Covering of Stearman

[Marsh33]

Hi Guys.... It's me AGAIN
Went to the store and bought some coverite...I honestly felt like I was cheating doing that when I was on my way home. Not so much cheating, but, I started to get into this balsa stuff with the stearman because it was a historical hobby with my Dad doing so when he was a kid and my gramps also. I started to practice with the coverite and I was horrible then better but still bad. All in all I just think it looks to technological. I have decided to go with the tissue...I think. Is this a good choice???
If so how does the overlapping work with the tissue lets say on the tail, do I use one piece for the whole thing or do I use one for each side. I'm planning to do this wet. I have already put 3 coats of 50/50 Elmers and water and sanded and am ready to lay the tissue. Or is there a certain technique that I should do for the overlap just trim away, unless you all think I shouuld stick with the coverite and practice more, could I get some ideas? I browsed through many of the posts and there really wasn't anything said about the finishing and overlaps. Unless this is not that important as maybe when I paint and dope it will all even out with possible balsa that may be left showing at the edges. Thanks for your time.

[supercruiser]

There should be some instructions with the kit on how to cover with tissue.
My method is to cover the bottomside of the horizontal stabilizer with one piece of tissue. Then cover the topside with one piece that's slightly oversize and wrap that around the edge. there is just a slight overlap onto the bottom tissue piece. there likely is a better technique, some of the models I've seen I can't see where the two pieces of tissue meet. Maybe Mr. Duckett or Kittyfritters will chime in here? I'm still working on getting a decent looking cover job on my models. The wet tissue method seems to be preferred but, I still put it on dry and shrink later. Maybe on my next model I'll do the wet method.

[John G. Jedinak]

I use both the wet and the dry. For parts that do not have alot of curve in them such as the wings, stab, rudder and rear of fuselage I use wet. Forward part of fuselages generally tend to be pretty much round and in this case I use the dry and then spray for shrink.......................Luck, JGJ

[cdwheatley]

That's strange John, I do it the other way round to you i.e. dry for flat pieces then spray and wet for curved bits!

[Marsh33]

Hi everbody... Thanks for the response on the covering question. Now, due to trial and error I can see that I'm getting close to the end of my tissue paper. Just to be safe I was gonna get more at my local hobby shop but, they didn't carry any. For some reason the had every color of coverite and every brand of irons etc. But, no paper. I went and got some at Walgreens and found out fast that the tissue they have wasn't the stuff I need. It was quite funny when I dipped it in water and I no longer had paper in my hands. I have looked on-line for Japanese tissue and all I have found was stuff I had to mail order. I also called around to Arts and crafts stores and some had no clue what I was talking about and those who did, did not carry it. Any ideas???? Or do I order it? Chicago natives do you know? I'm on the north shore in near Grayslake.

[Xanadu]

See the posts under "tissue"