Tissue Covering

[mark]

Hello modelers,

Many of you write and call in regarding covering your model with the tissue paper so I thought I'd post up here how I do it, hope it helps you out.

Often refered to as "doping the tissue" but to tell the truth . . . I have not used dope for years . . instead I use a mixture of Elmers white glue and water to put my tissue on . . . works almost the same and is MUCH easier to aquire and work with !!! I will explain how to do this below.


Covering an airplane with tissue doesn`t take any special skills (I wish I could tell you some "magic answer") just a little patience and PRACTICE.
To cover with tissue provided in kit . . . . .

I use a 50/50 % mixture of White Glue and water to adhere the tissue onto the framework !!!!

Sand framework VERY WELL !!!

Mix your "glue mixture" - approx 50% water and 50% White glue

Cut a piece of tissue a bit oversized for the piece you are covering (lets say the rudder in this case)

Paint some glue mixture down around the perimiter of the rudder structure

Lay your tissue down and smooth it out as much as you can by pulling a bit and smoothing with your fingers

Paint ANOTHER coat of glue mixture THRU the tissue (around the perimiter) to assure a good bond

Let glue dry and then trim off excess tissue with sharp razor blade.

repeat for other side of rudder . . . overlapping tissue slightly !

When the part is all done, dry and trimmed, you can mount it on your plane.

When mounted, a fine mist spray of water will help shrink the tissue a bit and take out any wrinkles . . .making it nice and taunt for flying.



Hope this has helped, good luck and ENJOY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[umit]

Mark,
Thank you very much for the pressious information. I have finished the frame and thinking where to start from and how to tissue the plane. I have dane a few frames in the past but never tissued so this is a big big question mark for me. I will try to use the way which you have described in your message.
I want to ask you, what is the beige colored soft gummy looking 2 bars which are coming in the box is used for????? There are also a few pieces of white fabric stripes in a small nylon bag.
Shall I be able to apply the paint directly after tissuing the plane???? Or should I use a primer on it before?????
Tonight I am planning to finsh the landing gears which I have skipped during the construction of the frame (I hope I can do it) and then planning to tissue the plane.
I will appreciate your help on these issues; I am taking this first plane (P 38 Lightning) as a practice; another giant model is waiting for me in the box next.
Thanks and regards,
Umit CIKUREL

[Dick]

I've always primed the frames before tissuing, using two coats and sanding between and after. This helps prevent any fibers from rising up and causing roughness in the tissue. When tissuing, this also prevents the white glue mix from soaking straight into the wood rather than doing its job at the wood-tissue interface.

Dick

[sharpsburg]

Mark and all,

When I read your method above, don't I attach the tissue to the bolsa frame instead? You say to attach the tissue to the frame once it's dry. I thought it would dry on the framework.

Can I paint over this glue/water mixture? Will spray adhere to it?

Any more help is appreciated...
Jim

[mmones]

Mark,
Thank you for sharing your tricks of the trade with us Newbies (me anyway). I tried this method and it works better than using dope. I found that by brushes did not last the distance and your method saves me money and frustration. Thanks for the tip.

[Paul Falconer]

Umit: Greetings to Turkey from historic Virginia. In reply to one of your questions, the bars of beige stuff in the box are pieces of modeling clay. You can use them to balance the airplane by sticking small gobs in the front or rear of the fuselage. I read that somewhere.

[retnavy98]

I have not tried it yet...But I will...Have been out of the model business for a while...and am having alot of trouble covering the frame....thanks again.

[Spink]

sharps...

I have spray painted my p-51 model over a glue/water mixture. It works just like brushing it on. I used both methods on my plane and they are doing just fine.

[yobdab]

After tissue is applied with the 50/50 glue mixture, do you go ahead and cover all the tissue with the 50/50 glue mixture before painting? I know you are supposed to do that with the dope.

[Paul Falconer]

This works for me. I use undiluted white glue to attach the tissue to the frame. When it is dry, I apply the 50-50 mixture of white glue and water directly to the tissue using my finger to apply it because this seems easier than using a brush. The mixture is approximately the consistency of milk. I let that dry and then apply a second coat. This strengthens the covering a good deal and it is then easy to trim off the excess with a blade. I have been using spray paint for the painting and even though a flat texture may be more authentic, I think the regular enamel makes a better appearance. I hasten to add that I build for display only; this procedure would make a plane too heavy for flying. I have built the Nieuport, the SE5A and the Sopwith Camel this way. I'm still learning.

[beaubeau]

Iuse a acombination of both wet and dry. Too lazy to cut all the small pieces when I can go wet and do a bit more at a time

[Ultralight]

Newbie here When you say white glue do you mean Elmers or are you talking about something else? Thanks!



Ultralight

[Dick]

Yes - good old Elmers white glue. You can mix in almost any proportion. I think Guilllow's recommends 70/30 (glue/water), but thinner mixes work as well. Exactness not required. Put in a jar, but needs to be stirred when not used for a few days as glue tends to sink to the bottom.

[pinmodel]

For those models which would normally be metal I use thin balsa as a covering - very effective

[PaulHigg]

I have always had great success with Silk Span tissue and dope. I sand the balsa with up to 600 grit sandpaper then I apply three coats of clear dope to all the surfaces that will receive tissue.

Then I cut a piece of tissue slightly oversized then dope the wood, apply the tissue, then add another coat of clear dope. Then I spray it with water to shrink it when the dope is dry. Then I add three coats of clear dope, sanding lightly with 600 between coats then put the model together and paint the camouflage or whatever color I'm using. Since I don't fly them it doesn't matter how much I use. I paint enamel paint over the dried dope without a problem.

Silk Span at my hobby store is $.89 for a 4 x 4 foot sheet.

Regards, Paul