Anyone have any experience with tautening nitrate? I didn't know it existed but I see Randolph makes it. This might solve some problems for me. I typically use byterite dope to shrink silk to fill weave, but it leaves me no alternative but byterite color. Nitrate would allow many more options. Any feedback would be welcome.

Thanks

Mike

I've used both tautening, and non-tautening nitrate. The "non" is better on light built-up structures. I use the tautening on sheeted models that are covered with tissue, or silk, but I clear coat all of my glow fuel airplanes with Klasskote clear. My electric models are covered with colored tissue and brushed on nitrate, and that's all. I get lazy on "open bay construction", so most of my built up components (like wings) are covered with plastic film. Note that non-tautening nitrate is often sold with a blue dye to distinguish it from regular nitrate, so if yo plan on the color of your silk, or tissue to show through, then you want to get the non-tautening without the dye.

Thanks Greg. I'll get a quart and build a few test frames.

Mike, Also take note that the Randolph dope has more solids then our traditional model airplane dope (Pactra, Testors, Sig etc.), so for our model application you need to plan on thinning it a lot. You can purchase dope thinner, or use lacquer thinner, but if you use a substitute thinner, run a sample test to be certain it's compatible.