Pink-It is a more scale option for modelers wanting to replicate the pinked edge finishing tapes used on fabric-covered aircraft. Full-size aircraft use a pinked edge finishing tape that has about 6 pinks per inch so at 1/4 scale that would be 24 pinks per inch. At 24 pinks per inch, the pinks quickly fill with paint and become unnoticeable. We have found that 16 pinks per inch works very well at 1/3, 1/4, and 1/5 scale to simulate and create a realistic pinked edge at these scales and can easily handle a proper coat of paint. Pink-It is cut from Solartex which is an iron-on fabric made for modelers. It is fuel proof, the weave is fully sealed, and provides a wonderful fabric texture with the ease of being ironed on.
Unlike the Ceconite and hair net tapes, Pink-It is cut in true scale widths. Full-size aircraft typically use a 2″ wide tape over the ribs, thus our 1/3 scale is .66″ wide, 1/4 scale is .5″ wide, 1/5 scale is .4″ wide, 1/6 scale is .33″ wide and our 1/8 scale is .25″ wide…Try to find those widths in Ceonite and hair net tapes! Plus we offer the proper size “perimeter” tapes as well. Perimeter tapes are used primarily around the leading and trailing edges of the wing and tail feathers after the rib tapes have been applied. Perimeter tapes are generally twice the width of the rib tape used.
Why did full-size fabric-covered aircraft use finishing tapes? Mainly two reasons first were to add reinforcement and the second was to cover/ seal puncture holes from where the fabric was sewn on.
Why did they use pinked edge finishing tapes? First off, not every fabric-covered aircraft used pinked edge finishing tapes. Some older aircraft like the Jenny used frayed edge tapes, some newer aircraft use straight edge tapes without the pinks. The newer aircraft that do not use pinked edge tapes usually use a synthetic type covering that does not unravel like a normal fabric would.
They used pinking shears to cut fabric to help reduce the mess caused by the threads unraveling from the fabric. The “pinks” did not keep the fabric from unraveling, but it did help keep it to a minimum and made handling the fabric much easier.
We also offer straight edge tapes without the pinks in most any scale needed.
Click Here for a good article concerning pinking shears.
