I guess this post might go along with the one on Glassing Techniques.

I have a new fuselage - part of it is solid, part of it is open framework. I'd like to go over the entire framework with silkspan, then paint it with Lustrecote, to match the Monokote wings.

Has anybody ever done this?

I'm not sure what techniques I should use to fill and seal the silkspan, but whatever I use would have to be compatible with Monokote.

I'd use glass and/or silk but am afraid of the weight buildup once I get through filling, etc.

I'm just looking for an alternative type of finish, just to try something different.

Thanks,

Bob

Here is one method: Use a straight edge and tear, don't cut, silkspan to cover the fuse with as few pieces as possible. Plan the placement just as you would do if covering with moneycote. (Start at the bottom, etc.) I use a very thin solution of Titebond II (thinned with water to the consistency of skim milk). Use an old towel which you wet and then wring out to put a piece of silkspan in to dampen it, but not get it dripping wet. Brush on a coat of the thinned glue, then apply the silkspan piece by piece. Using the brush, paint over the top and smooth out the silkspan at the same time. (Your fingers will come in handy for some of this.) Move on to the next piece. Once it dries, there may be a few places which need sticking down again. Easy on the glue. It is heavy. Now mix up a slurry of water based spackling which is thinned with water to the point of being brushable. "Paint" it over the silkspan, and let it dry. Take it outside to sand all of the spackling off again except that which fills the grain in the silkspan. (If you have sanded drywall, you know why you go outside for this step!) Use this material for patching any "goofs" etc. Now prime the fuse with whatever you want to use for a base coat, but be careful not to "lift" the spackling out of the pores of the silkspan. I airbrush a coat of primer on mine. The last model was finished in latex, so I used Kilz II (a water based primer). I will try to attach an image of the last effort using this method. Good luck, Dzl

Well, it doesn't look like the picture made it. Sorry, dzl Ha! Got it second time! Dzl