On small models I use the Litespan I mentioned. It looks and weighs about the same as a lightweight tissue finish - it's fuel proof, which doesn't matter much now that everyone is using electric power - but that also means it doesn't attract too much moisture or dirt. In the past I used to use tissue and dope - but like you said, it can shrink too much and break the frame or give your model that 'starved horse' look - plus it's very smelly!
The Litespan is a bit more fiddly to apply than the glossy plastic film stuff used on larger models - there's no adhesive on the covering itself - you need to treat the wood with some of the special thin glue before you iron the Litespan onto it. But the glue is not heavy - it's thin watery stuff that you can just wipe onto the balsa using a sponge: you let it dry and then when applying the covering the heat from the iron re-activates the glue, so it's the same as using a film covering in that respect.
For your model that's already tissue covered you want some 'non-shrinking' clear cellulose (nitrate) dope (in spite of its name it still does shrink a bit). Ideally a couple of coats of 50:50 dope/cellulose thinners mix - but you can experiment depending on how thick the dope is to start with - maybe tissue cover a simple throwaway frame and test on that for finish/tautness/weight added.
I also used some stuff called banana oil on a few models years ago. I think it's actually some petrochemical and not made from real bananas. It smells nice and works a bit like dope and doesn't shrink much at all. I don't think it's quite as durable as a 'proper' doped finish though.
I can't find Litespan from any North American sources so far. Have found Solarfilm SoLite, which has adhesive already applied, apparently.
I'll keep looking, I'd like to try some on my next model. I've used a covering as you describe with the separate heat activated adhesive once before. That model was really too large for that kind of covering. I'll give it a try on my next small model.
Think I'll get some cellulose dope for this one. I've never tried it, so curious to see how it goes.
I've heard of banana oil finish too. I believe you are right, it's really some petroleum distillate. It seems a bit exotic for my taste, but maybe sometime will try it just out of curiosity.
Thanks for advice!
__________________
Chained out, like a sitting duck just waiting for the fall _Cage the Elephant
I can't find Litespan from any North American sources so far. Have found Solarfilm SoLite, which has adhesive already applied, apparently.
That SoLite stuff is like normal film covering, but lighter. I don't like it - it results in the usual glossy film look which I don't consider appropriate for open-frame small models - and it punctures and tears even easier than lightweight tissue.
You could also look for Airspan - it's like Litespan but slightly heavier (and cheaper!) It's really for slightly larger models where in the past you might have chosen a heavyweight tissue instead of a lightweight one.
Did you ever do any nylon or silk covered (larger) models? That was a laborious process but resulted in a very durable finish - the wings for my Lanzo Record Breaker were done with nylon, dope and fuel proofer - the covering still looks pretty new and is still drum tight some thirty years later. Not really suitable for models less than about five foot span however, as it weighs too much and requires a strong airframe to withstand the warping power of the tight covering.
I have not used silk, but it's been on my to do list for years. I have a plane all picked out. I bought the plan for the Flying Aces stick just as Flying Models magazine was going under. The wing for that is large and sturdy, so a good candidate for taking a whack at silk covering.
I have turned up that Hobby Lobby used to sell Litespan here, but it is now named something else and no longer carries it. I guess that's why I remember using it once. It wasn't really that bad to work with.
__________________
Chained out, like a sitting duck just waiting for the fall _Cage the Elephant
Well, do you know what cep? I'm really glad we've had this little talk, because I've just discovered something I ought to have twigged to long before this. Have some beer or tea, and get ready for a long, involved story.
Well, the little FA stick which I resized from a smaller plan, was the first electric model I got to fly really well. I wanted to make a largish electric model, so just resized that one up to what I imagined would fly well with a Speed 500 geared motor and a smallish NiCad battery pack (I've since changed it a brushless and LiPo). It turned out to be about 5 feet in span, and flew quite well, so I was very pleased with it.
