Thread: Glider Building
View Single Post
  #4  
Old 08-05-2018, 08:13 AM
MarkB.'s Avatar
MarkB. MarkB. is offline
Surfrajettes Fan
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: El Paso
Posts: 1,110
Default

Progress:

Fly Baby covered. Came out well enough that my son said I'd lose it on the first flight. (Thanks, son). Covering is good old-fashoned dope and tissue. The bottles in the picture are SIG Supercoat (butyrate), SIG Dope Thinner and a bottle with Acetone to clean the brush. Tissue is from SWMBO's vast hoard, but she thinks she got it from Hobby Lobby. I used the cheapy brush. Here are the exact steps I took:

1) Using the dope unthinned, I brushed on a coat to all of the surfaces to receive tissue;.
2) wait 48 hours, then very lightly sand with 400 grit (you are trying not to remove the dope);
3) cut the tissue with about a 1/8" to 1/4" extra around the edges (edges are the tricky part);
4) place the tissue over the surface you are covering and brush on Dope Thinner to hold it in place;
5) immediately brush unthinned dope on to the soaked tissue including the edges; I brushed with the grain;
6) let it sit for a minute or two, then, using your fingers, fold the edges and press them against the other side (I did bottom surfaces first);
7) clean your brush in Acetone, dry it on a paper towel, admire your work thus far and return to step three for another surface.

Getting the tissue to wrap around the edges was the tricky part, especially around the little tail pieces. Making lots of little micro cuts to the tissue where there are curves before you soak it helps a lot. The wing was easier, probably because its bigger and sturdier.

Probably should use rubber gloves and not get dope on your skin.

For whatever reason, the yellow tissue went down easier than the orange. I'm going to try other colors on the other two gliders. Can't fool around or get off task either because the Thinner flashes off very quickly. Also the tissue is very fragile when soaked so there is minimal repositioning available.

So there you have it; I feel like I've rediscovered an Ancient Skill.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:  flybabe2.jpg
Views: 127
Size:  1.28 MB  
__________________
NAR 79743
NARTrek Silver
I miss being SAM 062

Awaiting First Launch: Too numerous to count
Finishing: Zooch Saturn V; Alway/Nau BioArcas; Estes Expedition; TLP Standard
Repair/Rescue: Cherokee-D (2); Centuri Nike-Smoke; MX-774
On the Bench: 2650;
Dream Stage: 1/39.37 R-7
Reply With Quote