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Building Tips and technical articles. => Paint and finishing => Topic started by: Craig Beswick on December 19, 2016, 02:36:24 PM
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Hi guys,
I have been out of modelling for a long time so I'm trying to get up to speed with the best way to go about things. I understand a lot is personal preference, or in some cases just the way it has always been done.
I'm filling wood grain with dope. Do I put enough clear to completely fill the grain and have the surface be slick or do I apply just enough coats to allow for the covering material to have a layer of dope to stick to?
I'm thinking that layers of dope have to be applied to fill the grain of the covering material anyway, so why is it necessary to completely fill the wood grain?
Any offerings greatly appreciated.
Craig
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Hi guys,
I have been out of modelling for a long time so I'm trying to get up to speed with the best way to go about things. I understand a lot is personal preference, or in some cases just the way it has always been done.
I'm filling wood grain with dope. Do I put enough clear to completely fill the grain and have the surface be slick or do I apply just enough coats to allow for the covering material to have a layer of dope to stick to?
I'm thinking that layers of dope have to be applied to fill the grain of the covering material anyway, so why is it necessary to completely fill the wood grain?
Any offerings greatly appreciated.
Craig
Yes, 2~3 coats to adhere covering, then dope till weave of covering is filled. Will get there sooner if you add talc, cornstarch, or zinc sterate to dope.
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Thanks for that Alan.
I have used Talc added to dope, thick, as a wood filler before.
I use about a 4oz pot to thin my dope, a couple of teaspoons of Talc?
Much appreciated
Craig
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Thanks for that Alan.
I have used Talc added to dope, thick, as a wood filler before.
I use about a 4oz pot to thin my dope, a couple of teaspoons of Talc?
Much appreciated
Craig
No, I would say 1 heaping tsps. for 4oz.
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Thanks Alan,
I did read something, I'm not sure if it was a thread, saying to add Talc and using it when it started to, "Rain", to the bottom. May have been a Bob Hunt article.
Anyway thank you for the clarification.
Craig
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From my experience to much talc in the dope and the dope too thick and it will crack or as some say have spider webs. I going to post what Larry Renger has caused me to try and I love the out come. Just need more practice.
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Not a bad idea to add a couple drops of color to the filler too. Helps you see what you're doing. Just enough drops to tint it.
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Cornstarch is lighter than Talc, and it is hard to find Talc that does not have some oil in it used as "Baby Powder" (the oil can screw-up the rest of your finish). Also, cornstarch is cheaper or can be swiped from the kitchen in quantities the "little woman" will never notice! A win-win in my book.
In an ancient article by Richard Miller on glider wing finish, he suggested a rubdown with powder before the first coat of dope to get the pores as filled as possible for light weight. Pack the pores as much as possible, then seal them in. He set a National Record that stood for over 30 years, but what the heck could he know? LL~
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Craig!
Have you been off planet? Glad you're back.
Boy, have you got some catching up to do. LL~ LL~ LL~
Charles
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I prefer to just use dope. Keep putting on coats until it filled then sand and sand until it's flat and mostly off. It's lighter than using filler.