Fabric Covering

Made in England for

NELSON Hobby Specialties

 

***TOP GUN 2007***

Best Biplane Award was given to Bob Gonzeles with his 1/3 Scale Waco. He used our Fabric and Paint and several hardware items.

May 4 th, 2008

NEW LOWER RETAIL PRICES

We have had another price increase from the supplier of our covering materials and expect another increase in the near future. The price increases are primarily due to the high cost of oil and to the dropping of value in our US Dollar. Polyester is made from oil and we all know about the rapid increase in the cost of oil. I feel that that if our covering material prices are raised even more, our covering materials will no longer be competitive in today's hobby market.

Instead of raising our covering prices even higher, I have changed our covering material marketing system to feature a much lower retail price. We have been able to reduce our retail price by increasing our dealer price. Our new retail prices will be net prices and not subject to additional quantity shopping cart discounts that we feature on our US made products such as our paints and control linkage items.

In today's ARF airplane market, we have very few dealers stocking our covering materials and with a reduced discount for them, I expect a  further reduction of dealer sales of our covering materials.

By lowering our retail prices and keeping them as low as possible, our direct retail sales will increase and make up for the expected loss of income from our dealer sales of covering materials.

With our new fabric marketing system, when we do have price increases, the new increased retail price will be a smaller amount. Hopefully we will have future price reductions if oil prices drop and our US dollar strengthens. Any price reduction from our supplier will reflect  in a lower retail price for our covering materials.

For my business to be a viable company, I have to adjust to the changing market conditions and concentrate on our direct mail business.

Jerry Nelson

LiteFAB™ and ColorFAB™

NELSON LiteFAB™ and Color FAB™ are super light weight paintable coverings made with an extra fine weave polyester fabric. The weight is 2.9 to 3.3 ounces per square yard. Available in 6 1/2 and 16 1/2 foot lengths. Width is 27 3/8" wide/

LiteFAB and ColorFAB is an iron-on paintable fabric covering supplied in 6 1/2 ft (2m) and 16 1/2 ft (5m) lengths and approximately 27 3/8" wide.

When considering the weight of a fabric material, one must consider how fine the weave of the fabric is. The total weight of the covering process is more of a function of the amount of paint that has to be applied. A extra fine weave of the LiteFAB will provide a much lighter overall total weight as compared to many other fabric materials.

The fabric has a heat sensitive glue that allows the easy attachment of the fabric to the aircraft’s structure.

LiteFAB is intended to be painted with most any type of paint. ColorFAB is the same material except that it has been painted with a fuel proof colored resin that provides an opaque colored finish. ColorFAB is a satin finish, but if a coat or two of gloss clear is applied, then the finish will be glossy.

The special heat activated adhesive on the back of the fabric gives excellent adhesion to wood surfaces and to the surface when overlapping two sections of fabric. The adhesive is active over a wide range of temperatures so this material can be used at low temperatures on foam, veneer, or other heat sensitive materials. After application, the fabric does not need to be sealed or coated with a protective paint. In use any oil or dirt can be removed from the surface by scrubbing with soapy water.

We recommend that ColorFAB be covered with a clear coat of paint. Not because the material is not fuel proof, but by having a couple of coats of clear, it will be easier to clean off any exhaust oil from the fabric.

Bob Vaillencourt's RadioCraft 35% Staduaker covered with ColorFAB yellow fabric. Automotive paint used for the trim colors. The 23 pound weight is very close to a similar model covered with one of the colored films. Fabric is much more durable and permanent. BME105 engine and JR radio. NELSON Control arms and linkage used on all control surfaces.

MODEL PREPARATION

The surface of the fabric that is to be applied should be free of all dents, cracks, or gaps. Sand the wood surfaces smooth and wipe away all sanding dust. Be sure the structure is thoroughly dry by leaving it in a warm dry place for several hours immediately before covering. This is because any dampness (glue joints not properly dry) may steam and bubble with heat of the iron. Pre-coating of the balsa can be done, but in most cases this is not necessary because of the extra strong bond achieved by the adhesive. On plywood and other hard woods, a better adhesive to these surfaces will be obtained if a heat activated glue, clear NELSON Hobby paint, thinned white glue, or dope is applied to the areas where the fabric contacts the structure.

Another preparation option is to use AquaNet hair spray. Spray the areas to be covered with AquaNet. It is only lacquer and is similar to using dope. AquaNet is also good for attaching any of the covering films.

FUEL PROOFING

LiteFAB and ColorFAB are fuel proof. However, areas around the engine and gas tank are not normally covered with any covering, thus exposing these areas to raw fuel and oil. These exposed areas should be coated with a fuel proof material. NELSON Hobby clear or colored paint are excellent for fuel proofing these areas. Thin epoxy can also be used to fuel proof the exposed areas.

