coverlite by Coverite

I see in Tower new catalogue a covering material called Coverlite. Expensive but very intriguing. Look at the photos on their website. Makes me hope it has good properties similar to micafilm. See models by Da Dirt for excellent use of it. Any body have any experience with it yet. how easy does it go on around compound curves, how much does it sag during use, what does it look like, how's the strength,how is it for painting over ,etc,etc. Keith V.

Keith Varley

I have used Micafilm--it is really a tough covering material. From what I have heard about Coverlite, it is much more flexible--really for the Park Flyer type of application.

LAST EDITED ON Oct-12-03 AT 03:00 PM (CDT)
 
I put Coverlite on my son's Goldberg Jumping Bean and it is fine for that purpose. Seems to be fuel proof and plenty tough. It has whacked the ground a number of times with no tears or failures. But it seems rather "soft" in that it sags some, doesn't shrink really tight and dents with finger pressure. It pulled and shrank over the curved tips pretty well. I haven't tried doping any of it to see if gets any firmer. If it does, it might be allright. I'd be really careful about sanding it. And, as you say, really costly on any but small planes.

Coverlite is kind a hard to get to stik down, many many coats of dope to fill the grain, tooeasy to punch a hole in it,but will pull out the wrinkles with enough heat I finally painted mine with a clear urathane to get a shine so there went the lite weight, I wont use it on a C/l again. just my thoughts!

LAST EDITED ON Oct-13-03 AT 07:03 PM (CDT)
 
Coverlite is intended as a substitute for Japanese tissue, and as such, is a marvelous improvement. It is lighter, tougher, and can be persuaded around curves. It has also been known as Litespan. (Airspan is something else, and does require doping to be sealed)

You can put on one coat of dope, but more than that will make it very brittle. With no doping, it is 100% fuel proof, at least up to 50% nitro <G>. Actually, with dope over it, you reduce the fuel resistance!

I use the film adhesive from coverite (Balsarite), 2 coats over raw, but smoothly sanded balsa to stick the stuff down. SIG makes a similar product.

Forget about a shiney finish, the point is to have a lightweight model if you use this material.

I love it! I have used it on at least four models, including the 1/2A Magician that was published in Flying Models a couple of years ago.

For decorations, I have stretched the black material on a frame, then given one side a couple of coats of Balsarite to turn the stuff into a heat-stick material. Cut out your pattern and iron it down!

I just finished re-covering a Super Duper Zilch powered by a Barker OS FP 40. Super Duper Stuff!!

1.Take off old covering
2.Brush Balsarite on outside edges of framework.
3.Tack down.
4.Shrink.
5.FLY!
6.ENJOY!!!

Neat stuff!!