Das Ugly Stik Balsa RC Aeroplane Build - Pt 10: Covering the Fuselage

Das Ugly Stik, a balsa RC aeroplane build - Covering the Fuselage is the 10th in a series of videos that take you through the construction of a 60" wingspan radio controlled Das Ugly Stik, designed by Phil Kraft, but with a few modifications along the way! The plans, from RCM Magazine in 1985, were downloaded from OuterZone website. A link to the plans is provided below.
Das Ugly Stik: OuterZone:- outerzone.co.u...
A review of Lightex, a shrinkable film for covering RC aeroplanes, supplied by The World Models, Hong Kong: • Lightex Heat Shrink Co...
lightex suppliers, The World Models -
www.theworldmo...
Lightex Manual/Datasheet -
www.theworldmo...

[@ringtoss6345]

Mark at 5:14: "I'm no expert, but..." Sorry to break it to you Mark, but yes, you are. This is an amazing build, and you have inspired me to try my first build from scratch. Thanks so much!

[@MarkRobinson555]

Hi Ryan, thanks for the kind comment, its really appreciated. Good luck with your build

[@joev5306]

Thank you Mark for making one of the best covering videos I have seen on the internet. Believe me, I have searched over the years. I have never been trained on covering but after seeing this video, I would say this is great training. I like your reasoning of why you cover certain areas first, then second and third as in the case of the fuse bottom. Thank you for slowing down the footage and explaining in detail how you work the curve on the leading edge of the fin. You have done us a great service by not only explaining the wood build process in your Das Ugly Stik series but now the covering phase. Can’t wait for the next video as you complete the covering. I still have my first first trainer (OS40 size engine), which is a solid balsa airplane. The glow fuel has really made a mess of the covering over the years (I bought the airplane second hand, and fuel had already infiltrated the covering seams). I am now contemplating to remove the entire covering and re-cover with the methods from your video.

[@MarkRobinson555]

Thank you for such a nice comment, really pleased you find the videos helpful, thanks for your support

[@CliffHarveyRCPlanes]

That was very instructive Mark, I liked the way you trimmed very lightly onto the wood.

[@MarkRobinson555]

Thanks Cliff, appreciate your comment and pleased you liked the video

[@NewJerseyJay]

I love covering! as much as the build I'd say. It takes a few tries before you get the hang of it, but I just find it really relaxing! Looking Great Mark!

[@MarkRobinson555]

Thanks, for commenting, I must admit covering is not one of my favorite jobs, but when you get so far it has to be done!! Much prefer the building, but as I improve I enjoy it more.

[@NewJerseyJay]

@@MarkRobinson555 haha as you improve! Mark, seriously you just don't realize your talent's. I've built many balsa planes. Kit's not even scratch built. The hardest was the 32 year old Guillow's dye stamped model that took me 2 months to complete. Nothing laser cut, everything was just a print and it was a nightmare. But it actually turned out much better than I thought it would by far. I watch your videos because you have the same dedication to keep this hobby/craft alive. Seriously, keep the videos going and please don't stop what you are doing. We don't want to lose this art form. P.S. send me your scrap Balsa lol

[@thomasshelley4617]

Doing my first scratchbuild at the moment, so these are proving invaluable! Thanks a lot for taking the time to document it all

[@MarkRobinson555]

Thanks for taking the time to comment, its really appreciated. Good luck with your scratch build, its a great process, really gets the brain working!!

[@thomasshelley4617]

@@MarkRobinson555 Hopefully one day the ratio between head-scratching and building, swings the other way :)

[@michaelgallant7615]

Good work looking sharp...Thanks for sharing

[@MarkRobinson555]

Thanks, appreciated

[@ARGON023]

BRAVO BRAWOoo THANKS!!!

[@MarkRobinson555]

Pleased you enjoyed it, thanks for the comment

[@CryhavocMike]

Nice Job Mark. I just wanna talk about some options you might consider. 1) When I cover, I always work from the bottom up. This is gleaned after 40+ years of flying glow planes. So bottom first wrapped up about 1/8". Then the sides, wrapped over the top and bottom 1/8". Then the top, wrapped down 1/8". That's what I shoot for anyway. This helps any fuel and muck fall down and away instead of pooling in a seam. 2) you only need no more than about 1/8" for seam overlaps (which leaves 1/4" total). Large overlaps become very obvious under the covering. 3) You are wasting a lot of time with those "tongues". What I do is practice with a scrap piece of covering and find out just how hot I can make the iron without melting the covering. Then I dial the temp back a tiny bit more for safety. What this does is allow you to really stretch the covering. So on curved surfaces like the vertical stab you were doing, you had the right idea of stretching the covering over to the other side. But I stop right where you start doing the edge of the iron thing. If the iron is hot enough, those tiny wrinkles you are worried about fall right away allowing you to do the whole edge of the vertical in one piece of covering. No the covering that isn't stuck down wont look pretty but using the smooth edge of the vertical you can run your knife along it as a guide and cut the excess wrinkled crap away. Now iron down along the cut line. Like I said, you want just enough covering stuck up and over the curve. There is no reason to go 1/2" down the other side. Now do the same thing with the other side. When your done it'll look smooth like paint with barely any visible seam. The key is heat and and stretching but practice and get to know the covering and how much it can handle.

[@MarkRobinson555]

Thanks for taking the time to comment with such a helpful response, it is greatly appreciated. I am totally self-taught, so appreciate the advice, always willing to learn and improve. Thanks again.

[@fordemery5209]

i guess it is kinda off topic but does anyone know a good site to stream new movies online ?

[@alfredogage9486]

@Ford Emery i use Flixzone. You can find it on google =)

[@yehudalennox6500]

@Alfredo Gage definitely, have been watching on flixzone for since march myself :D

[@fordemery5209]

@Alfredo Gage thanks, I went there and it seems like they got a lot of movies there =) Appreciate it !!

[@TheRealPDaveTH]

Good stuff. Looking great, I was always bad a covering :(

[@MarkRobinson555]

Thanks, appreciated. Covering is not one of my favorite jobs, but when you get so far it has to be done!! hahaha

[@TheDornado]

Wow, all that is one day!

[@clouddancer7624]

I have thought of making the Ugly Stick a low winged plane. Looks like that could be possible by simply turning over the fuselage, and installing the tail feathers accordingly, and so on. Seems the wing would still be at "0" incidence, and the right and down thrust to be set as usual. What do you think?

[@MarkRobinson555]

Hi there, what you say seems to make sense, if you look on outerzone there are plans for a couple of low wing stiks, this is the link to one of them - outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=4065

[@rcnitrorestore3559]

Hi Mark, is there a video where you show how to cover the corners with film, you seem to have a interesting procedure there, but since the video in fast motion, its hard for me to figure out how its done? Thank you very much!

[@keatonhowes9565]

Hi Mark, thanks for the video. Did you just leave your iron on one temperature to do all the covering?

[@MarkRobinson555]

I generally have the iron cooler to start with, to tack the film in place, then increase the temp to stick down properly and shrink the film. Thanks for the comment

[@munawarshah8540]

Sir, please covering materials name

[@MarkRobinson555]

Details are in the videos description

[@genes6703]

i was just wondering what the heating gun you're using? whats the brand and model? thanks

[@MarkRobinson555]

Hi there, it was a DeWalt heat gun, sorry can't remember the model or wattage, and I don't have it anymore to be able to check. I need to get a new one!