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duncan · 22-11-2004

I know Barry will be advising but before painting you must tauten (using light spray of water after covering)and seal the tissue. Cellulose or byuterate "clear dope" is sold in most model shops. Thin this to about 50/50 and give two coats, allow an hour or two between coats to judge the shrinking effect. Weight wings and tail down while dope dries, leave air gap under while doing this. Leave over-night.The dope you mention that smells of bananas is a non-shrinking type called , strangely' "Banana Oil". One thinned coat of this should be enough for most small models. A useful dope called "Sanding Sealer" should be used on largely balsa sheeted models, it fills the grain and can be sanded to a very smooth finish. Coloured dope is heavy unless "misted on" with a spray gun. Using Humbrol enamels for small details is OK but you will have problems if you have to repair tissue as the cellulose dope will "pickle" the enamel. You can avoid all this complication by using an artificial "tissue" called Litespan, attached and shrunk with a simple domestic iron. It comes in various traditional model colours plus silver and camoflage drabs. Very light,no smells, stronger than tissue, worth looking into. If using Depron ignore all of the above and use only water based paints (thinned with water). Weight is the enemy. If I/C powered, your `planes will have to be fuel-proofed as most fuels attack painted surfaces, fuel-proofer available in model shops. More weight ! Are you building from kits? If so are they small , say under 20"/25". This size although they look as if they might be good to cut your teeth on are in fact quite tricky to build and trim for flight. Lots of books on the subject, try local library. Happy building,winter is the time for that.

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22-11-2004	#2 (permalink)
duncan one more feather ......! Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Scottish Highlands Real Name: Duncan My Models: HMS Invincible Visit duncan's Gallery Posts: 1,093	I know Barry will be advising but before painting you must tauten (using light spray of water after covering)and seal the tissue. Cellulose or byuterate "clear dope" is sold in most model shops. Thin this to about 50/50 and give two coats, allow an hour or two between coats to judge the shrinking effect. Weight wings and tail down while dope dries, leave air gap under while doing this. Leave over-night.The dope you mention that smells of bananas is a non-shrinking type called , strangely' "Banana Oil". One thinned coat of this should be enough for most small models. A useful dope called "Sanding Sealer" should be used on largely balsa sheeted models, it fills the grain and can be sanded to a very smooth finish. Coloured dope is heavy unless "misted on" with a spray gun. Using Humbrol enamels for small details is OK but you will have problems if you have to repair tissue as the cellulose dope will "pickle" the enamel. You can avoid all this complication by using an artificial "tissue" called Litespan, attached and shrunk with a simple domestic iron. It comes in various traditional model colours plus silver and camoflage drabs. Very light,no smells, stronger than tissue, worth looking into. If using Depron ignore all of the above and use only water based paints (thinned with water). Weight is the enemy. If I/C powered, your `planes will have to be fuel-proofed as most fuels attack painted surfaces, fuel-proofer available in model shops. More weight ! Are you building from kits? If so are they small , say under 20"/25". This size although they look as if they might be good to cut your teeth on are in fact quite tricky to build and trim for flight. Lots of books on the subject, try local library. Happy building,winter is the time for that.: Last edited by duncan; 22-11-2004 at 06:05..