Hey, I'm looking for an alternative to dope for holding silkspan to balsa. It needs to be significantly nicer to one's lungs and airways. Anyone got anything that they're using that fits that description?
Lacquer is pretty much the same thing as dope. But much cheaper at Home Depot type places. I've used it and the balsa stays just as nice as dope. You can also weldwood the silkspan onto the wood. Not that either smell better.
What I use as an alternative to dope is a 50:50 mix of tightbond wood glue and water (by volume). Cut sligntly oversized patches of silkspan. Place the silkspan against the hull and paint on the water/glue mixture to the outside of the silkspan. It will draw through and pull the silkspan tight against the hull. It is fairly easy to smooth out any wrinkles. It will dry and pull the silkspan tight to the hull.
As it happens I have a half of a gallon jug of Titebond III left over from building a sailboat ( www.pdracer.com ), I'll apply some silkspan to a test sheet using the watered-down TB and do some drop tests tonight.
I'm hoping so Because TB III is quick and easy to come by, and doesn't have fumes. I used a good bit on my sailboat and I'd have noticed
Okay, I've got a few test pieces drying on the back porch. I will try to run out there in the AM before work and do a 12" drop test on them, so I can let you guys know the results
Bad news... the TB III-treated samples failed a 12" drop test. 5/5 times. The control group (smelly dope-treated samples) passed first time every time with same drop test. I had the glue pretty thinned out, but I will try a yet-thinner mix tonight. But I like to pass drop test on the first shot.
You should gun test it too. You don't want huge blow out holes in it becasue the glue made it crusty.
IF I can get it to pass a drop test, I'll gun-test it. In the interest of making it to Nats, I'm going to suck it up and use dope for the remaining exposed balsa. Maybe wearing my organic vapor mask (not sure if it'll help, but it can't hurt). But I will continue testing after I get Scharnie done. Got to be ready for NATS!!!! BANZAI!!!^3
Hey Tugs, if you use an area with a good exhaust fan, say the kitchen right over the stove, the fumes should be vented out. Do it when the wife is out and if/when she says anything, play dumb. "Really Hunny? I didn't realise this would stink up the house like that" or something to that effect. She will buy it because most, if not all women think we all have a little dumbass in us. Remember, it is easier to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission! Do you know anyone who has a diving setup or a firefighter full face mask BA? J
I have used weldwood contact cement cut 50/50 with MEK. The smell is horrid, but it is the "dope" of choice for my local Treaty group.
I'm doing my dope (lol) Er.. doping, on the screen porch with 2 ceiling fans running. No need for sneaking nor forgiveness. And any time that I've done something that 'forgiveness' is required... that ugly incident where she caught me with West System and stirsticks on the living room carpet always seems to come up
Ah, another ducker here, cool! Mine's 660 and Bill Byrnes is somewhere shortly before mine. Another skilled boat builder on this list is rumored to be in line to build one after Nats season is over... I'm going to try a much thinner mix of TBIII and water in the next go-round. Taking my PDR out on the lake this weekend if the weather permits.
Hmm, I was hoping the tightbond would work, since I'm looking for a lacquer alternative. When I re-sheeted my Roanoke I put the silkspan on with the same latex paint as I use to paint the exterior of the ship. I first used a little spray of 3M 77 contact cement to attach the silkspan to the wood - just a slight mist is all it takes. When I painted the silkspan, it got a bunch of little wrinkles but I just kept running the brush over them and they straightened out. I didn't do a drop test, but I guarantee from the number of holes I got in two battles that no BBs are bouncing off. I'm not 100% satisfied, because it doesn't seem like the paint penetrates like the lacquer does. Tugboat - if your mask fits right and your cartridges are good you will not smell the dope. If you do smell anything then something is wrong with the mask.
Yeah, I should've been using it in the first place. But I'm still gonna test thinner mixes, if only because it's REALLY easy to get TBIII across the street and it's a lot cheaper. Might even do some tonite, we'll see how much energy I have after dinner.
locally, we have a guy who has taken to simply painting the outer layer of silkspan on with the same craft acrylic paint he paints with. His theory is that its one less step to do that way by combining the silkspanning and the painting. Does nothing to help you with the inside though, unless you were to paint that on I guess.
