[WWI] Solartex

[Bruce Boldner]

Rusty,


Balsa USA didn't have Solartex in Dark Green (as distinct from Olive 
Drab), so I followed up your second recommendation, Nelsons fabric.

I couldn't work out how to order it online at RCBuyers, so have 
ordered a 16.5 metre roll (I also have a Topflite SE5 to build) 
online from the Nelsons site in Texas.

May I throw another question at you?  How do you get heat shrinkable 
fabric to remain glued to the undersides of wing ribs on an 
undercambered airfoil?  When I built my Fokker tri-plane many years 
ago, I covered it with Coverite and although as a first step I 
pressed the fabric to the underside of the ribs with the hot iron, a 
lot of the fabric subsequently popped away from the underside of the 
ribs and formed a straight line between leading and trailing edges 
when I swept the iron over the underside to finally tighten the 
fabric.  So I ended up with a flat bottom airfoil, rather than an 
undercambered one on all wings.  It didn't seem to matter much, as 
the plane flew like a dream anyway, but with the Camel I'd like to 
retain the undercambered airfoil if possible.
Have you overcome this problem by first sticking the fabric to the 
rib undersides with some sort of heat-activated glue?
Any advice you can give me would be much appreciated.

And of course many thanks on your advice about where to obtain the Solartex.


Best regards,

Bruce Boldner.


At 01:28 AM 6/7/2009, you wrote:
>Solartex is great stuff. Here in the US it is easy to get through 
>Balsa USA, any color and two different roll lengths. Try their 
>website www.balsausa.com . Another good choice which is almost the 
>same is Nelsons fabric. You could order that from www.rcbuyers.com 
>in New Hampshire, USA. They always have it in stock in natural linen 
>and olive drab. I like it just as well as solartex. If I can help a 
>fellow WW1 Rcer feel free to e-mail me with questions. Rustys at dscottre.com
>
>Rusty Scott
>12 Middle Street
>Lancaster NH 03584
>603-788-4463
>603-788-4483 fax
>Rustys at dscottre.com
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Bruce Boldner" <bruce.boldner at bigpond.com>
>To: <wwi at wwi-models.org>
>Sent: Saturday, June 06, 2009 11:08 AM
>Subject: [WWI] Solartex
>
>
>>I am currently building a VK Models 1/6th scale Sopwith Camel 
>>(after a 25 year break from flying radio control) and am having 
>>great difficulty in obtaining  a suitable heat shrinkable fabric 
>>covering here in Australia.
>>
>>I note that Solartex produce a WW1 dark green and would like to 
>>purchase 2 rolls of that for the Camel and 2 rolls of silver for 
>>the Nieuport 17 to follow.
>>One dealer here has Solartex green, but wants $50 per roll!  The 
>>only other dealer here in Australia that I have been able to find 
>>who stocks Solartex charges $35.00 per roll, but only stocks white and yellow.
>>
>>I am aware that I could just buy white Solartex and spray paint it 
>>green, but I had trouble sanding a Coverite covered model between 
>>coats years ago, with even the lightest sanding exposing loose 
>>strands of fabric where it was stretched over each wing rib. Also, 
>>the Solartex covering appears to come presprayed with a glo fuel 
>>resistant paint.
>>
>>Can anyone advise a reliable dealer who stocks a good range of 
>>Solartex and would post some to me?
>>If any Australian subscribers happen to read this, I would of 
>>course appreciate the contact details of an Australian retailer.
>>However, failing that I would appreciate the address of a dealer in 
>>the United Kingdom or USA.
>>
>>Thanks for any assistance you may be able to provide.
>>
>>Bruce Boldner.