Drywall Mesh Tape

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Cross Check

Drywall Mesh Tape

Post by Cross Check »

Hi All,

The stuff is 2in. wide and has about a 1/8th mesh pattern of some sort of fibre. It is strong (can't tear it by hand) light and cheap.
(All of my combat building requirements !)

On one of my busted wing panels (white foam/1/4"balsa LE/1/8th spruce spars/WPV and Sig light glass'skin') I put layers above and below the LE and one around the LE. I then covered it with clear packing tape.

I then whacked it real hard against the doorjam of my shop. I was impressed ! I tried another broken wing panel and the same hit blew the panel back past the spars. The taped wing does not want to crush back to the spars. even after repeated hits. The tape actually 'pops back' to the LE shape !

The mesh tape/packing tape is less than half the weight of Bi-Di tape and probably 1/4 the cost.(I bummed the roll from a friend)

I plan on using this on some Typhoons with some full depth 'web spars'. I'll scuff up the packing tape and brush on some latex for the camo. I'll spray the foam with 3M-77 before taping...

Anyone else tried this stuff?

Take care, have fun,
Dave'crosscheck'Fallowfield
Maac 6437
Unabashed Combat Team
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Ed Kettler
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Post by Ed Kettler »

I saw a tip in a modeling magazine a few months back about using it for hinge material. If you can measures off a foot of the material, a foot of packing tape and a foot of bidi, and get the weights, that would be some interesting information.

Besides the 3M bidi, who else make bidi and what prices are you seeing?

Thanks!
Ed
THend
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Post by THend »

Been using it for years, and it works great. Dennis Meddles, the original architect for the 48 inch wingspan class, used it on all of his prototypes with great success. My first Manta has the fuse covered in the stuff, and it proved very very strong.

We laid it down with 3M 77, then painted the entire surface with titebond wood glue. I imagine that Varathane would work too. The only drawback is that it is tough to get the grid pattern out, so up close you can see the little 1/8 squares. You can fill it with light spackle, but it is another step in the finish process. I skip it as these are combat ships.

Also, there is the white 2 inch and the yellow 4 inch wide, and I think I have used both with success. The white 2 inch is easier to work with, and may be stronger.
thojo
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Post by thojo »

Been using it to reinforce wing joints and for leading edges, great stuff...
Cross Check

Post by Cross Check »

Hi Ed,

The Bi-Di I have is 3M, got it from HatTrick. The roll weighs 12oz.
It is .006in. thick
The same size roll of mesh is 6oz. It is .01in. thick. It has less fibres than the Bi-Di.

I tried compound curves on a cowl plug. I used a low setting on my iron and it shaped well. The temperature was low enough to not affect white foam...

The mesh has a light adhesive that sticks pretty well.

I plan on squeegying some ProBond on overlap areas like diahedral joints. To lock the mesh together. I'm going to use just packing tape over the mesh. (Looks good enough to me from 15ft.! hehehe)
I've left the test panel outside to see how the sun affects it.

It is easy to cut into thinner strips. It could make nice light LE armour for an electric combat...?

I like trying new building methods.
I prefer testing them in combat though ! ! !

Take care, have fun,
Dave'crosscheck'Fallowfield
Maac 6437
Unabashed Combat Team
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