Question about Dr. Paper

[Mike Griffin]

When you apply Dr. Paper and/or silkspan to a solid surface like a profile fuselage, do you mist it with water and apply it wet or just lay it on dry and brush the dope over it to stick it to the wood?

Mike

[Tony Drago]

   The doctor paper gets real fragile when wet.
On open wing bays when doping wet paper, a soft dope brush with light strokes.
On the solid wood lay it on then hit it with a spray bottle then take it from there on doping.

[Jim Svitko]

Yes, on solid wood, lay the paper on and wet it with a spray bottle.  I do both sides of a part at the same time to minimize warping as everything dries.

Put a coat or two of clear dope to the bare wood first.  Otherwise, when you attach the paper, the dope will soak thru and into the wood so much that not much is left to hold the paper down.  It might be a good idea to not thin the dope too much for the initial coats on the bare wood.

[john e. holliday]

As I don't use dope anymore and never did with DOC paper.  I brush on a coat heat sensetive glue.   Lay DOC paper down and procede to iron it down around the perimiter.  Do not seal the paper in the open areas and it will shrink a little with the heat.  Then I put on the MonoKote or mylar covering.  If you are going to paint use fine sand paper or brillo pad and dull the surface.   athen start by light spray of paint you are using.  I use spray cans of paint from Ace Hardware, their brand .  So far no problems.

[John Carrodus]

Jim , I have used Doctor's Paper twice. It's best - in my view- applied very dap to open bays. Attach around the edges with dope , gently pulling out and stretching as tight as you can d- attaching the edges only. Leave it to dry and pull itself tighter as the water evaporated. THEN hit the edge again to ensure a good pin down - Then the open bays. It should pull up real good. It does sag between coats , but don't fret , it will come right in the end. I then give it a few coats of rattle can automotive acrylic lacquer, sealing with clear acrylic lacquer applied in warm low humidity. Seems fine. I am assuming the paper is non embossed, plain flat with a grain.

[Mike Griffin]

I appreciate all the input guys.  I found the same thing that Tony mentioned about how fragile it gets when wet.  Here is what I ended up doing and it worked really well.  This applies to solid surfaces only, not open bays.  I laid down 3 coats of dope cut 50/50 and lightly sanded after the 3rd coat with 400 grit paper.  Then I applied one more coat and let it dry.  Then, I cut the Doc Paper to size and laid it on the solid surface, dipped my brush in the dope/thinner mixture and worked from the middle of the piece to to the outside edges.  When it dried, I took a scapel and trimmed the edges and then lightly sanded the edges with 400 grit.  I will now apply a coupe of more coats of dope, sand lightly again with 400 and be ready for paint.  This has worked really well for me.  I use Polyspan on open bay areas.

Mike

[Robert Whitley]

I have had very good success using the method that John posted.
The only difference is that I used dope right through the final coats.
Lightly dampened I didn’t find it excessively weak or prone to tearing if handled reasonably carefully.

[Marty Hammersmith]

I was just at the doctor's office yesterday. He almost busted me feeling the exam table paper when he walked in. Lol. Comparing what was on the table vs Silkspan, I would opt for the Silkspan. Can you point to the source you are using successfully? I am sure there are many grades of this paper and some probably work and some don't. What I saw yesterday was probably more like Silkspan Lite.

What is the primary reason for trying to use this paper in place of Silkspan when it is readily available from Brodak? Please don't read any tone in my post. I am not challenging, I am simply asking.

[944_Jim]

Read all about it here:
https://stunthanger.com/smf/open-forum/world-shortage-of-silkspan-ended-frank-d-nominated-for-%27hero-of-the-reich%27/


The short of it is you want what is called "everyday crepe." It has a thicker feel than what is used in most clinic/doctors offices in my area. Common name brands from a few years ago were (and most likely still is) Tidi and McKesson. The trick is finding a vendor willing to sell single rolls.

[Robert Whitley]

Hi Marty.
The main reason for going to Dr. Paper is that five or six years ago real silkspan wasn’t available anywhere.
The Dr paper that’s recommended was for sale at Amazon and other vendors dirt cheap.
It is sold by the case of twelve I think 18”x120’ so that’s a generous lifetime supply.

Now the situation has improved so more traditional supplies are for now easier to obtain.
 

[Dan McEntee]

I was just at the doctor's office yesterday. He almost busted me feeling the exam table paper when he walked in. Lol. Comparing what was on the table vs Silkspan, I would opt for the Silkspan. Can you point to the source you are using successfully? I am sure there are many grades of this paper and some probably work and some don't. What I saw yesterday was probably more like Silkspan Lite.

What is the primary reason for trying to use this paper in place of Silkspan when it is readily available from Brodak? Please don't read any tone in my post. I am not challenging, I am simply asking.

     Not all exam table paper is the same!! Go to the Tidi web sight and look through there. All sorts of types, styles, weights, prints and such. Read and review the previous threads carefully and if you order anything be sure of what you want and are ordering. Some complain that the doc span that they are getting won't stay together when wet. The Tidi paper i got has been soaked in a sink full of water, wrung out then shook loose by holding onto the corners with no problems. Some stuff might even be mislabeled if it was purchased from a clearing house or something amd that is why it is so cheap.
  Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee

[john e. holliday]

Well the DOC paper I got I could not spread it out on the wing with out it coming apart.  So I put it on dry over lay it with mylar or MonoKote. after edges are ironed down on heat sensitive glue.

[944_Jim]

I know the stuff isn't fit for everyone...and can show a Pringle I made from one of my builds trying to force-shrink it with a hair drier. I also admit I'm stuck on it purely because I still have over 100' of my first and only roll, and I fly small. I need to burn down this roll a bit more before pursuing the other options because I'm cheap! The failings described by others may be on significantly larger planes than I've been working, so the sense of scale may make those failures look huge...this is only supposition/superstition.

I do like the old silkspan, and love old Guillows as was supplied in their larger kits in the 800/1000 (and possibly 400)
 series. The 500/900 smalls get something similar to Hallmark gift tissue or Esaki tissue. I wouldn't use those on even my smalls unless I had nothing else, or for a "second skin" for color over a stronger base.

I'd love to try the "netted" stitching paper/tea bag paper brought up a couple of months ago (being sold by an off-shore quilting shop if I remember correctly).

But for the sake of this thread:
Everyday crepe
Tidi 98-1004...21"x125' (what I bought)
Tidi 98-1002...18"x115'

McKesson numbers "last four" are basically the same. The long thread lead me to believe it may be a re-badge of one to the other. So which came first, the Tidi or the McKesson? Dunno...but the Tidi number and description still matches what is out there today, so I would endeavor to source the Tidi unless one could lay hands on the McKesson. Yes...I keep checking my healthcare PCM's stock at every visit...did I mention I'm cheap?

Mr. John,
I have a CNC Hyper Viper clone wing to cover over Christmas break. I plan on doing exactly as you mentioned...stick down the DocSpan and Doculam over it.

[john e. holliday]

That should work.  Remember don't seal the open areas of the DOC paper.  Wish you were here so I could show you my method.