Tecnichal Discussions

Covering Issues

[19:36, 11/6/2019] Mark Ballard: What’s the best way to restick peeling covering which has lost its stick for re ironing on.


[19:43, 11/6/2019] Mark Ballard: some special white liquid/paste called Bolsaloc can be used.


[19:44, 11/6/2019] Mark Ballard: Cover Grip, or balsa loc, probably PVA, are best for sticking covering to wood. Prymol is for sticking covering to covering.


[19:45, 11/6/2019] Mark Ballard: I use canopy glue. Works a treat. Nigel lent me a small tin of some clear liquid once, it was even better – cleaner than the campy glue.


[19:46, 11/6/2019] Mark Ballard: Prymol… that was it.


[19:47, 11/6/2019] Mark Ballard: Covering should overlap, so not exposed to the fuel


[19:48, 11/6/2019] Mark Ballard: I sometimes paint a thin line of epoxy where film overlaps, depends where it is. I always paint epoxy wherever film ends and bare wood starts on a new plane. It’s worked really well, it stops the film peeling back.


[19:48, 11/6/2019] Mark Ballard: It lifts often, and prymol is the solution


[19:49, 11/6/2019] Mark Ballard: Go for epoxy based paints. Klass Coat are great if you can get hold of them… Try fighter aces, they’re the importer.


[19:49, 11/6/2019] Mark Ballard: Also, Klass Coat have all the original warbird colours for US, UK, German and Japanese planes.


[19:49, 11/6/2019] Mark Ballard: Humbrol are designed for airfix kits. If you use them, they have to be fuel proofed with a 2part fuelproof. I did this on my spitfire for the undercarriage wells as they had a particular colour that I wanted. Even then, go for the enamel not the acrylic kind. Enamel is thicker and has better self leveling properties / wear and tear.


[19:49, 11/6/2019] Mark Ballard: https://www.rcworld.co.uk/acatalog/Flair-Spectrum-Paint.html


[19:49, 11/6/2019] Mark Ballard: This is the most nitro resistant one part paint you can get. It is fine as long as you avoid soaking it with neat fuel. It does eventually get done in by oil. So it needs wiping down. Two part paints are highly toxic. You can get some in cans, but you need to use the whole can in about 30 mins. Still toxic though


[19:49, 11/6/2019] Mark Ballard: https://www.nexusmodels.co.uk/building-materials/coverings-finishing/paints-filler-lacquers.html?limit=120


[19:50, 11/6/2019] Mark Ballard: The enamels will work on most surfaces, but wood needs to be sealed with epoxy or sealer , spirit or water based but needs to be very dry/set and then sanded with 240, 400, 600 and 800 if you want a good finish. Enamel coats need to be done  within 30 mins of each other or a whole week, because it cures by oxidation apparently. Only gets proper fuel resistant after about 2 weeks.


[19:50, 11/6/2019] Mark Ballard: Also you can paint covering but a good sanding with 600 or 800 is needed.


[06:22, 12/6/2019] Mark Ballard: Some covering makes/types have a pigment layer which is also the glue, or at least the glue merges with the pigm ent.  Others  have a separate glue layer e.g. Oracover/profilm/ultracote (same thing) has a white glue layer. So as long as the covering looks in good condition, it may glue back down but don’t overheat covering sticks and stretches at a much lower temp than shrinking. That’s how you can pull and stick over curves and then shrink. Try no more than 100C for sticking. Oracover is the best in my experience. Massive range too.


[06:23, 12/6/2019] Mark Ballard: Prymol is useful to help tired covering glu