Here is my method.
I take my form, I use brass tubing for motorsticks and aluminum rod for
booms, and lay it in front of me. I cut a piece of tissue about 2"
longer than the balsa blank and about 4-5 times wider than the blank. I
then lay the one edge of the tissue on top of the rod about at midpoint.
I then take a fine soft brush (like used for apply water to microfilm)
and stick the tip in my mouth to get it wet with a little saliva. I then
dab it along the tissue to stick it to the form. I never have good luck
using water for this part. In any case, I then carefully lift it up and
turn it over and then do one complete roll then about an additional 1 /4
-1/2 roll of the dry tissue around the form. Make sure it is tightly
wrapped. It is very much like making a tissue tube, but instead of
gluing it to the rod, I use a brush with a little bit if saliva and it
will hold it long enough to let you do this first roll. I then place a
weight on the rod as if you let it go it will try to unroll itself. I
then take my blank to be rolled and run it under the faucet with fairly
hot water. I run the sheet back and forth a few times. Then I hold it up
by one end in my left hand, and using my index and middle finger (of the
right hand) on either side of the sheet, 'squeeze' the excess water off
with a pulling down motion The squeeze is made by placing the sheet of
wood between your two fingers like if you were making a 'V' with your
two fingers, and you clamp the wood between them. By pulling down you
put the wood in tension, and the excess water will get squeezed out from
your two fingers. (Like and old fashioned washing machine with the
ringer rollers). When you do this you will find that there will be small
balsa 'flakes'/dust mixed in with this water. I rewet the sheet with
water and repeat this two or three times. Generally by the third time
the excess water is clean. I have thought that these extra loose balsa
fibers were the reason for sticking to the tissue. as I felt they would
act like a weak 'paste' between the sheet and the tissue, but that is my
voodoo reason behind it. Then I take the sheet and butt the edge of the
blank into the area where the tissue and rod meet. I then roll it
quickly. If you leave the sheet sit for more than a few minutes it dries
out pretty quick as you have squeezed off all excess water so pay
attention it is still wet before you roll. Once the sheet is rolled on
the rod, I keep rolling until the tissue is used. This is usually 1 to 2
more rolls past the end of the wood blank. I the place masking tape in
the middle, then each end, then in between again, so in 5 places. I
bake at 200F for about 20-25 minutes, then take then out and let them
sit until they are cool to the touch. I then unwrap. I always unwrap
after they just cooled off. I do not let them sit overnight or for days
as I had the masking tape adhesive leech through the tissue to the wood,
and the balsa stuck in only the places the tape was applied.
That is they way I have rolled booms and bodies for 15-20 years.
Individual results may vary.
PS: one other thing I forgot to mention, as I used brass rods a lot they
tend to tarnish. Before I use them, I always sand with 400 or 600 grit
sandpaper to shine them up and then clean off with acetone.
Don Slusarczyk
Received on Wed Feb 08 2006 - 21:27:29 CET
This archive was generated by Yannick on Sat Dec 14 2019 - 19:13:44 CET