IRON TEMPERATURE

Correct sealing iron temperature is the key to easy covering with this material. Correct iron temperatures and slight changes in the covering technique will allow the user professional results. A modelers thermometer is the best way to set iron temperatures. The iron temperatures are:

       LOW:
For bonding LiteFAB or ColorFAB to the airframe (195 to 210
degrees).

       HIGH:
For shrinking Lite-FAB or ColorFAB and stretching it around
complex curves (230 to 250 degrees).

COVERING OPEN FRAMEWORK

To cover open framework such as built-up wings, cut the material at least 2 inches oversize all around the perimeter of the structure. Use LOW (195 to 210 degrees) iron temperature. With the toe of the iron, seal down one corner of the panel, gently pull the the material tight at the opposite corner and iron down. Repeat for the other corners, pulling the material gently. Then seal the midpoint of each edge. With the sole of the iron, seal around the perimeter. Trim off surplus material by running a sharp blade along the edge of the panel. Iron down the cut edge securely. Where panels of the material meet, trim so they overlap about 1/4 of an inch and iron down the overlap securely. Do not rub the iron back and forth repeatedly over sharp edges. Just press down on the iron and gently move the iron across the fabric. If the iron is rapidly moved back and forth on edges, it will cause the material to be melted and thus creating a super smooth glazed finish which could cause paint not to stick to the material.

SHRINKING MATERIAL

To shrink the material make certain that all the edges have been securely attached to the structure. Change the iron temperature to HIGH (230 to 250 degrees). Gently rest the iron on the surface of the material and move it slowly across the whole surface, section by section. Do not heat edges or overlaps. The adhesive could release and allow the material to pull back. While shrinking wing panels, check frequently that warps are not occurring. If a warp does occurs, twist the panel to correct the warp and reshrink the material.

COVERING SOLID SURFACES

To cover solid surfaces such as balsa or veneered wings, use LOW (195 to 210 degrees) iron temperatures. Start at the middle of the center section, ironing down towards the tip, gently pulling the material at the tip so it lies flat along the wing surface. Then iron outward from the center of the panel towards the leading edge, gently pulling the material around the leading edge so it lies flat while ironing. Repeat for the trailing edge. Trim off surplus and iron down the cut edges. Now reheat the covering in sections and rub down with a soft cloth while cooling. If the material is not stuck down securely everywhere it may lift later as unsightly bubbles. Overlap top covering on to bottom covering edges by at least 1/4 of an inch.

FINISHING

LiteFAB and ColorFAB are completely fuel proof and airtight as ironed-on. Many different types of paint can be used. NELSON Hobby paint, a non odor, water reducible, polyurethane paint is ideal for use on LiteFAB or ColorFAB. If other paints are to be used, it is suggested that tests should be done to determine if the paint used will adhere properly and provide sufficient flexibility for use on open fabric areas. Primers of the automotive type, epoxies, and latex paints are not recommended over open areas since they usually do not provide sufficient flexibility for use over the open areas of the covered structure.

LiteFAB is a natural white fabric color that is intended to be painted. However it could be used without any paint if desired. If NELSON Hobby Paint is used, follow the instructions supplied with the paint. Basic painting process with NELSON Hobby paint is to simply apply a series of very thin coats of paint directly onto the LiteFAB. The first and second coats may not fill the fabric, but the third and additional coats will provide a fine professional level finish. No clear dope base coats are necessary. Usually 4-5 thin coats applied with a foam rubber brush are all that is necessary to provide an excellent finish without brush streaks. Paint can also be sprayed on if desired. If the paint is to be sprayed on, it is suggested that the first two coats be applied with a foam brush, the additional coats can be sprayed on as desired. If a high gloss finish is desired, then apply one or two coats of thin NELSON Hobby Paint gloss clear.

ColorFAB is a painted fabric. Additional paint can be applied with NELSON Hobby Paint in a similar way as LiteFAB is painted. Use a foam brush or a spray gun. If other types of paints are used, make tests first.

When masking off the area to be painted for trim colors over the ColorFAB, use 3M Fine line masking tape (green color) available at paint and automotive paint stores. Before applying the paint over ColorFAB, seal the painted edge of the masking tape with clear or a color the same as the ColorFAB fabric. The masking tape may not be sealed properly due to the weave of the fabric. The paint applied to the masked edge can run under the masking tape. Precoating this edge will provide for a proper sharp paint line.

NOTE:

New Prices. 6 Ft. LiteFAB was $24.95. now $21.95.  16 1/2 Ft. was $59.95, now $45.95.