Well, I liked that one so much I bought a plan with a flat bottomed air foil rather than that ridiculously large undercamber job I've got. What I didn't realize, was just how close in size the model I drew up and cobbled together and the model plan from Flying Models are... until just now, that is, when we began discussing covering materials. It's really uncanny, the wing existing is only 4 inches or so less span, and the fuselage and tail are so close a match I needn't even bother measuring, I can see they are very close. So, now that I know this, I need only build the wing, and I will have the new version! That will be a perfect opportunity to cover in silk. The old wing has been covered in everything from LiteSpan (that's where I used it before!), Monokote, Polyspan, Silkspan, and finally cheap tissue... you can see what state that's in. The tailplanes are still covered in the original LiteSpan from 1996 or there about and it is holding up just fine.
__________________
Chained out, like a sitting duck just waiting for the fall _Cage the Elephant
I have a Futaba FP-R114H AM 4 Channel "Digital Proportional Radio Control System" receiver to give away. It's 72MHz.
On the back are two labels:
"Narrow Band 20KHz 1991" and
"FCC ID: AZP4VKFP-R114H-72 Futaba Made in Taiwan"
On the top is another label:
"44 72.670 MHz"
On the top there's also a 2-prong plug-in doohicky wrapped in a "13" plastic tag (the system?)
The plug-in thing is the crystal that sets which channel the receiver is operating on. Here's a picture of some 27-MHz band crystals, but yours will look the same apart from the label.
Your individual receiver was originally sold with a '44' crystal which meant it received on a frequency of 72.670 MHz - but at some point, someone has changed the crystal to a '13' which means it now receives on a frequency of 72.050 MHz.
Radio frequency channels
In the UK (and most of Europe) that would be an illegal frequency to use. In the USA I think it's still allowed but not many people use it anymore - most have switched to 2.4 GHz. Even before that most people will have switched to FM instead of AM, so your receiver is something of a museum item.
I wouldn't throw it away though - if no one on wants it, you might still get a few dollars if you put it for sale on ebay - someone might want it just to get the crystal.
I could put it up for giveaway on a toy plane site and then forward the address of any takers if you like. I myself have the same receivers except in FM, but I don't use them, just keep them as momentos of getting started in RC in the early '90's.
__________________
Chained out, like a sitting duck just waiting for the fall _Cage the Elephant
That all worked out well. This message sounds very encouraging regarding prospects of making it back into the air...
Quote:
Wow! Thank you so much! I bought a Futaba 4NL radio that is not narrow band. Radio South said he can narrow band the TX, but not the RX. This will be just what I need to get that radio in the air.
Thanks to you, and please let your friend know it will be used. Much appreciated!
Grateful Giftee
__________________
Chained out, like a sitting duck just waiting for the fall _Cage the Elephant
That is good news- they should get it tomorrow.
(We gave all of dad's RC stuff to his RC club, but I found this while cleaning out some boxes, and knew I had no use for it.)
I have gotten around to using both low shrink covering materials. The nitrate dope was great, except for the fumes. I put 2 drops of castor oil in a 50/50 mix of dope and acetone to retard the shrink. Gave that tissue covered stab two coats and it did not warp a bit. Given that it's winter and therefor not good for opening windows, the fumes restrict use to small parts. A whole plane is right out.
I used something which is very like Litespan. Polyester, made in England. It was called lightweight tissue for some reason. Used Sig Stix-It for the adhesive, since I was ordering the dope anyway. This worked very well, less hassle than tissue, really. The adhesive worked really well, it stuck right off. The material trimmed up with a dispoable razor knife very nicely. Not much in the way of fumes, so very nice for winter use. Good suggestion, ceptimus.
__________________
Chained out, like a sitting duck just waiting for the fall _Cage the Elephant
This English woman just finished a big (1/24 scale) rubber powered scale model of an Avro Shackletown. Everyone on that toy airplane site is just knocked out. This is master work, regardless of how it will fly.
__________________
Chained out, like a sitting duck just waiting for the fall _Cage the Elephant
You can watch all four parts by clicking on 'contact' on the left after viewing each section. The flight starts at part 3 - parts 1 and 2 are about previous attempts and preparation.
The first non-stop Atlantic crossing was by Alcock and Brown, eight years before Lindbergh - but I couldn't find a documentary about that.
Re: Ze Plane! Ze Plane!
The tailplanes are still covered in the original LiteSpan from 1996 or there about and it is holding up just fine. 
wants it, you might still get a few dollars if you put it for sale on ebay - someone might want it just to get the crystal.
Linear Mode
