Question: I've been flying my VMAR model for a while and notice that a small area of covering appears to have lifted at an edge and looks like it is pealing back. What should I do?
Answer: Don't panic! This is generally repairable. This can occur in two ways.
a) If the color layer is still bonded to the underside of the clear polyester layer, use a heat iron and soft heat iron sock to iron the loose layer back into place. If the seam is on a curve such as a leading or trailing edge or at the edge of a cutout like a servo cavity, you might want to wick thin CA along the exposed seam after you have reseated the covering to ensure the edge does not pick up again.
b) If the color layer has remained on the model and only the clear polyester layer has pulled away, you can try the same method as outlined in a) above but you will need more heat to rebond the clear layer to the model. If this does not work, you can either remove the clear layer where it is loose and recover the exposed section with clear UltraCote (UltraCote is made also made from Polyester) or you can apply a thin coat of latex contact cement (spray on works well) to the exposed area and the underside of the clear loose film and after the contact cement has dried to tacky, firmly press the loose film back into place working towards the edge. Work slowly and wipe back and forth as you press downwards. If you do do not have access to contact cement you might want to try a product called Balsarite from Coverite products which is specifically made to help increase the bond strenght between most coverings and balsa wood. . Seal the edge with CA as outlined in a) above.
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