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Filling balsa? - 8/14/2009 4:58 PM   
DJokr



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Status: offline 		What's the best way to fill dents in balsa?


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RE: Filling balsa? - 8/14/2009 5:24 PM   
Trax540


 

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Status: offline 		I always use Modeling magic balsa filler,
although ive heard of alot of people using different household puttys and spackles. Also automotive fillers for various jobs.


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RE: Filling balsa? - 8/14/2009 6:04 PM   
big max 1935


 

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Status: offline 		If it is just dents try to get most of them out first. Lay a real wet rag or paper towel on them for a hour or so & then take your covering iron on high & iron over the wood . Most will come out . If you need to fill them I use the balsa colored Model Magic . Good Luck , MAX H.

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RE: Filling balsa? - 8/14/2009 6:14 PM   
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RE: Filling balsa? - 8/14/2009 6:16 PM   
RCPAUL


 

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RE: Filling balsa? - 8/14/2009 7:22 PM   
Gray Beard


 

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Status: offline 		I have used the Elmers like Mike uses, as I recall it was pretty good stuff. I seem to always go back to the DAP Fast N Final light weight spackling. It's pretty much the same thing. in the store I always open the lid to check out what ever I'm going to buy to make sure it is fresh!! Items sit on the shelves a very long time and dry out. Even when dry you just add water and stir it up but why bother doing that when it's new.
The stuff I'm using is white and can show through some coverings. The Elmers comes in different wood shades so you can avoid this little problem.
I even use it as a fill for small gaps, I push it into the gap and let it dry, sand it then hit it with some thin CA. holds just like iron.

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RE: Filling balsa? - 8/14/2009 10:36 PM   
foodstick



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Status: offline 		I use a lightweight spackle from home depot , can't think of the name,It comes in a white red and black plastic container..
Heres a tip if you are using a white colored spackle. Buy some acrylic hobby paint in the squirt bottle in a balsa color, when you are ready to do some fill work mix a tiny bit of paint with your filler in a second cup and your spackle will be tinted brown. Also I don't think the paint dries up and ruins the filler, I believe you can premix it to use at a later date.

< Message edited by foodstick -- 8/14/2009 10:58 PM >

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RE: Filling balsa? - 8/14/2009 10:48 PM   
edmoor



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Status: offline 		i been using clear dope mixed with talcum powder for years....it bonds very well....

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RE: Filling balsa? - 8/14/2009 11:05 PM   
Gray Beard


 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: edmoor

i been using clear dope mixed with talcum powder for years....it bonds very well....

Yes it does but it really stinks!!

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RE: Filling balsa? - 8/15/2009 4:06 AM   
Dsegal


 

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Status: offline 		For small dents just moisten them and steam the wood with your covering iron. Works like magic.

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RE: Filling balsa? - 8/17/2009 3:05 AM   
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Status: online 		I too use the light spackle. I have used many brands. They are all pretty good.

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RE: Filling balsa? - 8/17/2009 3:55 AM   
foodstick



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Status: offline 		Minnflyer,isn't that elmers wood filler REALLY heavy compared to light spackle and model magic? Obviously a small dent doesn't take much, But I was thinking that I have used the Elmers, and it was much heavier by volume?

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RE: Filling balsa? - 8/17/2009 4:12 AM   
tailskid



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Status: offline 		Minnflyer said: "I've tried them all, and I keep coming back to this"

Does that mean you keep getting dents????

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RE: Filling balsa? - 8/17/2009 4:35 PM   
MinnFlyer



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quote:

ORIGINAL: tailskid

Minnflyer said: "I've tried them all, and I keep coming back to this"

Does that mean you keep getting dents????

No, it means I build a lot (Don't forget, I've been building for about 50 years).

quote:

ORIGINAL: foodstick

Minnflyer,isn't that elmers wood filler REALLY heavy compared to light spackle and model magic? Obviously a small dent doesn't take much, But I was thinking that I have used the Elmers, and it was much heavier by volume?

Yes, the Elmer's is really heavy compared to those light-weight fillers, BUT...

1 - It's no heavier than the original wood (or at least not much heavier)

2 - You're not going to use a whole lot of it.

