Doculam covering PRO's and PITFALLS.....

[AGaruti74]

I know this thread is a bit old, but I thought I'd add a couple of pictures of my Doculam-covered birds. The DLG was covered on top with 1.5 mil that was pre-painted on the inside with flourescent spray paint (light coat). The bottom is clear over flat-black spray paint.

The big Oly III is clear film over white painted frame, then I shot the colors from underneath. I then masked off that area and painted the bottom black, then covered it with clear.

I hadn't thought of using Doculam on DTFB, but now I have to try it!

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Hi Chris.
Here in Brazil I didn't find anything about Doculam, would it be a private label?
I can only find the Bopp Lamination Film here, and some others like Pet.
Thank you for your attention
Alexandre Garuti

 

[TooJung2Die]

Hi Chris.
Here in Brazil I didn't find anything about Doculam, would it be a private label?
I can only find the Bopp Lamination Film here, and some others like Pet.
Thank you for your attention
Alexandre Garuti

Doculam is a trademarked name for one manufacturer’s document laminating film. It’s become a generic name for the product. You’re on the right track if you’re searching for laminating film in Brazil.

 

[AGaruti74]

Doculam is a trademarked name for one manufacturer’s document laminating film. It’s become a generic name for the product. You’re on the right track if you’re searching for laminating film in Brazil.

Hi Jon
Apparently, what is most similar to Douculam is PET, both are Polyester film.
Apparently stronger than BOPP (Bioriented Polypropylene)
Bopp is quite easy to find from 18 to 38 microns in thickness, while PET is thicker.
I don't know if BOPP is very fragile in combustion models or gliders with more than 1.5m

 

[TooJung2Die]

I use 1.5 mil film which is 38 microns thick. I'd love to get some 18 micron laminating film for ultra light airplanes but I've never seen it. It's probably not made. The intended purpose of the film is to coat and protect paper, not build model airplanes. I wouldn't hesitate to use 38 micron film on a 1.5 meter glider.

 

[AGaruti74]

I use 1.5 mil film which is 38 microns thick. I'd love to get some 18 micron laminating film for ultra light airplanes but I've never seen it. It's probably not made. The intended purpose of the film is to coat and protect paper, not build model airplanes. I wouldn't hesitate to use 38 micron film on a 1.5 meter glider.

Really 18 microns is pretty thin, according to the seller's specification it would be that, I've never bought it so I can't be sure.
I think I'll go with the 38 microns, actually it's for an old Airtronics project, the Olympic II, I learned from my uncle how to fly RC models like these and now I want to teach my son.
It has a wing of 2.5m more or less as I remember it, but I think it will hold up, I have never used this material, it seemed interesting and I wanted to try it, some people here have used it and it seems to work, if I am not mistaken they are using 27 microns .

 

[Piotrsko]

Had an olympic, loved it. Still have pieces
Worst case buy a small amount of the 18 micron stuff, make a frame and see how hard it is to poke a hole. Heck, I flew tissue covered planes way back when and except for crashing into tall pokey weeds, didn't have an issue that cello tape wouldn't cure.

otoh , covering film isn't exactly structural but I suspect the physicals of the laminating film are higher than actual covering