By the Foot – Predator Covering Film

Professional grade laminating film, manufactured using DuPont® polyester film with a co-polymer adhesive.

This film is spectacular. It sticks aggressively to all types of surfaces without peeling or yellowing.  It can be reheated multiple times for when minor repairs are needed.  In addition to great clarity and smooth surface, it is resistant to oil, water, acid and alkali.

Temperature range is 230º to 250º.

Glider pilots have renamed this film New Stuff covering. It is applied with heat (hot melt adhesive). It comes in a variety of thicknesses and widths.  Adhesive starts out cloudy when cold and turns clear when heated. It does not shrink like traditional covering but adds significant strength to EPP builds with less need for strapping tape.

Choosing the right thickness:

• 1.7 Mil is about half the thickness of a normal piece of paper and is very lightweight.  Typically its used on park flyers as a protective coating over foam structures.
• 3.0 Mil is slightly heavier than traditional model covering products but is more durable and easier to apply.  Typically used on small slope gliders or park flyers.
• 5.0 Mil is thickness of choice for EPP flying wings like the Lumberjack or Windrider Bee.
• 10.0 Mil should be used when strength, stiffness, and durability is needed.  It is heavy!  Typically used for Dynamic Soaring gliders.

The ultimate in stiffness is DI – Digital Imaging 10.0mil film.  If 10.0mil CP isn’t heavy and stiff enough DI is your next available option.  It comes with the down side in that it is so stiff it doesn’t like to bend around leading edges or wing tips.  The stiffness also tends to make brittle in cold flying conditions.  It isn’t a film recommended for most builds but if you plan to push the EPP world records DI film is something to consider.

Film can be applied in multiple layers for even more options.

For more information the best place to visit is the slope section of rcgroups.com.