Spacemonkey71

I couldn't find any japanese tissue to use and the only thing the LHS had was something called "Sig Silkspan". It's a "quasi-paper" (for lack of a better term).

How is this stuff applied? Tissue is applied dry, silk is applied wet, WHAT THE HECK DO YOU DO WITH THIS STUFF? IT'S BOTH!

I'm planning on only putting on the fuselage and tail section (the wings are covered in silron). I've NEVER attempted anything like this before.... should you cut ROUGH outlines of the sides you want to cover first and THEN secure them (somehow, please help me...) into place? or can you "wrap" the entire fuselage (since it is a Stik, therefore MOSTLY square) up to the tail section and trim in to meet up along the bottom of the plane and work from there? But when you get a little more complicated (specifically the rudder/vert which is ROUND) do you cut out a peice for EACH side of the ROUND part (the rudder) and secure them seperately? Should I cut-out "templates of all the sides of the fuselage (with about 1" overage on the cut), and then glue down 1 side at a time? I'm totally baffled. But I have ALL the stuff to do it with! (I did NOT buy more Sig Lite-Dope from the LHS; they wanted more for a 1/3 pint than I paid for a FULL pint!

Please give me SOME TIPS on how this stuff is installed. I've understood how to apply tissue, and I've understood how to apply silk; this is neither AND both at the SAME TIME !!!! It's like a heavy fiber toilet paper (but I would NOT wipe my butt with it; I think the Geneva Conventions says something negative about doing this to people....). It's thin enough to "crease and fold" but TOUGH enough not to tear very easily. It's got thick fibers that "roughly" align in 1 direction down the paper. (I hope you guys know what I'm talking about, otherwise I sound like a person who just drank a Mercury Milkshake....)

aerowoof

put it on wet like silk,it will expand when wet then shrink back to original size when dry.basically used in control line flying for years

Spacemonkey71

Do I cut it per side or shape? Should I cut it in the shape of the face of the object in question (namely the round rudder!) or should I just wrap it around the fuselage and glue the corners and end peices together? Should I use some kind of adhesive to hold the 'edges' in place as it dries? (and what kind of glue? 5 min epoxy, super glue, thin CA ?) Or should I use "pins" to hold it in position?

s. wallace

My Feedback: (24)

Silkspan is actually quite versatile and very easy to work with, I still use it a lot (the only models I use iron on covering is my Q-500 racers as they are expendable).

Is your fuselage prepped? Sanded well, and given several coats of dope (3-4) sanded every other coat? I do use Sig lite coat, it works well. This is how I do a solid surface such as a fuselage:

I apply silkspan dry but use water while applying...cut a piece a little oversize to given side of your fuselage. Lay it down and brush thinned clear dope right through the silkspan, working it in with the brush (this is so easy to do but hard to explain in words-you don't need to hold anything down, the dope binds very quickly IF the surface underneath was properly prepared). Once the entire side is stuck down, use a new razor blade to trim the edges, leaving 1/8" to 1/4" overlap. Here's where I use water, a light spritz along these edges then just use a bit more dope with your brush to make the paper roll over the edges. Dope dries so fast that I can do an entire fuselage in one session. Don't worry about seams over overlaps, once all is dry a light sanding will make the edge all but disapear.
For finish I use 6-8 coats of thinned clear dope applied with a brush, if done right brush strokes disappear. Sanding with 400-600 grit every 3 coats. If I'm using color just for trim I'll use a brush, to paint the entire fuselage I'll spray.

Hope this helps!

Spacemonkey71

Thanks for the tips Lotus! I think I understand what you're trying to tell me. Do one side at a time leaving about 1" of "overage" and then trim this to 1/8-1/4". I am also using Sig Clear Lite Dope. (incidentally, I picked up an entire PINT of Sig Dope in TN for $12 while at the local hobby shop 1/2 a pint was $14 !!!!) The entire fuselage will be painted in the Red/White pattern of the traditional "Ugly Stik". The surface is already sanded "baby smooth" but I haven't put any dope on it just yet b/c I wanted to have ALL the steps in the process before starting. I'll be using a 1" brush to apply the Dope and I have some 600 grit paper to smooth out the bumps. I'm thinking I need 2-3 coats of dope directly onto the balsa (and sand thoroughly w/ 600 grit), followed by the silkspan/dope, followed by 1 more coat of dope (and a good sanding) and THEN use the colors, and put 2 more coats of dope on top of that (and sand again) followed by a final layer of dope (should the final layer be sanded?).

Does the thinner in the dope (usually mixed 50/50 in the initial stages) affect the paint? or at the point AFTER the paint is used, I don't need any thinner mixed in?

