Scale Don Smith P-51 Mustang

[dhal22]

Glassing is fun. Seal the wood 1st, it will save a ton of weight. Any sanding sealer will work.

 

[dhal22]

Are you going to glass with poly or epoxy? Water based polycrylic is exceptionally easy. It will give you a softer finish but dents and dings will happen regardless. Using a automotive clear coat paint will help.

 

[dhal22]

I use Sherwin Williams Automotive clear coat because a store is mile away. But you will need a good spray gun. Maybe there is a hard clear coat in spray cans.

 

[dhal22]

The Minwax sealer and Polycrylic are brushed on with a foam brush. Paint a fuse area then lay your 3/4 oz glass down and paint again. Let it dry and then paint again. Dry time is 30 minutes. Sanding will be required eventually. Sand, then blow off the dust with a low pressure air nozzle, then paint again.

There is virtually zero weight gain after the moisture evaporates. Now you should have a solid glass base on your fuse. Time to mix in talcum powder in your polycrylic, this will fill in the glass weave. More sanding, then fill and sand again. You will be close at this point for primer.

 

[dhal22]

I like a heavy automotive sandable primer. Helps firm up the softer polycrylic finish. If you have a spray gun this is easy. Spray and sand, spray and sand, spray and sand. You continue to fill in the glass weave, ultimately obtaining a smooth slick body ready for paint.

 

[dhal22]

Your lightweight fast drying filler should be something like this:

 

[stangflyer]

Thanks David.... I appreciate all the input. I had not decided yet on whether to use poly or epoxy. Most of the videos and information I have been hearing about and watching have been dealing with epoxy resin finishes. It just looks so d'earned easy that even an Idaho Potato could do it.
One thing is for certain. I don't want to add any more weight than is absolutely necessary or the bi-product of step needing in strengthening or for finishing.

Is it best to fill any voids and imperfections with balsa fillers? Or something else? I have seen and hear of "MANY" people using ordinary sheetrock plaster filler. This seems odd to me as I would think that stuff would be very heavy. What are all you guys using?

 

[Snoopy1]

First I would wait till the hole plane is done. I mean done standing on its wheels and everything fits. Then last strip it down and glass the plane. Now you can fix every last detail dents scratches and what ever else you see. Because once it is glassed it more difficult to fix and or change. Glass recommend you use no less than 3/4 to 1 oz cloth do not use the 1/2 ounce stuff very difficult to work with it will drive you nuts. To keep the weight down I spray a very light coat of hair spray on the plane and let it dry sand it and then glass the plane. Only use epoxy or the other stuff I mentioned before the poly is no good it dries to quick and very difficult to get a very thin layer on.
Use only one layer of glass cloth it does not matter where you start just make sure it is big enough to do the whole plane at once. Just take your time drape it over the plane and start working your way around to the bottom. Using a credit card and stiff brush to work the glass into all the corners and the credit to smear out the epoxy until it looks dry and dab it with a good quality paper towel until it looks dry. Finishing is another story talk about it later.
Just my way of doing after doing a few. Please note there many ways how to do this and they all work.

 

[49dimes]

Is it best to fill any voids and imperfections with balsa fillers? Or something else? I have seen and hear of "MANY" people using ordinary sheetrock plaster filler. This seems odd to me as I would think that stuff would be very heavy. What are all you guys using?

My friend (who builds a lot) showed me the Elmers wood filler. You can add just a little water to get to "Soft Butter" consistency and the stuff is "balsa colored" and hides easily.

 

[stangflyer]

First I would wait till the hole plane is done. I mean done standing on its wheels and everything fits. Then last strip it down and glass the plane. Now you can fix every last detail dents scratches and what ever else you see. Because once it is glassed it more difficult to fix and or change. Glass recommend you use no less than 3/4 to 1 oz cloth do not use the 1/2 ounce stuff very difficult to work with it will drive you nuts. To keep the weight down I spray a very light coat of hair spray on the plane and let it dry sand it and then glass the plane. Only use epoxy or the other stuff I mentioned before the poly is no good it dries to quick and very difficult to get a very thin layer on.
Use only one layer of glass cloth it does not matter where you start just make sure it is big enough to do the whole plane at once. Just take your time drape it over the plane and start working your way around to the bottom. Using a credit card and stiff brush to work the glass into all the corners and the credit to smear out the epoxy until it looks dry and dab it with a good quality paper towel until it looks dry. Finishing is another story talk about it later.
Just my way of doing after doing a few. Please note there many ways how to do this and they all work.

Thanks for all that Snoops... Your process is "very" similar to most all the videos and information I have obtained. I like the hairspray method. My son used it before he did the complete recover of his 43% pee u...ah I mean PAU Edge. It turned out absolutely flawlessly beautiful. That Monokote ain't goin' nowhere. And I have heard the hairspray really seals the wood very well. I do plan to use "un-bleached" 3/4 ounce cloth. I do like the epoxy method as it gives you plenty of time to work with it. I didn't much like the idea of doing the glassing in sections. I wanted to do the entire fuse in one step if it was possible. But I don't know if that is going to be practical, as the stabs and fin will be glued in place. Those areas will take more attention. I am trying to devise a system to make the stabs removable like all our aerobatic "arfs". I "ABSOLUTELY" will "NOT" use the method of putting a bolt or a screw up through the bottom of down through the top of the stab being secured inside a tube like so many older kits did. I just don't trust that procedure on this bird. I would like to see it done like the Pilot RC or Extreme Flight does theirs. That, we will have to see as time progresses. As for doing as you suggested...completing the plane then doing the glassing...that is my exact direction. I am not willing to risk a dint or ding to the airframe before the final finish stages. As mentioned however, when I glass the fuse I want to put down a shorter section of cloth over the main stress area of the fuse. From the nose to the middle of the wing cradle basically. I want this for the extra strength. Or may I won't need it? What do you fellas think? Will just the one complete layer of cloth be enough? The fuse is pretty strong right now. The rest of your methods are quite aligned with what most people do. The Epoxy, (from what I have learned) will give me 2 to 4 hours to work with it. I like this feature.