Ok, feeling a bit better about how this process works. I wasn’t working with the Finishing Resin, rather trying to make it work as I thought it should…..and I was wrong.

-Don’t play around with it. I’ve managed to get fairly thin, and SMOOTH coats on the wing by pouring a long continuous “S” of resin on the wing, spreading evenly with a squeegee, and then just LEAVE IT ALONE. Previously, all my “touch-up” work after spreading the resin, trying to get a perfect finish, seems to be the main culprit in the tears and pockets. The resin will start to set up immediately, and going back over it continually just rips the resin apart. I have the top of one wing panel done in about 5 minutes.
-I figure that I’ve put on about 1 ¾ oz of resin to finish the wing. This is just the resin on top of the fiberglass, not the fiberglass/thinned resin.
-Using 220 wet/dry sandpaper, I’ve knocked down the resin to the lowest point by sanding to a consistent dull finish. The shiny low spots do act as indicators to let me know that I’ve reached bottom, but still above the fiberglass cloth.
-Speaking of sandpaper, I’ve found that just because I put a new piece on my sanding block 5 minutes ago, doesn’t mean that it ain’t worn out. I have to put my “thriftiness” aside, and frequently replace the paper; makes the task much less tedious.
-Side note; I purchased both Great Planes and Z-Poxy finishing resin about two years ago. A package of the GP resin has set unopened, sealed in zip lock bags, next to some half used Z-Poxy. Looked at the GP resin yesterday, and it was hard as a rock. I’m currently using the Z-poxy without issue. Don’t know what that tells me other than I’m going to stick with Z-Poxy.

Matt/Speed Panzer/David; You’ve talked me into trying the spray paint method, and the Auto-Air Colors. Auto-Air has a lot of information available, and I’m comfortable thinking that I understand how to get good results; have several large pieces of cardboard to practice on when the time comes. The fuselage has been started, and I think it best to finish it as I started it, so I don’t get confused again…..

I think that I will initially brush some System Three Primer (waterborne primer) prior to applying Auto-Air primer and color. I hope that most, if not all of it, will be sanded off, but I do want to have an idea if there are any gross imperfections prior to moving into color.

I do need to purchase a Spray Gun, and am looking at the Sharpe Finex Pro 1000 Mini Gun. Here are the specs;

· Fluid Tips: 0.6mm, 0.8 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.2 mm, 1.4 mm
· Air Consumption (cfm):3.6-6.8 SCFM
· Max Inlet HVLP psi: 29 (2.0 bar, 200 kPa)
· Dry Weight Without Cup: 322 g
· Air Inlet npsm: 1/4 in.
· Finish: Black Nickel
· Cup Size: 125 cc
· Pattern Size: 9.0 in.

Any thoughts on the gun would be appreciated.

Back to work!

Thank you all.

Doug