cover the bottom of a wing first then the top ..... fuss bottom sides top what ever you use be it tissue, silk, nylon or film. Next tack the leading edge first then the trailing edge ... heat the film it will shrink out the wrinkles then go over the film with the iron.
As a guy who has covered probably close to 100 models, you're method is one of the hardest. Next time, try getting the edges, then, hit it with a heat gun to shrink it, then go back and tack it down with your iron.
Being from the old school Balsawood construction days you need to be sure that when you are covering in Monocote or other film covers that the film shrinks when heated and can cause unwanted distortions in the wings. We used this to our advantage with balsa wings to create washout at the wing tips.
This is brilliant! Ive been looking to do this for ages. I tried to repair a balsa plane with covering but it was a total fail. Im going to be starting a foam plane with plans and think covering of it would be a lot better. :) Thanks for the vid!
Ya. How old is Dom? Like 12? Lol. I'm only in my mid thirties and built a balsa piper cub and covered it with tissue and dope when I was a teen. Bloody fun experience!
Great video,I always knew about that.I built balsa planes back in the day.That is a good idea.Monokote is the best.I used it my whole life in the hobby.
hey don i purchased an a380 rc 1.5m plane from hobby king and got some 1.7 mil clear laminate and want to cover the plane for looks and more strength. would i use the same process and is it a good thing to do to a new plane while assembling it. will it seal decals?
Strange. I usually stick the outer borders at the edges until I can be sure it sticks reliable. Then I start to shrink everything on the inner surface. The whole surface will shrink and the the secured edges hold it in place. It´s like a perfect flat drumskin. Best be done with a hot fan. Experienced ones will cover the whole wing with just one peice of film. The edges of the film meet on the rear side of the wing. Usually hidden by the ailerons.
If you have any source for laminating film in rolls I have used that on foam wing control line combat models with good success. In the states big office supply stores carry it. While you have to buy a 200 foot roll the cost is about the same as one roll of modeling iron on film.
Great video Don. I would absolutely like to see vids on hot wire cutting. More specifically I'd like to see your recommendations on various air foils which seem to be the most difficult to both source and cut.
Have made a few models in Asia and sola film and other covering films are exspensive and hard to come by . Can you use any cheeper alternative other than vinyl which in this hot country blisters and bubbles in the heat ? Graham
he fairly clearly said it depends on the specific foam your using and you need to test what temp you can get away with, the higher you can go in the rating of the film covering without melting your specific foam the better to a certain point, but its very dependent on your exact foam and covering type
here in the uk we have stuff called styrofoam will these irons melt that its quite stiff stuff? I have also ordered some solortex covering I hope it will work ok??
Wow dude, you have something in the United Kingdom called Styrofoam?! What a wildly proprietary product! 😂 I’m just giving you a hard time, Styrofoam is a broad term, and it’s used worldwide. There are many types of “Styrofoam” though, EPO, EPP etc. some stronger than others, some more brittle, higher versus lower melting points etc.
were i can orden iron and film, in thailand ????? i has try looking internet but o found any hobby shop. only rc car shop some have in thailand bu no iron and no internet shop and no film and no planes, anythink. how orden and how hobby :(
Anyone can cover a flat piece of foam without just about anything. Show us how you did the more complex shape of the park flyer, that's the whole point of this stuff. Do a fuselage or something!
can you Hot wire EPS paper covered paper?????? i do alot of Coroplast sheet planes i go to the democrat an republican stations around my town an get all the voting sign board i can. AND or go to my local pepsi and coke distributing company an they give me the big 3ft x 7ft sheets
hobbyking.... is it really a professional company? I seen the shite they sell, poor quality aircraft badly finished, I had two from them both fit only for the garbage truck, customer support is a joke.. if this guy is anything to go by I'm not surprised.
cover the bottom of a wing first then the top ..... fuss bottom sides top what ever you use be it tissue, silk, nylon or film. Next tack the leading edge first then the trailing edge ... heat the film it will shrink out the wrinkles then go over the film with the iron.
As a guy who has covered probably close to 100 models, you're method is one of the hardest. Next time, try getting the edges, then, hit it with a heat gun to shrink it, then go back and tack it down with your iron.
I'm forklift certified, go make your own 'How To Cover' video series. I'd watch it.
Being from the old school Balsawood construction days you need to be sure that when you are covering in Monocote or other film covers that the film shrinks when heated and can cause unwanted distortions in the wings. We used this to our advantage with balsa wings to create washout at the wing tips.
Gene Patrick . . do not use monokote to cover foam because the glue melting temperature is too high. Use ultracoat
This is brilliant! Ive been looking to do this for ages. I tried to repair a balsa plane with covering but it was a total fail.
Im going to be starting a foam plane with plans and think covering of it would be a lot better. :)
Thanks for the vid!
"Old school technology" ... sheesh, old school is tissue and dope! ;-)
Ya. How old is Dom? Like 12? Lol. I'm only in my mid thirties and built a balsa piper cub and covered it with tissue and dope when I was a teen. Bloody fun experience!
Great video,I always knew about that.I built balsa planes back in the day.That is a good idea.Monokote is the best.I used it my whole life in the hobby.
just an idea: the iron will most likely glide much smoother, wrapped in a layer of baking parchment
Great tips getting ready to cover my AL-37 in silver aka American Airlines old livery
Have fun!
Hot wire tutorial is a brilliant idea.
