Building Tips and technical articles. > Paint and finishing

Silk

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John Tomlin:
I have been building and flying for over 30 years and I am covering with silk for the first time.  Have used silk span the whole duration of being in the hobby.  For the life of me I cannot tell on silk which way the grain runs.  I keep reading that one must run it span wise but how the heck do you tell that.  I have cut the ends and they both look the same.  I have one wing panel covered and it is tight thus far.  Haven't applied any dope yet, so I will see if it's right.  Please help!!!!!!!

John

Jim Thomerson:
With the very thin Esaki-type silk, you can see the grain.  I have no experience with the Thai silk most use nowdays. 

Gene O'Keefe:
I sometimes use my wife's pinking shears (gives a seesaw triangular look to the ends) and ruffle the edges and it is quite easy to see the grain.

  Geno

Randy Ryan:
John,

The grain of the silk runs in the direction it came off the bolt, you should be able to tell by looking at the edges. The "mill" edges run down both sides of the bolt, it is finished looking. The grain runs parallel to these edges.

John Tomlin:
Thanks, that is how I put it on and it seems to be working o.k.  I haven't doped it yet, but I got it plenty tight.  I did notice while trying to figure this out, if you pull on it with the grain it tends to pull straight.  If you pull across the grain, it tends to bunch up.

Thanks again,

John

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