Tissue on solid balsa

firstwordisee,
I typed in the word search "Covering solid balsa with tissue" and got this link:

https://www.hippocketaeronautics.com/hpa_forum/index.php/topic,12315.0.html

Take a read and see what you can get as an idea on how to do it?

Sosam, missed your reply, thanks a lot, Ill take a look. Most of the instructional stuff I found on line only addresses doing the wing and stick frames, not sheet balsa but maybe there is something in the link you sent, appreciate it.

Thanks again for the link, did a quick read, thats the info I was looking for but like most things in this hobby everyone has their own method that works for them and seems like there is no absolute wrong way. Ill just experiment. Appreciate the replies!

this free flight guy, he makes amazing videos, and has started a how-to series

As you mention, everyone has their home-grown magical methods

It helps me learn when I watch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_Hap0gT9Pg&t=1s

he has a bit on covering solid areas toward the end of the video...

good info

And his flying videos? wow

Great video, thanks for posting.

I enjoy the look of tissue on models. It provides a very nice retro look. What hasn't been mentioned is the way tissue fades. It will fade even in one outing in the sun. Not all tissue is the same and generic domestic tissue fades a bit faster than quality Japanese tissue which is getting harder to find. I have also used the thinned white glue method and I prefer it many times for tissue installation. One negative I have found is that you don't want any glue outside of your trim that was installed using it. When dope is applied, it makes the spots where the glue was left very shiny.

True that Ken on color in tissue possibly fading…. Depending on quality and light exposure…I built a Guillows Javelin rubber free flight many years ago and stored it near a sunny window…. The yellow wing held its color fairly well but the blue fuse faded badly ….Pretty sure it was domestic tissue……

The tissue on the Littlest Stick is Esaki Japanese tissue is over thirty years old except for the trim on the stabilizer and rudder which I replaced about one year ago…. Same Esaki for new trim….. The red, blue, and black held its color well as can be seen comparing the wing to the tail….. The white in the wing aged to more tan color but the balsa fuse did as well….This model has been in the sun many hours but stored in a box….Esaki is not available anymore but maybe for the asking on one of the free flight forums….. I bought some condenser paper for a project from a member on RCG….



The tissue on the SM 23 is Hallmark brand from Walmart…. I have not used it before but the color seems pretty deep…. The last top coat over the poly varnish was spar varnish which is UV resistant so we’ll see how the color stays as time goes on…. (If the plane lives that long  

Ken, In the video above the guy using light adhesive tape to protect the edges when glue trimming, looks like a good idea. I thought it was interesting that he also doesnt apply glue stick to any of the ribs of wing, just the edges. If this is the correct application, then the few I have done (20 years ago) have been wrong, I used the glue stick on all the sticks and ribs.
Rdw, that wing looks very clean!
I ordered Asuka tissue 3 days ago, still hasnt shipped.

I have done it both ways with good success. The majority of my covering jobs are perimeter bounded so to speak and not on the rib tops and spars. I believe this allows the tissue to shrink to it's greatest efficiency without twisting the wing.
     Some control line stunters I have built,  I had coated the rib tops and cap strips with dope. Silkspan unlike tissue is installed wet and you don't want to raise the grain on raw balsa as a result of using it so I seal them with dope.

Good to know!