Building Tips and technical articles. > Building techniques
Polyspan / Silkspan
doug coursey:
--- Quote from: Howard Rush on April 21, 2025, 12:19:44 PM ---I have more opinion than experience, but here's my put: Ares has a lot of ribs. Silkspan is easy to sand through; polyspan isn't. One would trowel a lot of dope on silkspan-covered ribs out of sand-through fear. On polyspan there's merely a temporarily annoying fuzzy or two. So I think you'd save dope weight with polyspan.
--- End quote ---
Windy would put 10 or 12 extra coats over the ribs with a small brush to help from sanding through
Howard Rush:
--- Quote from: Jim Svitko on May 01, 2025, 02:14:51 PM ---I do not know of polyspan being available in different weights/grades. I have a package of Thermal Span, same as polyspan, but with no grain. It is as strong chord wise as span wise. The data on the package says 0.9 oz/sq yd.
I think Thermal Span is superior to regular polyspan and I would use that if you can still find it.
--- End quote ---
Larry Davidson sells two weights. You want the heavier.
wwwarbird:
--- Quote from: Howard Rush on April 21, 2025, 12:19:44 PM ---I have more opinion than experience, but here's my put: Ares has a lot of ribs. Silkspan is easy to sand through; polyspan isn't. One would trowel a lot of dope on silkspan-covered ribs out of sand-through fear. On polyspan there's merely a temporarily annoying fuzzy or two. So I think you'd save dope weight with polyspan.
--- End quote ---
Great advice. y1
As long as you put the correct side down fuzzies shouldn't be an issue. It's barely detectable, but you want the shiny side up.
Ken Culbertson:
--- Quote from: wwwarbird on May 01, 2025, 09:16:23 PM --- Great advice. y1
As long as you put the correct side down fuzzies shouldn't be an issue. It's barely detectable, but you want the shiny side up.
--- End quote ---
I can save you a coat or two on the base by trying a trick I stumbled on. Once you have the polyspan covered and tightened some give it a coat of dope then, while the dope is still wet, tighten it with the heat gun. It glazes over and seals all of those nasty pin holes in one coat.
Ken
Motorman:
Last time I bought polyspan from Larry Davidson he folded it up and mailed it in an envelope. Never got the creases out. I offered to mail him a tube with return shipping lable and he got offended because apparently his shipping method was perfect. I ordered the light because I use it over open bays and under Coverlite iron on. Maybe the heavy stuff won't crease in shipping? Good luck.
MM :)
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