Mod Podge: Two Questions
08-31-2015, 12:56 PM
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Mod Podge: Two Questions
It appears that many modelers like Mod Podge but I have two questions:
How do you get covering to stick to balsa (for open bay construction)? I see posts where others use a warm iron. I applied MP full strength (wiping) to balsa, let it dry, sanded lightly, and tried to get litespan (kissing cousin to polyspan) to stick without any success. How thick must it be, and how dry (or not dry) when you are able to adhere the covering?
Does anyone know what MP is chemically? One post labeled it an aliphatic, another said it was a latex, and an MSDS talked about "residual vinyl acetate". I want to consider compatibility issues "over and under".
Thanks for the help.
How do you get covering to stick to balsa (for open bay construction)? I see posts where others use a warm iron. I applied MP full strength (wiping) to balsa, let it dry, sanded lightly, and tried to get litespan (kissing cousin to polyspan) to stick without any success. How thick must it be, and how dry (or not dry) when you are able to adhere the covering?
Does anyone know what MP is chemically? One post labeled it an aliphatic, another said it was a latex, and an MSDS talked about "residual vinyl acetate". I want to consider compatibility issues "over and under".
Thanks for the help.
09-01-2015, 09:20 AM
#2
There are lots of "Mod Podge" products. The gloss glue is vinyl acetate (according to the SDS).
http://old.akronschools.com/dotAsset/76306.pdf
So it's basic white glue (aka Elmer's or School glue or PVA glue).
But Mod Podge is a brand, not a product, and comes in aerosols and mattes and fabric cements, epoxies, CAs and all kinds of other products. Which are you using?
I've never tried applying a glue below covering - but I'm not familiar with Litespan but I see they recommend a pre-treatment of "Balsaloc". I sand, use a tack cloth to remove the dust and then either go with Balsarite (from Coverite) or just plain balsa. Depends on the model and morphology of what I am covering. But I'm usually using Monokote with the heat-activated adhesive already applied.
Does Litespan have a clear covering that must be removed first like Monokote?
http://old.akronschools.com/dotAsset/76306.pdf
So it's basic white glue (aka Elmer's or School glue or PVA glue).
But Mod Podge is a brand, not a product, and comes in aerosols and mattes and fabric cements, epoxies, CAs and all kinds of other products. Which are you using?
I've never tried applying a glue below covering - but I'm not familiar with Litespan but I see they recommend a pre-treatment of "Balsaloc". I sand, use a tack cloth to remove the dust and then either go with Balsarite (from Coverite) or just plain balsa. Depends on the model and morphology of what I am covering. But I'm usually using Monokote with the heat-activated adhesive already applied.
Does Litespan have a clear covering that must be removed first like Monokote?
Last edited by Charlie P.; 09-01-2015 at 09:24 AM.
09-01-2015, 05:05 PM
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The product is labeled "Mod Podge", and beneath that "Paper", and matte; beneath that "Waterbase glue and finish".
Litespan...OOPs, I should have said Thermal Span. (I am getting all the "..spans" mixed up).
Thermal span's instructions state that it is "a tough light-weight covering and structural fabric"..."non-woven, non-directional fabric"..."thermally stretchable, shrinkable fabric"..."agressively resistant to moisture, puncture and tearing" ...with a "translucent finish with an appearance similar to silkspan".... It has no adhesive and after the balsa is doped, thinned SIG Stix-it or Balsarite is applied and allowed to dry. Then you attach the covering with heat. Then it can be shrunk with heat. It looks a lot like silkspan, but it is not a paper product, rather, I believe, polyester. It cannot be shrunk with water. It fills faster than silkspan. It has a smooth side and a not so smooth side; it should be applied with the smooth side out. I determine which is which by gently pulling a microfiber cloth across each side. The cloth catches on the not so smooth side. There is no catching of the cloth when pulled over the smooth side.
Litespan...OOPs, I should have said Thermal Span. (I am getting all the "..spans" mixed up).
Thermal span's instructions state that it is "a tough light-weight covering and structural fabric"..."non-woven, non-directional fabric"..."thermally stretchable, shrinkable fabric"..."agressively resistant to moisture, puncture and tearing" ...with a "translucent finish with an appearance similar to silkspan".... It has no adhesive and after the balsa is doped, thinned SIG Stix-it or Balsarite is applied and allowed to dry. Then you attach the covering with heat. Then it can be shrunk with heat. It looks a lot like silkspan, but it is not a paper product, rather, I believe, polyester. It cannot be shrunk with water. It fills faster than silkspan. It has a smooth side and a not so smooth side; it should be applied with the smooth side out. I determine which is which by gently pulling a microfiber cloth across each side. The cloth catches on the not so smooth side. There is no catching of the cloth when pulled over the smooth side.
09-01-2015, 05:26 PM
#4
I can't find anything about it out on the Interweb. Sounds like you could dope (cellulose acetate) the balsa and then put the Thermal Span on. The Mod Podge may have sealed up the balsa without leaving you any pores to adhere to.
Afraid I'm not familiar enough with the Thermal Span to help.
Afraid I'm not familiar enough with the Thermal Span to help.
