Tissue Finishing for Flight

[Bean]

I'm a big fan of tissue. I've recently got back into modelling and using tissue...perhaps one day (soon) I'll give "kotes" a try, but for now I'm in my comfort zone.

I'd like to poll you all on tissue finishing techniques for tissue (for flying planes). This might not only provide a nice thread for comparing materials, but also to share your methods.

I'm sure a lot of you use dope, but I'm on the lookout for some alternatives. I've got nothing against classic butyrate dope, but IMO it's expensive...

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wt ... XAU61&P=ML

at $7.50 per 3.5 oz, that's:
$277 per Gallon


and some folks have issues with the smell too (personally, I like the smell )

I've seen several other "alternatives" to this, none of which have I actually used but very interested in trying...like:

- nitrate dope http://www.sigmfg.com
@ $17.00 per qt = $68.00 per Gallon

- WB Poly www.lowes.com
@ $16.50 per qt = $66.00 per Gallon

- Future Floor Finish
@ $5.00 per quart = $20.00 per Gallon (I'll have to check this price later, I just bought some at wally world)

- and, what else...?

I'm interested in comparing a few factors here, and right now just thinking about how to determine some measures...I'm certainly open to suggestions and comments...

Just for simplicity sake, I consider "finishing" to be the process & materials used to cover a tissue model with some substance to seal it & provide base for painting.

- Ease of use.
How do you apply?
How much (how many coats)?
Can/should it be sprayed?
Is there prep and special tools?
Is it toxic, smelly, etc.?

- Cost. Up above I've used "per gallon", but maybe there's a better measure like per sq inch (?)

- Weight. possible measure could be per sq inch

- Painting.
How well does it take paint?
Any special method needed to prepare for paint? (sanding, primer, etc.)
Types of paints that can be used?

Just kind of thinking outloud here, and trying to learn...

[Bean]

So I'll go first.

I use a Elmer's glue stick to apply the tissue. Mostly I use the stock tissue, but I just got some Esaki tissue recently and will try that on my next build.

Once the tissue is on, I go around the edges with 50/50 clear butyrate dope/thinner (Aerogloss). This means not only do I buy the dope, but they don't give the thinner away either.

What's a readily available/cheaper substitute for the Aerogloss thinner?

Now I spray with water to shrink.

Then I cover with the 50/50 again over the entire model, 2 coats.

From here I can paint, sometimes I don't. I use colored dope, usually 2 coats. The only time I've used acrylics was for static models - for some reason I thought they'd add too much weight, but I'm really not sure!

[SteveM]

I've used plain tissue with butyrate dope from the LHS with great results, a clear laminating film painted with Liquitex acrylics, Solite film, and Monokote. At this time I am close to finishing a plane using medium weight silkspan with Liquitex acrylics that was applied with a glue stick. The plane after that will probably use a lightweight plastic film like the Solite. For dope I've switched from butyrate to SIG Nitrate.

To sum up what I've used for RC planes any why.

Tissue: Light and a classic. Not that hard to put on and a great sense of nostalgia and accomplishment. Easily damaged.

Silkspan: Many of the advantages of tissue without many of the drawbacks. Good wet strength, paintable, and applied with glue stick, dope, or common white glue. Heavier than some of the lighter plastic films.

Clear laminating film: A pain to put on smoothly but is fairly light and can be painted which allows for complex color schemes. More durable than tissue and silkspan.

Solite: Very light but still durable. Can't be painted with much success so you pretty much have to use different colored pieces to achieve the desired color scheme, which can add weight.

Monokote: The classic film used on the larger fuel planes. Very durable but also somewhat heavy. Same painting limitations as Solite.

I've seen far better comparisons, but these are broad generalizations based on my experience. If I want a complex paint scheme then most plastic films are out of the question. If a plane is to be flown a lot and is likely to require many patches then a colored film is easiest to repair. Light films like Solite can be used on small planes, I used it on a 400 series P-51 and was very happy with it. I have yet to determine how silkspan will hold up to the punishment of RC flight and hangar rash, but I think it'll be ok.

[Bean]

Stevem, thanks that's a lot of helpful info...where do you get your silkspan?

[SteveM]

I got a large roll of something like 20 sheets from Tower Hobbies. My LHS sells it by the sheet and you can also order from SIG and I believe several other online hobby supply places have it.