Scale Soaring UK

Had an interesting discussion with those nice people at Skycraft this morning.

It has recently been mentioned on the forum that their lightest grade of Diatex (1000) is out of stock. Enquiring today as to when it might be available again I was told that they will not order that grade until sufficient back orders justify it. They are aware that it is basically only modellers that use this stuff.

Looking like a move over to Ceconite despite their lightest grade of covering is a little heavier than Diatex.

Thanks Cliff.

They sent me a small off-cut sample a few years back now and I thought at the time it was a touch on the heavy side for a quarter scaler (17-LIGHTU) but I'm sure it's fine for 3.5 and over.

What do you stick it down with?

You could always go for the Nuclear Option, Robbie...HK film for the flying surfaces. A 1/4 scale model would surely thank you for it

Robbie,
I was using the recommended adhesive, but it is a bu..ger to work with as it goes off within seconds.
I’m now using (John Greenfield’s?) method of applying an initial base coat of dope, then laying the Ceconite in place & initially painting along the front & back edges with thinned dope (trying to keep the covering reasonably wrinkle free).
Once the dope has set, you can lightly shrink back any compound curve areas before sticking the rest of the edges/internal areas down with thinned dope.

This method is being used on the current SG38 build.

Have you thought about using Diacov. This is Diatex 1000 with a heat sensitive glue backing similar to Solartex. Price works out about the same as Solartex and can be obtained from Ronk Aviation Resine see - ronk-aviation-resine.fr/divers/884-diacov-750-mm.html. Seems to go on very well. I'm going to use it for my 1/3 scale PIK-5. I think it's in stock and my delivery was about 4 days.

Thanks for the replies chaps.

Chris, not the film route for me alas - too shiny to look right. Anyway, I think white is on back order or I'm looking in the wrong place. Does HobbyKing have a UK outlet?

The 100 is 1:3.5 by the way.

Chris, I know what you mean about the solvent based adhesives going off quick - not very nice to use. The best I ever had was made by 5 Star Adhesives but they have gone to ground somewhere in Europe I hear. Might make a few enquiries there as their head office wasn't a million miles away from me.

I have actually done the tailplane and elevator with some Diatex I have from my last roll and stuck it down as per JG's method using Balsaloc. It seems ok but I'm a bit twitchy about the long term integrity of the joints with acetone solvents going on top of it. Had a problem or two with Solartex/Balsaloc combination in the past. Anyway, I have some Oratex heat sensitive adhesive winging its way to me as we speak so I'll give that a try.

Roger, I've looked at Diacov before but like Solartex, far too expensive. I would need at least six metres of the 150cm width and at 17Eu a meter..........but thanks anyway.

Not shiny, Robbie, it's a matt finish...

Can any other product other than non taut dope be used to fill diatex?

M

Peter Balcombe wrote: ↑13 Apr 2019, 12:44 Robbie,
I was using the recommended adhesive, but it is a bu..ger to work with as it goes off within seconds.
I’m now using (John Greenfield’s?) method of applying an initial base coat of dope, then laying the Ceconite in place & initially painting along the front & back edges with thinned dope (trying to keep the covering reasonably wrinkle free).
Once the dope has set, you can lightly shrink back any compound curve areas before sticking the rest of the edges/internal areas down with thinned dope.

This method is being used on the current SG38 build.

Peter
Not my method for attaching Diatex. I use a very thin layer of Balsaloc and iron the Diatex down with an iron set to 120 deg. I then apply Balsaloc to the overlap areas and cover the second side. Once attached, I dope all around the edges to bond the Diatex together and secure it before shrinking it with an iron set to around 140deg and then dope it all.

AEB

Apologies John