Dope for tightening rigging?

Joined
Aug 14, 2022
Messages
14
Points
48

Hi to everyone!

I have a question for you. Back in the day I’m sure many of you used cellulose dope over tissue/silk to cover models. The dope would cause the tissue to shrink and tighten down over the framework. Do you think that dope applied to rigging might have the same affect?
 
Hi to everyone!

I have a question for you. Back in the day I’m sure many of you used cellulose dope over tissue/silk to cover models. The dope would cause the tissue to shrink and tighten down over the framework. Do you think that dope applied to rigging might have the same affect?
You might try it on scrap pieces first. Used Pactra clear dope on silkspan back in my model airplane days.
 
Actually we shrunk silkspan by spritzing with water then applied dope to provide more strength.
As Philski said give it a try but I think it will just stiffen the rigging not tighten it
 
Actually we shrunk silkspan by spritzing with water then applied dope to provide more strength.
As Philski said give it a try but I think it will just stiffen the rigging not tighten it
Yes...I forgot about the water....I used clear dope on the wing spars and ribs to stick the silkspan to the wing.
 
Hi to everyone!

I have a question for you. Back in the day I’m sure many of you used cellulose dope over tissue/silk to cover models. The dope would cause the tissue to shrink and tighten down over the framework. Do you think that dope applied to rigging might have the same affect?
just use a block of bees wax before you apply it.

it gets rid of all the hairs on the ropes and stops it rotting - you should have tight lines anyway i st my rigging up so i can adjust it before cutting of the loose ends
 
You would do well to experiment to see what happens…let us know. My first thought is any tightening would depend on the type thread being used…cotton maybe…polyester or silk probably not. Another danger, if the thread does tighten, will it pull away from its belay points? That would be awkward. Let me suggest that if rigged properly, each line should be taught (not tight) when belayed and you should complete the rigging without the need for coatings. I have built many rigged models over the last 25 years and never felt the need to coat the lines with anything and none of my models have slack rigging lines. Well…except for my very first ship model…the Revenue Cutter by Model Shipways. That one has slack lines. I was learning…still am…. :)
PS: Dope tightened silk span because of the nature of the silk span…not necessarily because of the characteristics of the dope. Note you can tighten silk span by spritzing with water.
 
You would do well to experiment to see what happens…let us know. My first thought is any tightening would depend on the type thread being used…cotton maybe…polyester or silk probably not. Another danger, if the thread does tighten, will it pull away from its belay points? That would be awkward. Let me suggest that if rigged properly, each line should be taught (not tight) when belayed and you should complete the rigging without the need for coatings. I have built many rigged models over the last 25 years and never felt the need to coat the lines with anything and none of my models have slack rigging lines. Well…except for my very first ship model…the Revenue Cutter by Model Shipways. That one has slack lines. I was learning…still am…. :)
Its always a great idea to try/experiment on scrap first huh?! Better than finding out on a model, in my opinion.
 
I tried the cotton route and ended with lots of sagging rigging, so I switched over to the thinnest guage of florists wire... it stays taught and on long enough stretches actually still has that gentle sage that a long cable would have, but it stays perfect as the day you fix it in place... take a look at this example...

IMG_4856.jpg
 
Back
Top