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TOPIC: Printed Tissue over Balsa - a new technique?

Printed Tissue over Balsa - a new technique? 3 years 6 months ago #1207

  • rogersimmonds
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Following my usual practice, the flying surfaces were offered up to the fuselage and the accuracy of alignment checked on a jig. Parameters checked ( amongst others) are: equal dihedral both sides; wings square to fuselage; tailplane square with fuselage and wings; fin in-line and vertical. Our little models can fly very fast so this is important!



Only then was glue applied and the various joints made good. The finished model (apart from the motor mount, foil and thrust tab) now weighs a tad under 25 grams ... not too bad:









:dry:

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Printed Tissue over Balsa - a new technique? 3 years 6 months ago #1208

  • Daniel R
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Your finish is truly sublime Roger!
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Printed Tissue over Balsa - a new technique? 3 years 6 months ago #1210

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I have detailed making the motor mount for the Talon on a separate thread, see:

Motor Mounts

The mount was glued in place, making sure it was in-line with the fuselage datum. The cocktail sticks key into the wing, so (I hope) the mount won't come off in a hard arrival. Car Plan foil behind the motor to protect the fuselage from the hot Rapier ... er Tendera TSPL-2L exhaust and a thin metal thrust tab complete the build:





Above: The T-38 Talon ready for its first test flight. It weighs a little under 32 grams with a used motor. I was pleased the CG came out in the right place without the need for nose (or tail!) weight.
In retrospect, trying out this technique of 'printed tissue over painted balsa' was an interesting exercise, but whether it was worth all the extra work I'm not sure. :S
The weight is slightly less than with printed 60 gsm Bond paper' over balsa and the tissue went on nicely, but the finish is not as good as I would have liked.

So it goes :huh:
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Printed Tissue over Balsa - a new technique? 3 years 4 months ago #1291

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two months late, I have just finished the second T-38 Talon.





Not too bad considering I couldn't get quite the sort of tissue I wanted (The stuff I have , lightweight 'Starspan' is quite porous).

Printed 60 gsm paper over balsa gives much better depth of colour, but it is heavier and a real pain to apply to compound curves. So it is best kept for true profile models:



My next project using the 'tissue over painted balsa' technique is a Lockheed Lancer, using a set of beautiful templates drawn by the estimable Rob Smith:



The base colour will still be white, but I shall prepare balsa surfaces with normal dope and sanding sealer. :whistle:
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