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Question: Do you have any pointers regarding the Care & Maintenance of POLYCOTE ECS?
Answer: Yes we have this Summary of Quick Tips. See www.richmondrc.com ( Enter Site > Support Services > Knowledge Base then Search on "Covering") for an expanded explanation of each Tip.
Polyester offers the best in covering performance and as with any new modern technology, the maintenance methods may be different than those you used with your older covering. This is NOT Monokote or Solarfilm, its different. If you have used ORACOVER or ULTRACOTE you will have some experience with working with POLYESTER as a covering material.
Here is our Summary of Quick Tips related to POLYCOTE ECS covering.
- Avoid Hot Vehicles
- Cooking your model in your vehicle for hours on end is generally not a good idea! Temperatures can easily exceed 50C (122 F) under such conditions. You will get sags. Consult our Knowledge Base before attempting to remove sags.
- Cleaning After Flying
- We recommend Fantastic household cleaner and disposable paper towels. Mist, do not flood. Wipe along seams, not across. Do NOT NOT NOT NOT use SIMPLE GREEN, 409 or similar materials for cleaning a model airplane.
- Cleaning Initially
- Upon initial inspection if you see a thin streaky film on any of the POLYCOTE ECS, work outdoors and use a paper towel and wipe a slightly wet film of Mineral Spirits over 1/4 of a wing or half a fuselage at a time. Rub gently while still wet. Change towels frequently. Avoid plastics.
- Cutting
- Use sharp scissors or an XACTO knife with a sharp #11 blade.
- Pealing
- Relatively rare. Fix as soon as possible. Consult our Knowledge Base before attempting to resolve.
- Protecting the Finish
- Most Importantly - Follow the cleaning instructions. Use the recommended cleaners and method. Dab away raw fuel. Test small out of the way area and all plastics before applying any glue, solvent, cleaner, paint or other preparation. Patch punctures promptly. Avoid hours and hours sitting in the direct sun.
- Removing & Using Tape
- Use low tack tape. When removing tape , peal the tape back on itself parallel to the surface of the covering.
- Repairing Punctures
- Patch promptly. Clean any oil residue from the area of the puncture. Patch should be 1/2" (13mm) bigger on all sides. Round the corners. Seal in place with a heat iron & sock. Tighten area with a Heat Gun.
- Resealing Seams
- Act promptly. Clean any oil residue from the area and reseal the seam with thin CA.
- Tightening Sags
- Remember SSB... SECURE the perimeter then SHRINK to fit then BOND to the structure. Use an iron with sock to SECURE the perimeter, use a heat gun to SHRINK within the perimeter, use a soft cloth while the covering is warm to BOND the covering to solid substrates.
- Tools for Working with POLYCOTE ECS
- Scissors, XACTO with #11 blade, iron, iron sock, regulated heat gun, soft cotton cloth or glove.
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