What kind of covering were you using thank you
hey don i purchased an a380 rc 1.5m plane from hobby king and got some 1.7 mil clear laminate and want to cover the plane for looks and more strength. would i use the same process and is it a good thing to do to a new plane while assembling it. will it seal decals?
Strange. I usually stick the outer borders at the edges until I can be sure it sticks reliable. Then I start to shrink everything on the inner surface. The whole surface will shrink and the the secured edges hold it in place. It´s like a perfect flat drumskin. Best be done with a hot fan. Experienced ones will cover the whole wing with just one peice of film. The edges of the film meet on the rear side of the wing. Usually hidden by the ailerons.
wonderful....you got right to the video without 4min of hellos
If you have any source for laminating film in rolls I have used that on foam wing control line combat models with good success. In the states big office supply stores carry it. While you have to buy a 200 foot roll the cost is about the same as one roll of modeling iron on film.
I would love to see your tips on cutting wings and building a hot wire cutter. Great video. Thanks.
Great tips! Many THX :)
Great video Don. I would absolutely like to see vids on hot wire cutting. More specifically I'd like to see your recommendations on various air foils which seem to be the most difficult to both source and cut.
me too
YES! please show us how to Hot wire.
i always tap down the edges first,then quick iron over then heatgun to get rid of any bubbles.
Awesome video! Very informative
Great vid! I've always wanted to know how to do this. Can't wait to try it out.
What about the wide strips of stick on covering? is it much heavier or probs?
Does it work for poster board? I want to build a stagger bee cover it with transparent film
Nice Job. Looks neat
Good useful information, Great Video
very informative video i have been educated !! but is that the HK covering and is it just with transparent ones ?
Is there a significant weight problem addiing say top surface of both wings?
YES definately show hotwiring technique :)
how does the regular HK opaque covering work on foam?
Thanks for the vid was really good and would love to see video on how to build a wire cutter thanks looking forward wire cutter vid
Have made a few models in Asia and sola film and other covering films are exspensive and hard to come by . Can you use any cheeper alternative other than vinyl which in this hot country blisters and bubbles in the heat ? Graham
very helpful
What brand of covering works the best for this technique?
always do the bottom first so the overlap is aerodynamic
could you add in the description the parts and where you bought them from?
How much weight does this add? Weight added compared to spray painting?
Would have been helpful to know what temp setting for the iron to prevent melting through or not enough heat to seal
he fairly clearly said it depends on the specific foam your using and you need to test what temp you can get away with, the higher you can go in the rating of the film covering without melting your specific foam the better to a certain point, but its very dependent on your exact foam and covering type
There's no set temp, it just is what it likes to be. A small test piece is best to try on first.
yes, please post some tips about foam hot cuting
What brand film do you use/like?
normal brown packing tape sticks to EPP if you iron it on...
Tack and pull corners first. A lot easier and pulls wrinkles out.
When you say 250 ° are you talking about Fahrenheit or Celcius? I would appreciate your answer. Thank you
250 Fahrenheit, 120 Centigrade.
Use your common sense dude, he’s not applying covering film to foam that melts Easily… at 250°C
Isnt it better to use sticky adhesive backed covering
The adhesive is heat activated.
I know that ive used it for years but you can get covering with adhesive that does not nedd heat you just peel off the backing and it sticks easier
Ah, gotcha. My mistake.
11:35 what plane is this? can i find a blueprint of it?
where do i buy this film from?
here in the uk we have stuff called styrofoam will these irons melt that its quite stiff stuff? I have also ordered some solortex covering I hope it will work ok??
Wow dude, you have something in the United Kingdom called Styrofoam?! What a wildly proprietary product! 😂
I’m just giving you a hard time, Styrofoam is a broad term, and it’s used worldwide. There are many types of “Styrofoam” though, EPO, EPP etc. some stronger than others, some more brittle, higher versus lower melting points etc.
Yes hot wire cutting please!
thanks man nice vid
Wouldn't the best idea just to go for the lowest temp covering film every time, regardless of what foam you are using?
YES Hotwire bow
were i can orden iron and film, in thailand ????? i has try looking internet but o found any hobby shop. only rc car shop some have in thailand bu no iron and no internet shop and no film and no planes, anythink. how orden and how hobby :(
Anyone can cover a flat piece of foam without just about anything. Show us how you did the more complex shape of the park flyer, that's the whole point of this stuff. Do a fuselage or something!
Always do bottom first... better overlap this way
Thank you for the good tips !! But all cover film is on backorder by hobbyking for a long time :-(
I like it
muchas gracias
as it is called the iron
hot wire! yeah!
I was wondering how to reinforce a large foam wing.... carbon ribbon, and covering, eh ? Thanks..
Need help finding a military gray monokote any one??
can you Hot wire EPS paper covered paper?????? i do alot of Coroplast sheet planes i go to the democrat an republican stations around my town an get all the voting sign board i can. AND or go to my local pepsi and coke distributing company an they give me the big 3ft x 7ft sheets
Sir, covering material
he forgot about depron, i wasted my time watching then XD
i see ur face change.. like hard to do that.. isn't it???
pls do basic hot wire.. show us.. hehehe..
@thereptileguy27 You can take a look at my page if you are interested on how to make your own foam planes go to rcjetjunkie
What happened to the vid ? This is worst covering vid I've ever seen !
hobbyking.... is it really a professional company?
I seen the shite they sell, poor quality aircraft badly finished, I had two from them both fit only for the garbage truck, customer support is a joke.. if this guy is anything to go by I'm not surprised.