Wish you could find "real" silkspan?

Does silkspan degrade with age? I have quite a bit of old material that's been stored in old kit-boxes over the years. I'm talking old material.. by 50+ years... I've never tried using any of it. Most of it was furnished with Sterling, Veco and TopFlite kits.. but is neatly folded in a kit-box marked "tissue". I assume it's still good.. but most of my open-frame construction has been covered using TF monokote.

In the boxes, it should be good as ever, Roddie.
I've even bleached old stock that inadvertently got stained, from improper storage with colored tissue, and it came out fine after air drying.

After using polyspan I wouldn't use silkspan again. It's easier to use and more puncture resistant. As silkspan ages it becomes even more brittle. I have done some very nice finishes on stunters using polyspan. After dealing with trying to protect silkspan and repair it over the years, I'm glad it's gone.

Yea.. I have some old tissue-covered Guillows "rubber-motor" jobs that are tattered and fragile. Just tapping on an open-bay can puncture it. IIRC.. my dad used to cover solid-panels with silkspan and dope. He built me a couple of 1/2A C/L Goldberg profile models using it.. I could be wrong.. but maybe he did it to achieve a smoother finish?

To each his own for sure, Ken. They both have pluses and minuses.
I admit I'm old-school in most modelling ways and I've never learned the techniques for covering with iron-ons, but the ARFs I've had and have are prone to developing wrinkles. They come out with heat but also return. Maybe it's just crappy ARF covering. Patching with silkspan is also much easier for me.
Not to mention that my planes don't last long enough for silkspan to embrittle.

Roddie - silkspan is much tougher than tissue. It makes filling the grain unnecessary when applied to solid surfaces, also covers open bays well and accepts ANY type of paint (with due regard to compatibility).

Roddie - silkspan is much tougher than tissue. It makes filling the grain unnecessary when applied to solid surfaces, also covers open bays well and accepts ANY type of paint (with due regard to compatibility). wrote:

I didn't know there was a diff.???

Very diff, Eric, though with many similarities.
Silkspan is a heavier material (originally, at least, with some silk content) and has wet strength that tissue doesn't, allowing it to be pulled over/around compound curves similar to heated plastics.
Dyes won't penetrate glue or dope, so:
Pre-color balsa parts with magic marker or common water or alcohol based dyes (taking care to avoid warps during drying) prior to assembly and doping it. Silkspan can be attached wet and then colored after drying by spraying with the same dyes. While you can't get a metallic or a deep color like paint, multiple applications (with drying and warp care in between) may be necessary, depending on color and dye mix strength, but won't hurt the undoped silkspan and is lighter than a regular paint finish. Colored paint for trim.
But a 20-point finish isn't likely.

My buddy and flying partner Dan just finished his Raven. All silkspan and Sig Dope. Beautiful craftmanship but not for me. You have to take special precautions just to know how to handle such a plane. I like nice finishes, not museum pieces. https://www.facebook.com/PhillyFliersCL/photos/a.514993075237498.1073741828.513140418756097/1264572656946199/?type=1&theater

I investigated Ken's Polyspan once after he suggested it, but never followed up with a purchase.

Years ago I found some really nice "silkspan" heavier than most and super easy to work with. Wish now I had a source for it. I would caution about using old silkspan though. It took my first N-28 30 or so years to check. Using the same silkspan that came with my second N-28, that checked in less than six months. No way it can be repaired. I will have to strip it and use something else. I did a little "pity me" thread on it here a few months back.

Bob

Thanks for your report, Bob, maybe using old isn't such a good idea.
Mine has done ok but it's not on long.
Anyhoo, this new stuff is cheap enough to just discard the old.

HEY RODDIE - NEVER MIND!!

My last stunt ship was polyspan, loved it, loved mixing dope and spraying with gun, but it is a lot of work and cost.