Ironing Paper Sails

[JacquesCousteau]

I'm working on making paper sails for my Lancha Chilota build, and was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to iron them. The sails are made of coffee filter paper, colored and stiffened with a watered-down mix of acrylic paint and white glue, and the panels are glued on with Aleene's Fabric Fusion glue. While it isn't horribly wrinkled, it would be nice to get it a little flatter, but I'm not sure what the best way to iron it would be--low or high heat? Underneath a cloth to avoid direct contact with the iron? Damp or dry? If anyone has any experience with ironing paper sails, I'd love to hear it. Thanks in advance!

 

[Jim Lad]

I use a hot iron on my silkspan sails, under a piece of baking paper and moving the iron quickly across the paper.

 

John

[druxey]

To avoid wrinkling and ironing, stretch the Silkspan wet and tape it around the edges. When it dries, it shrinks a little, taking out any wrinkles. Then paint and cut the sails to shape.

[Dr PR]

I use a quilting iron - made for ironing narrow "tabbing" around the edges of quilting pieces. It works great for taking the wrinkles out of silkspan - they recommend the lowest heat setting for the silkspan.

 

The quilting iron is also excellent for bending wooden planking.

 

https://modelshipworld.com/topic/19611-albatros-by-dr-pr-finished-mantua-scale-148-revenue-cutter-kitbash-about-1815/?do=findComment&comment=1039363

https://modelshipworld.com/topic/37060-uss-cape-msi-2-by-dr-pr-148-inshore-minesweeper/?do=findComment&comment=1075263

 

[wefalck]

In any case, don't iron sails already treated with acrylic paint. The paint is not heat resistant.

 

Otherwise, I ironed silk-paper slightly humid with a wool seeting or so between two thin cotton towels. Keep the iron moving, it is easy to 'brown' the paper ...