Hey guys, what kind of lacquer are you currently using? I found some Minwax at the HD, but it said "interior use," it was water-based, and requires 3 coats, so it didn't seem that that would work. Any suggestions?
I am looking to do waterproofing and silkspanning. Would the spray spar varnish work or do I want the brush on. Steve, does that work for silkspanning?
I use the minwax laquer satin in either spray can or quart, at Lowes or Home Depot. Dries fast and easy to apply, is thin so after many patches it isn't too thick. I holes well and is not expensive (I like the spray can because you can't spill it and it lasts a whole season of battling (alot)>50-70 sorties.
Yes on the silkspanning. I use a 50/50 mix for that. Not sure why it's not a more popular option. Scroll down this page to see an application: https://rcwarshipcombat.com/threads/mogador-build-fastgun.441895/page-5
Awesome, thanks. So do I want to lacquer/titebond/whatever the outside of the skin? It seems like the spanning material (Kimtech wipes) won't hold up in water without some help.
Steve It dries too slow to be a viable patch, and too slow for skinning for that matter. Laquer and Sigment are used because they work in combat, not just on the "bench".
I don't use it to patch. For patching I use Testors 3505 wood glue (I think it's similar to Sigment). As far as drying time, not sure how the Titebond mix compares to the recommended laquer's but I do know it dries much quicker than true spar varnish. Also smells much better than the solvent based dopes and lacquers.
I thought he was asking about sealing wood components and not skinning. For patching and skinning I use nitrate dope. I imagine spar varnish would be a slow patch.
That was my understanding too but I was asked about Titebond in skinning on a followup post. FYI, Titebond does a very good job sealing wood. If it keeps multiyear layers of paintball goo and chain oil out of my tank chassis, a few minutes soak in the pond won't faze it. On my current Barham build I'm also trying PL Premium construction adhesive for sealing some wood structure. It's a mess to apply as you need to spread it around with your finger but after an overnight cure, it looks very tough and resilient. Since it's a urethane, it's absolutely waterproof. Downsides is it doesn't cure smooth and it's a bitch to sand.
Yes. the process is to skin the inside of the balsa as a flat sheet. Once the balsa is adhered to the hull, skin the outer face of the balsa. This forms (in your case) a Kimtech-wipe/balsa/Kimtech-wipe composite that is resistant to splitting.
Ok cool, and then do you lacquer/titebond/whatever the outside of the sheet, after you apply the silkspan/Kimtech/whatever? Basically to have a lacquer/kimtech/balsa/kimtech composite?
The lacquer (or Titebond mix) is what is used to bond the tissue to the balsa. At the same time it waterproofs the balsa. The process is to lay the tissue on the balsa sheet and then brush on the lacquer. It soaks through the tissue and absorbs into the balsa. Once dry the tissue is part of the balsa.
