News:


  • March 28, 2024, 08:32:51 PM

Login with username, password and session length

Author Topic: Approaches to covering and finishing  (Read 2037 times)

Offline Matt Brown

  • 23 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Commander
  • *
  • Posts: 287
Approaches to covering and finishing
« on: October 27, 2018, 08:33:06 AM »
I’m probably making this harder than it really is, but I’m really stressing over doing a dope finish on my Primary Force.  I’ve used film the last 35+ years. I’ve covered everything in pieces, cut away covering as needed to do final assembly. However on several of the facebook groups I follow I see most seem to completely assemble planes including hinges. Years ago I even bought a Genesis at a swap meet that was nearly complete with everything covered except the flaps and elevators which were fully hinged. Sorry I sold it now but I just didn’t know how to approach covering the control surfaces and finish painting it without making a mess of it.
Now I feel like I should put myself in that same boat with my Primary Force. I just can’t conceive how to apply silkspan especially between the hingelines and get good paint coverage. Are there any good videos or tutorials that will help enlighten me? Even better, I wish I could shadow someone while they going through the process.
Any other suggestions on how to proceed?

Thanks, Matt

Offline john e. holliday

  • 24 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 22752
Re: Approaches to covering and finishing
« Reply #1 on: October 27, 2018, 09:48:05 AM »
Get a big pot of coffee and some good rolls and start reading through this section.  Of course everybody has their method.   I now don't plan on using dope on planes.  You will find posts on using SLC/silk span/and doctor paper.  The SLC/mylar over Poly-span/silk span/tissue is the way to go for me.  Like any thing it takes practice, patience and time. H^^
John E. "DOC" Holliday
10421 West 56th Terrace
Shawnee, KANSAS  66203
AMA 23530  Have fun as I have and I am still breaking a record.

Offline Matt Brown

  • 23 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Commander
  • *
  • Posts: 287
Re: Approaches to covering and finishing
« Reply #2 on: October 27, 2018, 10:05:57 AM »
Get a big pot of coffee and some good rolls and start reading through this section.  Of course everybody has their method.   I now don't plan on using dope on planes.  You will find posts on using SLC/silk span/and doctor paper.  The SLC/mylar over Poly-span/silk span/tissue is the way to go for me.  Like any thing it takes practice, patience and time. H^^

Unfortunately reading doesn’t teach me much. I am much more of a visual learner.

Matt

Offline Howard Rush

  • 22 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 7805
Re: Approaches to covering and finishing
« Reply #3 on: October 27, 2018, 01:00:57 PM »
I was taught to finish the parts first, then add the hinges. Replace the hinge pins with a single wire for each control surface.
The Jive Combat Team
Making combat and stunt great again

Offline Avaiojet

  • 22 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 7468
  • Just here for the fun of it also.
Re: Approaches to covering and finishing
« Reply #4 on: October 27, 2018, 01:13:28 PM »
I was taught to finish the parts first, then add the hinges. Replace the hinge pins with a single wire for each control surface.

Post a nice tight photo of this installation please.

Possibly more than one model.

I've considered this application and a photo or three would be just dandy.
Trump Derangement Syndrome. TDS. 
Avaiojet Derangement Syndrome. ADS.
Amazing how ignorance can get in the way of the learning process.
If you're Trolled, you know you're doing something right.  Alpha Mike Foxtrot. "No one has ever made a difference by being like everyone else."  Marcus Cordeiro, The "Mark of Excellence," you will not be forgotten. "No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot."- Mark Twain. I look at the Forum as a place to contribute and make friends, some view it as a Realm where they could be King.   Proverb 11.9  "With his mouth the Godless destroys his neighbor..."  "Perhaps the greatest challenge in modeling is to build a competitive control line stunter that looks like a real airplane." David McCellan, 1980.

Offline MikeyPratt

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Captain
  • *****
  • Posts: 748
Re: Approaches to covering and finishing
« Reply #5 on: October 28, 2018, 02:57:05 PM »
Hi Matt,
Not a biggie at all.  Hing the elevators but don't glue them in place yet.  Cover with silkspan (or what ever) and paint as normal, cut the the covering away with an Xactor knife from the hinge pocket.  Glue the hinges to the stabilizer with PU glue and allow to dry (make sure you wipe off any excess glue on the hinge barrel.  Attach the elevators in the same manner only use wax paper between the elevator and stab.  Cutting a small slit in the wax paper to slip over the hinge to protect the hinge barrel from glue.  You can also use slow drying epoxy but you have the clean off the hinge barrel before it cures or the hinge will be sticky or frozen.

Another helpful hint is to apply Vaseline sparingly to the hinge barrel with a Small paint brush and heat the hinge with a hairdray er.  The heat allows the Vaseline into barrel of the hinge.  Wipe off and install the hinges. There are a number of ways to do this, but they are all really easy to do.

