Atom Ant

I am considering fiberglassing a 8-9 lb plane. I would prefer to fiberglass because it has many compound curves and the finish will look much better. If I fiberglass I would use 3/4 oz fiber and Minwax polyurethane. My question is about how much weight gain will I see compared to traditional Monokote/Ultracote covering?

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

It is hard to say how much weight you will add. It is based a lot on how you do it. If you have never done it and get too much epoxy on it, it will be very heavy. If you use just the right amount, it will be a little heavier than covering, but not a lot. Compound curves can be as hard or harder with glass than covering would be. Its no easy task. What plane is it?

Atom Ant

The plane is a projet SU-27 Flanker by AK Models.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

is it sheeted? Do they call for glass?

Lightest you can find would probably would be best and get the epoxy thin so it flows the best.

Atom Ant

It is fully sheeted, I added sheeting where necessary. The manufacture does not specify fiberglass, I would just perfer it so I can paint instead of using Monokote.

Mike James

If you can find the surface areas of your parts, it's pretty easy to come up with an estimate of the weight that glassing will add. A few tips...

• Use laminating epoxy, such as West Systems, MGS, etc., and do not thin it. It will be thin enough on it's own.

• Follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to use the epoxy. ( Don't try and shortcut the mixing accuracy, cure times, etc. )

• Since you're concerned with finish, rather than strength, use .5 oz to .75 oz cloth, one layer only.

• You can compute the weight you'll add using the information here. ( http://homepage.mac.com/mikejames/ne...rediction.html )

Have fun!