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#11
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Plastic/Vinyl letters
So if you cover your glider with self adhesive vinyl
sheeting, the gel coat will last for ever! When we refinished a Nimbus 2 I used to have a share in, it was also found that the gel coat was still perfect under the red conspicuity markings painted on the wingtips. Derek Copeland At 16:06 12 February 2006, wrote: If you've ever removed painted-on contest numbers from an older gel-coated glider to find a perfect surface below (instead of the crazing surrounding it), you'll know what I mean. I suspect the decals protect paint from oxidation, weathering, and fading just as they do gel coat. Chip Bearden ASW 24 'JB' |
#12
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Plastic/Vinyl letters
So, I wonder what a manufacturer would charge a customer to take a
finished glider and cover it entirely with white (or any other color) Monokote? http://www.monokote.com/ Derek Copeland wrote: So if you cover your glider with self adhesive vinyl sheeting, the gel coat will last for ever! When we refinished a Nimbus 2 I used to have a share in, it was also found that the gel coat was still perfect under the red conspicuity markings painted on the wingtips. Derek Copeland At 16:06 12 February 2006, wrote: If you've ever removed painted-on contest numbers from an older gel-coated glider to find a perfect surface below (instead of the crazing surrounding it), you'll know what I mean. I suspect the decals protect paint from oxidation, weathering, and fading just as they do gel coat. Chip Bearden ASW 24 'JB' |
#13
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Plastic/Vinyl letters
Just in case your comment was not tongue-in-cheek:
Monokote is a filament used to cover model airplanes. You couldn't cover a wing with it because the overlap of the panels would alter the airfoil. The best answer might just be a thin coat of white epoxy enamel paint made for automobiles. I have a Discus that had the gel removed completely and was painted in this way. Painting on top of the gelcoat would certainly add to the weight and make it tail heavy. YMMV, WISIWIG, MTFTD (My thought for the day, and all that, and all that) At 21:01 13 February 2006, Mark Zivley wrote: So, I wonder what a manufacturer would charge a customer to take a finished glider and cover it entirely with white (or any other color) Monokote? http://www.monokote.com/ Derek Copeland wrote: So if you cover your glider with self adhesive vinyl sheeting, the gel coat will last for ever! When we refinished a Nimbus 2 I used to have a share in, it was also found that the gel coat was still perfect under the red conspicuity markings painted on the wingtips. Derek Copeland At 16:06 12 February 2006, wrote: If you've ever removed painted-on contest numbers from an older gel-coated glider to find a perfect surface below (instead of the crazing surrounding it), you'll know what I mean. I suspect the decals protect paint from oxidation, weathering, and fading just as they do gel coat. Chip Bearden ASW 24 'JB' |
#14
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Plastic/Vinyl letters
Monokote is just the model airplane brand of a heat shrinkable plastic film
which is probably avialable in widths and thicknesses that are big enough for glider wings. I've wondered if somethng like this woldn't make an inexpensive refinish process. bildan "Nyal Williams" wrote in message ... Just in case your comment was not tongue-in-cheek: Monokote is a filament used to cover model airplanes. You couldn't cover a wing with it because the overlap of the panels would alter the airfoil. The best answer might just be a thin coat of white epoxy enamel paint made for automobiles. I have a Discus that had the gel removed completely and was painted in this way. Painting on top of the gelcoat would certainly add to the weight and make it tail heavy. YMMV, WISIWIG, MTFTD (My thought for the day, and all that, and all that) At 21:01 13 February 2006, Mark Zivley wrote: So, I wonder what a manufacturer would charge a customer to take a finished glider and cover it entirely with white (or any other color) Monokote? http://www.monokote.com/ Derek Copeland wrote: So if you cover your glider with self adhesive vinyl sheeting, the gel coat will last for ever! When we refinished a Nimbus 2 I used to have a share in, it was also found that the gel coat was still perfect under the red conspicuity markings painted on the wingtips. Derek Copeland At 16:06 12 February 2006, wrote: If you've ever removed painted-on contest numbers from an older gel-coated glider to find a perfect surface below (instead of the crazing surrounding it), you'll know what I mean. I suspect the decals protect paint from oxidation, weathering, and fading just as they do gel coat. Chip Bearden ASW 24 'JB' |
#15
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Plastic/Vinyl letters
The automotive refinish industry has looked at this option. About the
only thing keeping us from using it is public acceptance. We don't like to buy "new" things. BTW boat shrink wrap comes in a few colors and is plenty large enough to cover a wing, or a whole glider. Heat set adhesives are available to turn it into a heavy duty version of Monokote. Several ultralights have used similar covering materials and methods, Tedlar on the original Lazair being the most notable. I have tested the shrink wrap method on some ulatalight control surfaces and am satisfied enough that it is a viable method, below 80 knots or so, that I may try it as a replacement for the 1.7 oz Dacron the next time I cover an experimental. ============== Leon McAtee |
#16
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Plastic/Vinyl letters
Bill,
I would be very difficult to apply this kind of finish on a larger scale. You would need a clean room not unlike a chip manufacturer. The smallest dust particle, if trapped, magnifies the imperfection. It is difficult enough to do it on a smaller scale. Regards Udo Monokote is just the model airplane brand of a heat shrinkable plastic film which is probably avialable in widths and thicknesses that are big enough for glider wings. I've wondered if somethng like this woldn't make an inexpensive refinish process. bildan |
#17
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Plastic/Vinyl letters
Yes, but you wouldn't need it for long.
