofed or epoxied) surfaces you have to be a bit careful as it will stick at a lot lower temps than 'normal'. As a general rule I have my iron set to approx 140C for most surfaces but if I want to do a lot of edge tacking I use a lower temp, circa 110C. I do sometimes use a heat gun but tbh prefer my iron. Obviously when applying lam film to foam you have to be even more careful depending on the foam, the black stuff I used when I made them wings for my Spatman could take very high temps without any damage to the foam. There can be issues when applying it to solid surfaces and you have the iron too high as it will stick down before it shrinks and can cause tightly spaced wrinkles, far better to apply a slightly lower setting as you progress and not press down too hard making sure you have a decent all over smooth covering then hit it with the higher setting and a cloth to smooth down.

 

Those are just the ways that I use it, there are other who have success applying it differently, in fact the only 'rule' is that it does require higher temps than other covering films.

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