(btw, I'm ULTRA lousy with a spray can and I don't trust myself to do it right. I'm a MUCH better painter (i do oil paintings, acrylics, and water colors) )

Just out of curiousity, why do you use a fresh razorblade to trim the excess down to 1/8"-1/4"? It is to prevent tearing of the silkspan?

The hinges are already installed on the elevator and rudder, is there anything I should watch out for around the hinges to keep them from sticking? (maybe a q-tip with a dab of vaseline on the end?)

fritzke

My Feedback: (1)

Here is a bit of a how-2:
http://winshiprc.tripod.com/covering...y_jim_ryan.htm
Dave

Spacemonkey71

Dave, that's a really great article! I wish there was a little more detail on how to get the right consistency of the talcum powder mixture, but "wallpaper paste" should give me a ballpark to shoot for. I also noted that the instructions call for Nitrate SPECIFICALLY and NOT Butyrate dope. Is this a big deal? Those are 2 VERY different substances.....(and if they call for Nitrate, well, Nitrate isn't fuel proof so you could LITERALLY wash the dope right off of your plane (or have it catch fire! ))

Also, exactly WHAT is the talcum powder doing? This silkspan paper is not exactly a "weave" and there aren't any "grid patterns" (like most fabrics) to fill in. Is it just a form of "primer" to get the plane 1 color and used to get the paint to adhere to? Can you "skip" this step when using silkspan b/c it's naturally so smooth?

What I'm also wondering is after WHAT step do you put on the Butyrate Paint? After the final step? Ex: Sand VERY lightly, add your "stickers" / "markings" (mine will have those Maltese crosses on it), add the paint, and then put another layer of Butyrate Dope on top of that to seal it all down?

Does this sound right? The "talcum" thing kinda threw me.... I had heard of talcum when using something like Silron or SilRay (which has a heavy grid-like weave pattern), but never on anything that was a "paper derivative".

jaymen

Couple of silk span tips:

It is imperative that the balsa receive a minimum of 3 coats of thinned dope followed by sanding each time if you are to get the silkspan to adhere properly.

I used to use clear dope thinned out 75%, brush it on the wet silkspan that is layed flat on the fuselage side, and rub it in with your fingers, this smooths out the silkspan and assures it sticks evenly so you don't get bubbles that will show up later when you color dope.
when that is done, dope the edges and rub down the silkspan so it wraps a bit around the edges. Re-moisten the silkspan as required if you are doing a large section and it dries defore you get it doped down.

Next, once dry you will see that the silkspan has shrunk where it need to be trimmed, but rather than cut it with a razor, Exacto, or scissors, use a sanding block with 320, or a fine emery board to sand off the excess silkspan. The extra silkspan will then peel away when you pull on it, leaving a slightly fuzzy edge, but don't despair! Take your dope and dope those edges, then rub with your finger..voila, it blends in and you cannot see the seams, leaving a perfect job that you will be very proud of(thanks Carl Goldberg).

Areas that need to be covered with small strips of silkspan: hide the seams by placing a straight edge ruler over the moistened silkspan and tear it instead of using scissors or a razor to cut it. This leaves a fuzzy edge that will blend in when rubbed with dope and the seams will be invisible.

Spacemonkey71

WOW! You guys are actually starting to make me believe that I can do this! There's a couple of new "developments" lately...

I've sanded it with 100 first, (to knock down a couple of "pits and nicks" and then gone back over it with 600 and the entire fuse is as smooth as glass!!!! It's AWESOME how smooth it is!

Then my wife comes home. With her she has 1 tube of ~10 sheets of Japanese Tissue 20x20, 1 pack of Esaki #3 Light Weight Silk about 36"x36", and 1 pack of fiberglass cloth.....

Should I stick with using Silkspan or changet to another? I know I have enough Jap.Tissue to cover the plane and MAYBE enough #3 Light Weight Silk, but not enough fiberglass.

Also, no matter how I cover the fuselage, should I use the Silk to patch the tiny holes (only 3-4 1/16" holes punched in the Silron wing). I'm thinking I should tear it ragged and small and while doping the rest of the wing, lay this small peice into place. Does this sound right?

Should I put vaseline on a toothpick or q-tip and cover the rudder hinges to keep them from sticking?

Jim Thomerson

A slight variation in technique. On the flat parts of your fuselage, put the silkspan on dry. Use thinner to stick it down all around the edges. Let the thinner dry, then moisten the silkspan and let it dry. Then stick it down with thinner. This will give a really smooth surface, smoother than if you put it on all at once with thinner. Going around curves you may have to cut slits in the silkspan. I would cover curves wet. Where you overlap edges, experiment with tearing the silkspan rather than cutting it, as this will give an edge which feathers in very nicely.

Wet silk is similar to work with but it takes a little more technique than silkspan. I've covered an entire fuselage with one piece of silk, as it forms around curves better than silkspan.

The talc/dope mix is a filler, and sands easily. You can also use cornstarch.