Later,
Mikey

P.S.  I still think that nyLon hinges are the smoothest and quickest way to do hinges.  Use the nylon hinges and dope them place.  After you have three coats of dope on them, cut small squares of silkspan and dope them in place over the hinge.  They almost disappear after the sanding sealer.  I’ve used the removable hing pin before and it worked really well.
« Last Edit: November 04, 2018, 08:57:42 AM by MikeyPratt »

Tom Vieira

  • Guest
  • Trade Count: (0)
Re: Approaches to covering and finishing
« Reply #6 on: October 30, 2018, 06:27:59 AM »
check out YouTube for "Windy U Brodak Dope".  he goes through it all step by step.  pretty much, do all of your covering and painting, then install your flaps and elevator at the end, being REALLY CAREFUL to not make a mess ;)

Offline Matt Brown

  • 23 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Commander
  • *
  • Posts: 287
Re: Approaches to covering and finishing
« Reply #7 on: October 30, 2018, 07:29:19 AM »
check out YouTube for "Windy U Brodak Dope".  he goes through it all step by step.  pretty much, do all of your covering and painting, then install your flaps and elevator at the end, being REALLY CAREFUL to not make a mess ;)

Dang! Those are some long videos. It will take me a while to work those into my viewing schedule.

Thanks!

Offline Tim Wescott

  • 2016 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 12804
Re: Approaches to covering and finishing
« Reply #8 on: October 30, 2018, 08:37:56 AM »
...  Glue the hinges to the stabilizer with PU glue ...

PU glue?
AMA 64232

The problem with electric is that once you get the smoke generator and sound system installed, the plane is too heavy.

Offline Matt Brown

  • 23 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Commander
  • *
  • Posts: 287
Re: Approaches to covering and finishing
« Reply #9 on: October 30, 2018, 08:43:26 AM »

Offline Tim Wescott

  • 2016 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 12804
Re: Approaches to covering and finishing
« Reply #10 on: October 30, 2018, 09:12:32 AM »
Post a nice tight photo of this installation please.

Possibly more than one model.

I've considered this application and a photo or three would be just dandy.

This thread goes over it in some detail, although on just one model.  I grind enough of a point onto the music wire so it's easy to get it started in the hinge but blunt enough so that it won't draw blood (because that would mar the finish, after all).
AMA 64232

The problem with electric is that once you get the smoke generator and sound system installed, the plane is too heavy.

Offline Allan Leonard

  • A&P Mech
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Ensign
  • **
  • Posts: 27
Re: Approaches to covering and finishing
« Reply #11 on: November 01, 2018, 10:47:03 AM »
OK, that's it, I've had enough. I'm going back to silkspan and dope. I grew up breathing the stuff so what the hell if it kills me. Besides I love the smell.

Offline john e. holliday

  • 24 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 22752
Re: Approaches to covering and finishing
« Reply #12 on: November 01, 2018, 02:12:04 PM »
I think truly model aircraft dope has prolonged some lives.   Nothing like as a young person painting(brushing) Testors Butyrate dope in a closed bedroom.  Mother didn't want the fumes to be too strong in the rest of the house. D>K
John E. "DOC" Holliday
10421 West 56th Terrace
Shawnee, KANSAS  66203
AMA 23530  Have fun as I have and I am still breaking a record.

Offline Allan Leonard

  • A&P Mech
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Ensign
  • **
  • Posts: 27
Re: Approaches to covering and finishing
« Reply #13 on: November 01, 2018, 02:46:23 PM »
When I first got married we rented a ground floor apartment at a three story complex. I built a Smoothie on the coffee table. The first coat of dope on the wing perimeter to attach the silkspan hadn't even dried and the building manager was knocking at the door.

Offline Paul Smith

  • 24 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 5793
Re: Approaches to covering and finishing
« Reply #14 on: November 01, 2018, 07:19:33 PM »
It's amazing how a woman can come home from the nail shop with her fingernails and toenails painted using the same solvent and complain about a little acetone, MEK, and xylene in the house. 

The really-good stuff from the pre-70's is off the market.
Paul Smith

Offline Avaiojet

  • 22 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 7468
  • Just here for the fun of it also.
Re: Approaches to covering and finishing
« Reply #15 on: November 02, 2018, 07:59:43 AM »
It's amazing how a woman can come home from the nail shop with her fingernails and toenails painted using the same solvent and complain about a little acetone, MEK, and xylene in the house. 

The really-good stuff from the pre-70's is off the market.

Exactly what good stuff would that be?

C
Trump Derangement Syndrome. TDS. 
Avaiojet Derangement Syndrome. ADS.
Amazing how ignorance can get in the way of the learning process.
If you're Trolled, you know you're doing something right.  Alpha Mike Foxtrot. "No one has ever made a difference by being like everyone else."  Marcus Cordeiro, The "Mark of Excellence," you will not be forgotten. "No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot."- Mark Twain. I look at the Forum as a place to contribute and make friends, some view it as a Realm where they could be King.   Proverb 11.9  "With his mouth the Godless destroys his neighbor..."  "Perhaps the greatest challenge in modeling is to build a competitive control line stunter that looks like a real airplane." David McCellan, 1980.

Online Brett Buck

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • ******
  • Posts: 13717
Re: Approaches to covering and finishing
« Reply #16 on: November 09, 2018, 05:58:18 PM »
OK, that's it, I've had enough. I'm going back to silkspan and dope. I grew up breathing the stuff so what the hell if it kills me. Besides I love the smell.

       I don't even smell it any more. Suppose that's a bad sign?

     Brett


Advertise Here
Tags:
 


Advertise Here