Tissue covering question

[MikeK]

Was watching this video:

At 03:10 he shows that he's using a white glue and water mixture. Presumably to treat the tissue like dope?
At 03:16 he shows a candle. I have no idea what it's purpose is. The still image must have importance enough to show it?

Forgive my ignorance...I have limited experience with tissue covering. Haven't done a model in about 40 years. All I used back then was the common dope. And even then my results were not the best...Still wound up with sagging tissue.

 

[MikeK]

Okay, nevermind. I found the answer in the comments:

"I use the melted wax to make my own waxed paper to cover the plan. Later, I rubbed wax on a plastic dish and lid, so that the fuselage and wings wouldn't get stuck to the plastic, while drying. But this step isn't really necessary. "

 

[quorneng]

MikeK
My method uses a white glue bead around the periphery of the balsa and then drape dampened tissue over the structure carefully pulling it as tight as possible (easy with Modelspan tissue as it has some wet strength) then weigh down. Let dry slowly. Too warm and the tissue dries & shrinks before the glue has set so wrinkles result. When all sides are covered a light coat of 50/50 shrinking dope & thinners to fix the tissue and to stick it to the balsa frame. Weigh down again until the dope is fully hardened.
The trick is the damp tissue does stretch a bit and is laid virtually wrinkle free before it dries. The shrinkage is thus uniform in all directions.

.

 

[MikeK]

I'll be honest...I never had success at this as a kid. The one time I tried dampening the tissue first I wound up with nice tight tissue but a lot of warp. I've recently bought three Guillows kits - Javelin, Lancer, and Arrow - and am determined to work through the bugs before getting to the Arrow. I have a very old 1/4 bottle of Pactra dope, but it's dried up. I'll see if a little acetone brings it back. It appears traditional dope isn't available anymore? A bottle of EZE Dope is arriving in a few days.

 

[Tench745]

I like to stick down tissue with a purple glue stick (Elmers or UHU) Run the glue stick over the frame, set the tissue in place. You can brush a little alcohol through the tissue into the glue to soften it and reposition and/or re-stick the tissue.
I have also heard (but not tried) that you can paint the frame with either white glue or water-based polyurethane, let it dry, and then use a hot iron to stick the tissue to it. Supposedly it melts the glue/WBPU just enough to grab the tissue. EZE Dope appears to be a water based polyurethane sealer, though maybe a little thicker viscosity.

 

[MikeK]

Thanks guys...Looking forward to trying one or both of these.

 

[Piotrsko]

Aircraft spruce in fullerton ca, Wag aero in Kansas(?) Both have supplies in quarts and are online. It's aircraft so it won't be cheap.

 

[MikeK]

When covering, say, the wing...Is it recommended to cover the bottom, let dry, and then cover the top? Or is it possible to cover both sides with damp tissue and let the whole thing dry slowly? My basement is cool, so might be good for slow drying.

 

[Tench745]

I like to do one side at a time. That way you can pin it down or weight it down as the tissue dries to minimize any warping.

 

[Bricks]

I like to do one side at a time. That way you can pin it down or weight it down as the tissue dries to minimize any warping.

Working this way much easier to trim the edge's as usually I don`t trim until the tissue is dry and then reseal the edge`s, before moving on to the other side and always start at the bottom of the fuselage so the overlap is facing down, then the sides then the top.

Life was so much easier when good ole Dope was around at a reasonable cost.

Good source for tissue is old Christmas tissue and comes in colors, saves weight over painting if a concern.

 

[MikeK]

Good source for tissue is old Christmas tissue and comes in colors, saves weight over painting if a concern.

Does that kind of tissue shrink? I assumed it didn't. Fortunately the model I'm working on - Guillows Javelin - came with two colors of tissue. The next model I'll be doing - Guillows Lancer - however, has plain "white" tissue.

 

[Tench745]

Does that kind of tissue shrink? I assumed it didn't. Fortunately the model I'm working on - Guillows Javelin - came with two colors of tissue. The next model I'll be doing - Guillows Lancer - however, has plain "white" tissue.

It does. I've used it on a couple models. It's not as strong, especially when you're working it wet, but it seems to shrink fine in my limited experience.
There's an old-timer's technique of rubbing chalk into white tissue to color it. I tried it once with some ground up artist pastels and it works well. The color is much closer to that of colored tissue whereas paint turns things more opaque and adds weight.
I know there are people who print designs right onto the tissue. I've yet to try that, but I'm sure you can probably find tutorials online.

 

[TooJung2Die]

I wish I saw this thread sooner. How did the Lancer tissue job turn out?

I covered a couple of models with tissue. The first time in over 50 years I've used tissue covering and I learned a lot. Using purple glue stick is the biggest improvement over the old technique of using dope or watered down Elmer's glue. You can get the tissue so tight it almost doesn't need shrinking. Like Tench said, a little alcohol brushed on will release it so you can work it tight.

I use Eze Dope. Thinned, it is very good for going over the top of seams and ribs to stick the tissue down. Use it after you glue down the tissue with the glue stick. However, Eze Dope is terrible as a substitute for final doping of the tissue! Every application makes the tissue sag and it doesn't shrink the tissue very well.

I use Krylon crystal clear aerosol for the finish instead of dope. It's an excellent substitute. I've used both gloss and satin finish with great results. Very good shrink too.

Not all gift wrap tissue is created equal. Test it by wetting a piece to see what the wet strength is like. Some tissue dissolves like toilet paper when wet and is useless. I have a pack of multi-colored tissue from Dollar Tree. It is okay, I use it for flat surfaces. I found the best tissue has a glossy side and a dull side. It has pretty good wet strength. I've even put it on damp to smooth it over mild compound curves.

This airplane is my best tissue covering job so far. It's still flying with it's tissue. 1938 "Twin Cyclone" Free Flight to RC conversion

 

[cyclone3350]

I wish I saw this thread sooner. How did the Lancer tissue job turn out?

I covered a couple of models with tissue. The first time in over 50 years I've used tissue covering and I learned a lot. Using purple glue stick is the biggest improvement over the old technique of using dope or watered down Elmer's glue. You can get the tissue so tight it almost doesn't need shrinking. Like Tench said, a little alcohol brushed on will release it so you can work it tight.

I use Eze Dope. Thinned, it is very good for going over the top of seams and ribs to stick the tissue down. Use it after you glue down the tissue with the glue stick. However, Eze Dope is terrible as a substitute for final doping of the tissue! Every application makes the tissue sag and it doesn't shrink the tissue very well.

I use Krylon crystal clear aerosol for the finish instead of dope. It's an excellent substitute. I've used both gloss and satin finish with great results. Very good shrink too.

Not all gift wrap tissue is created equal. Test it by wetting a piece to see what the wet strength is like. Some tissue dissolves like toilet paper when wet and is useless. I have a pack of multi-colored tissue from Dollar Tree. It is okay, I use it for flat surfaces. I found the best tissue has a glossy side and a dull side. It has pretty good wet strength. I've even put it on damp to smooth it over mild compound curves.

This airplane is my best tissue covering job so far. It's still flying with it's tissue. 1938 "Twin Cyclone" Free Flight to RC conversion

View attachment 234338

What an awesome looking Cyclone U got there. Like U, my first tissue job since forty yrs ago was done with the glue stick, thinned Elmer's for the joints & overlap & Krylon to finish it off.