Tightening up tape on foam wing?

[Martin 0]

 

I've been checking over my Slipstream in readiness for this Sunday's potential slope soaring trip, and the coloured tape is a bit wrinkled.

 

Will an iron or heat gun tighten this up like it would with covering film? Recommendations between iron and heat gun (I'd probably go with iron as more gentle)? Or will this make the whole thing into a horrible mess? (I'd rather not have to re-cover the whole thing before Sunday!)

 

[Bravedan 106]

 

Did you colour tape over reinforced tape, or colour tape direct to the foam?

 

It it just about possible to shrink colour tape if applied direct to foam, but all the seams means its a nightmare to stop it shrinking where not wanted!

 

If taped direct to the foam, its honestly quicker to re-tape it all. UV degradation will kill colour tape's adhesive anyway after a few months if stored in light.

 

[Martin 0]

 

Did you colour tape over reinforced tape, or colour tape direct to the foam?

 

A bit of both. I followed their recommended reinforcing tape pattern, so the front of the wing is mostly reinforcing tape and the rear is mostly direct to foam. I also did cover the whole wing with spray glue as directed, both before and after applying the reinforcing tape.

 

Interesting about the glue degrading. I've seen you bring your foamies in a bin bag - is this just for transport, or do you store them in this to keep them away from light?

 

Given the risk of messing it up, I might hold off any attempt until after Sunday now. If it works, great, but if it doesn't I'll have time to re-cover it.

 

Thanks for the tips!

 

[Peter Royall 47]

 

The bin bags are to take the models home afterwards!

Oily

 

[Pilot Ben 28]

I keep a bin bag IN the plane so that I can put the bits straight into transportation!!!