3 - Most important in MY book - I tried those light weight fillers when they first came out. I was VERY impressed with how light they were. But then I applied covering over wing fillet that had a lot of filler and the filler melted under the heat of the covering iron.

I would rather use something heavy than something that melts - besides, like it says in #2, you're not talking about using more than a few grams. Hell, a whole tub of it will

Now I only use the light-weight stuff on all-foam airplanes only.


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RE: Filling balsa? - 8/17/2009 4:49 PM   
sebo


 

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Status: offline 		For small dents I put rubbing alcohol on them.
The wood returns to it's original shape (as does with your method) and it evaporates quickly so you can get on with your build.
No need to iron. ...........Ron

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RE: Filling balsa? - 8/18/2009 6:51 AM   
Luftwaffe Oberst



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quote:

ORIGINAL: MinnFlyer

I've tried them all, and I keep coming back to this




Everyone who builds kits at my club use the same thing you do. It's tried and true. Dave, a elder in my club keeps telling me that back in the old day (Before CA and all those fancy glues came out on the market) he used to build with regular white glue. Don't laugh guys, he has a kit plane that's 37 years old with the original covering, and he flew it last Sunday!

Yep he built that with white glue and Elmers Filler. Wow!

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RE: Filling balsa? - 11/21/2009 5:38 AM   
ivyspoppy


 

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Status: offline 		Red Devil light weight spackle is the same as Model Magic. I have used it for years.

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RE: Filling balsa? - 11/21/2009 6:15 AM   
Andrewmc


 

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Status: offline 		For less minor dings (knocked the LE of H stab about 3mm deep on edge of bookshelf) try epoxy and micro balloons, mix the epoxy as normal (30min not 5min) then keep adding micro ballons until the consistancy of peanut butter and it will not flow. press into the ding and let dry.

The glass of the microballoons allows the epoxy to be sanded really easily to a super finish and has stuctural strength too.

Cosmetic, and shallow dings I use balsa filler. One of my collegues uses baking powder and thin CA, I have not tried this though.

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RE: Filling balsa? - 11/21/2009 12:35 PM   
OldScaleGuy



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Status: offline 		Elmer's Wood Filler and sometimes Hobbico Hobbylite Filler. Light weight spackle IMHO just doesn't hold up well.

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RE: Filling balsa? - 11/21/2009 1:18 PM   
HighPlains


 

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Status: online 		Dents in balsa is easy. Do you know how to get rid of dents in carpet when you move furniture?

Ice cubes.

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RE: Filling balsa? - 11/21/2009 3:56 PM   
jaka


 

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Status: offline 		Hi!
Best way is a mix of brown micro balloons and either 24 hour epoxy resin or polyester resin.

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RE: Filling balsa? - 11/21/2009 5:08 PM   
DavidAgar



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Status: offline 		The stuff from the Home Depot is called Paint and Patch. I have been using it for years, Great stuff. Good Luck, Dave


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RE: Filling balsa? - 11/21/2009 8:06 PM   
Gray Beard


 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: DavidAgar

The stuff from the Home Depot is called Paint and Patch. I have been using it for years, Great stuff. Good Luck, Dave

Just depends on if I go to 48s or 20s what brand name I buy, the same stuff and works great. Years ago I used to use resins or epoxy but the fillers sand way to easy to be fooling around with it. If minn would stop using that mono stuff and come over to the light side he can turn down his iron!! One thing I really liked about the wood colored fillers is they don't show through the covering when using light colors like the white does. Years ago I used to usea product called plastic balsa, just came in a tube like glue, never did stick all that well and it would always dry before you were finished. I still know a number of builders using the white Elmers wood glue, works just as well as the titebonds.

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RE: Filling balsa? - 12/15/2009 8:16 PM   
Leroy Gardner


 

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Status: offline 		Heard about the adding talcum powder in dope but can't find pure talc. Does it matter if there are addatives in it?

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RE: Filling balsa? - 12/17/2009 5:50 AM   
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Status: offline 		Red Devil brand light weight filler/Spackle (almost no water content so it doesn't shrink) is the best, if you can find it, and less expensive than the stuff packaged for the hobby industry. The formula feathers better and powders when sanded instead of balling up like some of the other brands. For added surface strength, you can go over it with thin CA. It is very strong when soaked this way. I'm a carpenter as well and have been using it for decades now.

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