A substitute for the dope suggested by Guillows

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Zippythehog

Senior Airman
606
587
Jan 7, 2017
I'm trying my hand at a balsa and tissue free flight. The owner of last of the hobby stores in town says he doesn't carry the dope suggested by Guillows.

Do you all have any suggestions?
 
For the tissue I use the Nitrocellon clear nitrocellulose lacquer just dedicated for that. I'm sure there are such ones in the USA available. Also it may be any thinned clear nitrocellulose glue.

nitrocellond.jpg


the Nitrocellon Shrinking Dope Standard 100ml – KAVAN

nitrocellon.jpg
 
For rubber powered tissue covered models, Nitrate dope is used. It is lighter than Buterate dope. I would NOT used shrinking dope, Use non-tautening or the warps will make one change his hobby.
Great thanks! Can one thin the nitrate dope with water or only mineral spirits?
 
Great thanks! Can one thin the nitrate dope with water or only mineral spirits?
Can only be thinned with dope thinner, One member in our model club uses Laquer thinner from the hardware and his model's finish doesn't look any worse than mine, but according to other club members, that isn't saying much. Laquer thinner is much cheaper than dope thinner and more available. I use mainly as brush cleaner for clean up.
 
And that's exactly the point. The nitro lacquer coat is not only for the tissue paper shrinking but also for its protection against the water/moisture. It is also a very good primer for any paints and a good glue for the paper/fabric/balsa skin. The Nitrocellon is a tinnned clear dope/coat. It gets dried very quickly so it has to be applied with a brush but not with an airbrush. Additionally it does not leave smudges. Certainly you don't need to use a such lacquer , the clear water and heat should be useful as well but without the protection.


1.jpg

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View: https://youtu.be/SEexn7G6D00
the source: Oklejanie japonką
 
Just a note ... as it is said in the video ... the Nitrocellon works very good for the tissue paper shrinking and getting of the surface stretched tight. However the strenght of the paper tension may be so huge that may cause the bending/wrapping of the covered model parts. To prevent this it is suggested that the parts should be pinned up to an even, flat surface like it was dane in the video above

Here is another video showing the restoration of an old flying kite covered with the kind of the skin.
BTW ... the tissue paper here in Poland we call the Japanese paper.


View: https://youtu.be/01iRR-Mpp6M
 
Just a note ... as it is said in the video ... the Nitrocellon works very good for the tissue paper shrinking and getting of the surface stretched tight. However the strenght of the paper tension may be so huge that may cause the bending/wrapping of the covered model parts. To prevent this it is suggested that the parts should be pinned up to an even, flat surface like it was dane in the video above

Here is another video showing the restoration of an old flying kite covered with the kind of the skin.
BTW ... the tissue paper here in Poland we call the Japanese paper.


View: https://youtu.be/01iRR-Mpp6M

Thanks!
 

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