Balsa Sheeting Techniques
When making a large model from balsa wood, especially an aircraft, you may need to create a balsa skin by joining sheets together. This requires patience and the right approach. If you rush the job, the results look bad and lack strength. By learning a few techniques, however, you can produce a balsa skin that's perfect for the model you plan to build.
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Match the Sheets
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Never attempt to join a series of sheets you've chosen at random. Match the sheets with each other. Balsa wood sheets vary in thickness. They also bend one way. Take the time to match thicknesses and the direction of the bend.
Gaps
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Press the sheets together on a table. Expect to see some gaps. If a gap is bad, trim the affected edge. Use a razor blade and a straightedge; don't use a knife. Only a razor blade has the sharp, scalpel-like quality you require. After cutting the sheets, sand carefully with a long sanding block. If a gap between two sheets is minor, use a long sanding block to correct the problem rather than a razor blade.
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Lacquer Masking Tape
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Tape the sheets together with lacquer masking tape. This tape has glue that seeps into the joins. Apply the tape in short strips with gaps between, then fill the gaps with more tape. This process is easier than trying to keep two sheets together while placing one continuous length of tape down the join.
Gluing
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Turn over the balsa skin you've created with the sheets. Keep the first sheet on the table and let the rest hang from the edge. This opens up the first join. Apply SIG-Bond glue along the join. Pull the sheet onto the table as far as the next join. Use a putty knife to remove the excess glue from the first join, and fill the second join with glue. Repeat the process until you have glued all the joins.
Tape Removal
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Wait two hours. Turn the balsa skin over and remove the tape. Use a steady and slow movement. There should be no tape residue on the balsa skin.
Warping
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The finished skin is likely to have a warp. Mix ammonia and water in equal parts and pour into a spray bottle. Decide what side of the skin will be on the outside of the model. Lightly spray this side of the skin. The warp will disappear. You're now ready to mark and cut the skin for your model.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Getty Images