bildan "Udo Rumpf" wrote in message . .. Bill, I would be very difficult to apply this kind of finish on a larger scale. You would need a clean room not unlike a chip manufacturer. The smallest dust particle, if trapped, magnifies the imperfection. It is difficult enough to do it on a smaller scale. Regards Udo Monokote is just the model airplane brand of a heat shrinkable plastic film which is probably avialable in widths and thicknesses that are big enough for glider wings. I've wondered if somethng like this woldn't make an inexpensive refinish process. bildan |
#18
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Plastic/Vinyl letters
If you do find a bump under the film you could always cut out that one
little area and put a small patch over it. Udo Rumpf wrote: Bill, I would be very difficult to apply this kind of finish on a larger scale. You would need a clean room not unlike a chip manufacturer. The smallest dust particle, if trapped, magnifies the imperfection. It is difficult enough to do it on a smaller scale. Regards Udo Monokote is just the model airplane brand of a heat shrinkable plastic film which is probably avialable in widths and thicknesses that are big enough for glider wings. I've wondered if somethng like this woldn't make an inexpensive refinish process. bildan |
#19
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Plastic/Vinyl letters
Yes, but you wouldn't need it for long.
And it wouldn't need to be as - clean - as implied. Any modern paint booth is good enough. Even my 30 year old one works well enough. I don't buff paint jobs. In fact the buffer hasn't been out of it's box in years. Automobile manufactures turn out fairly good paint jobs. Other than much better prep work their booths aren't all that much better than the good refinish industry booths. The only advantage of paint over plastic film is that the paint defects can be sanded and buffed to be cosmetically acceptable. If you can do a cosmetically acceptable traditional paint job with out the need for rework then the same is possible for plastic film. But who knows what future technology might bring. It may be possible to sand and buff plastic film as well? Most of the finish contamination comes from the article your refinishing, not the surrounding area. Properly cleaned and sealed this isn't a huge problem, and a glider is far easier to clean/mask than a road vehicle. They are generally cleaner to start with as well. Other benefits of plastic film over paint: If you need to rework a plastic film it's far easier to remove than paint. Less toxic materials Less flammable working environment Less environmental impact - far fewer VOC's and heavy metals Material is recyclable - try that with paint :-) Plastic film is probably lighter for a given mil thickness as well Applicator skill required is less. Fewer tools needed ===================== Leon McAtee Painting my Duster with PPG - no plastic film |
#20
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Plastic/Vinyl letters
Monocote is extremely difficult to put on sheeted surfaces and get a
finish that resembles paint. I have used Econocote (similar, but thinner than Monocote and requires less heat to activate the adhesive and shrink the film) to cover many scale R/C gliders with wood sheeted wings. Wrinkles and bubbles are a problem, plus you can always see the grain of the wood. The amount of heat required for Monocote is more than Econocote needs, and will definately melt/delaminate a foam core/sheeted wing. Then, changes in temperature can make it bubble. These coverings are good for open bay structures and add strength to them. Considering the labor involved in an iron on covering vs. paint, the paint will look nicer longer. I have been looking at removable paints for contest IDs and found this - http://www.mobile-colors.com/autohome.asp Alcohol based and no bleeding or staining (so they claim-will test myself next week). I've always used "Lift Off 2" for getting adhesive residue off of gelcoat with great results on composite model, with both foam and balsa core layups. I believe the problem with using solvents lies in the foam used. Styrofoam is the worst, but is not used in female mould/hollow construction by anyone in the model industry. Bill |
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