Hey, ya'll! (I understand this drives Yankees crazy)

[CedarBranchFisher]

Bought a kit 402 P-51. Last balsa plane I built was in 1971. "Dope" was the only thing available for "silkspan" in those days. Will be using Elmers or if someone knows something better, please advise.I have a tube of Testors Cement for Metal and Wood Models. Is that good for balsa?
Has anyone written a 1, 2, 3, ....method of covering the frame? Is the tissue glued just to the frame and the rest left "clean or do you coat ALL the tissue? If I recall correctly, when using "dope" you brushed all the tissue. In 71, I built a 109 Messerschmidt and had it about 80% to 90% complete when my ship went through the 40's, 50's and 60's. I left my model laying out and after a few 35-45 degree rolls, my model looked like it had been attacked by a P-51 and a P-38.
tp://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_are_the_r ... ng_sixties
Any good basic advice anyone can give me will be greatly appreciated. In the meantime, I'll prowl the forum looking for good info.

[cliffm]

Well, I guess y'all can't be too bad if you like fly fishing and model airplanes,so if you browse this form bow to stern and port to starboard you should find the answers to most of your inquiries right here,and welcome to the forum.

[CedarBranchFisher]

Really, I love Yankees. I dated several when I was young and single.

[StefanJ]

Here is a really good "build" thread with photo-illustrated instructions of gluing on tissue:

http://balsamodels.com/phpBB/viewtopic. ... ub&start=0

I would avoid the Testor's Cement and go for good quality white glue. Yellow aliphetic resin carpenter's glue is good; classic Elmer's Glue All white glue if you can find it works just fine.

You can use water-thinned white glue for attaching tissue and coating tissue.

[Phugoid]

To us old worlders you are all Yank(ee)s!

Welcome aboard.

[groundlooped]

how about "G'day Yáll,--now that's international

Cheers Col

[CedarBranchFisher]

groundlooped, loved your country when I was there in the early 70's. Hobart and Melbourne.

[rayd]

We never resolved Elmers glue issue yet, so check recent posts. Seems Elmers white Glue All now a "New Improved Stronger" formula, per bottle...but the previous formula (I gather) worked better for our type of modelling, assembly and tissuing. I'm experimenting, but would like input from you guys who are using Elmers. An email and phone call to them was not helpful. I felt hurried away...seems rep thought I was bad mouthing Elmers (grossly misundertood)...but said maybe a bad batch of new formula was cause, or improper storage. I'd like to use white Glue All..no real odor, easy to get, innexpensive, but now, perhaps Elmers new formula may no longer be suitable for us modelers. Perhaps Guillows can call to see what info they can get. I was unable to find eg Titebond and some others recommended..there are regional issues, maybe name differences.

I was in a store today and was going to try Elmers Carpenters type (tan) glue. While in line, I read bottle which indicated it can be cleaned up with water. Huh? I also noted it said interior use..and also "New Improved Formula" They also recommended another Interior/Exterior Elmers Carpenter wood glue ....maybe called max.(Store did not have.) I'd love to use older supplies from yesteryear, Testors eg, "dope," but can't, family allergies/health, glue odor, mess, pets, etc. I no longer have areas to use old type dope, paints, which worked well. Some are still around but hard to find, costly, postal regulated, and very few hobby shops now or not well supplied.

Any help from Guillows would be appreciated. I'm now considering alternate hobbies, despite interest for this at retirement. For me, this might be venturing into a lost art. ("Me" not you.) If you are happy with the results, stick with it, including supplies. Do watch if you'd like to use Elmers "New Stronger Formula"....white or tan versions, and forget School Glue, <since they are washable. Covering with tissue, and wetting may loosen frame structure at glue joints. I'm not bad mouthing Elmers. We've used their glues for various things for years. Now though, with new formulas, may be a different thing for us "stick model" builders.

[cliffm]

The elmers I use is wood glue 'new improved' kind of yellowish and it works just fine for glue joints and for covering. I did have some aliphalic resin glue from Great Planes that worked as well but it is way more spendy.

[ADW 123]

and also, i havent had any trouble with elmers glue disolving when i cover/spray with water. in order to desolve it it must be pretty intentional...

[SteveM]

I'm now considering alternate hobbies, despite interest for this at retirement. For me, this might be venturing into a lost art. ("Me" not you.)

Pardon me, but why give up so easily if you truly enjoy the hobby? If your entire hobby lives and dies with Elmer's glue then you must be looking for an excuse to quit.

I'm allergic to CA fumes so I generally use PVA glue. I've used CA, epoxy, Elmer's glue-all (not the new stuff), Great Planes yellow PVA, Testor's wood cement, and Ambroid. I've personally had the best results with the PVA glues, but I know of at least two very experienced modelers who use Ambroid and Testor's wood cement. I've even used five different types of glues on the same plane because not every glue is best suited for the task at hand. Sometimes I need the cured properties of 5 minute epoxy and sometimes I need 30 minute epoxy.

Just a few days ago I used dope and thinners for the first time since I've been married. I wasn't stupid and took it out onto the patio to do that part of the work on my model. At one point my wife popped out to see what I was working on and gave me a wrinkled up nose and remarked on how bad it smelled, confirming to me that I was correct in going outside to do my work. Dope is not dead, it's just not as easy to find as it once was and is probably as popular with your old lady as it was with your mum 50 years ago.

Step out on a limb and grab some bottles of various glues that people use. Try CA, Titiebond, Weldbond, Ambroid, and Testor's wood cements for skeleton assembly. For the tissue, well, that's just too hard so I've given up the hobby and gone to watch TV.

[CedarBranchFisher]

Elmer's "new improved" glue reminds me of the "New Coke" debacle of a few years ago.

[Steve Blanchard]

Steve M,

Is the 8oz (larger) bottle of Elmers Glue All the "old" formula? If so, I found gallons of it available locally to me. Everybody should try "lot" stores. We have Ocean State Job Lot in Connecticut. That's where I found the Glue All. Again, I don't use it so I don't know if it's the right stuff. Right Stuff, that's almost funny being an airplane site and all.
My opinion is to do what Scigs did and find other sources and change with the times. It's not that hard and there is always something new and actually better than what we use today. By the way skip the old style dopes and everything and go to glue stick for covering and Krylon Crystal Clear for sealing the tissue. No mess, works great, and you can find it everywhere.

Steve

[rayd]

No SteveM....I'm NOT looking for an excuse to give up, especially with 8 unassembled Guillows and 2 Comets from ebay stacked for building next to me, and added plans for scratchbuilding. Thanks for your encouragement and pix of various glues.

Seems craft/hardware stores my area lack many items. Perhaps regional issues involved, demand, location....I was leaning toward Elmers mostly since it was most available, but with formula changes involved lately, with lesser results for modelers it seems, my hunt must continue. (Bad timing or Murphy's Law perhaps.) Nowadays, plastic models and ready to go RC (moreso toy type) bigger in my area than craftsman balsa/wood models. One ill stocked LHS not too far won't even order "dope" if I wanted and even charges above mkt for small tube of possibly old Testors glue! So, it's not easy for some SteveM. Suspect those closer to Canada can get more items from there and USA. S&H costs sometimes prohibitive on-line, exceeding product cost, but I guess if one really wants, it's there.

So, SteveM, anything good on TV lately? TV not appealing to me, so when I hit right glue, and I eventually will, perhaps I'll give painting with the newer stuff a try.