For those of you who are or have built one of these. It does not say in the plans when you should seal the engine compartment with dope or epoxy. When did you do it ? I was thinking of using the SIG dope and just painting it. Would that be okay ? Do I only need to paint the engine area and the area where the fuel tank goes ?

Thanks

Some people use Fuel proof dope some use thined epoxy. I have done both. I normaly use a colored dope, a couple of coats before the finish covering goes on. I do fire wall and fuel tank area.

Have fun
Gene

I use ZPoxy finishing resin for all applications like this. Works for me and a pack lasts forever.

Terry

I would fuel proof after the model is covered it will help hold the covering down arounnd the engine compartment where it always seems to pull up with age. Also covering stick best to bare wood. I always fuel proof with thinned epoxy and on airplanes that has an open engine compartment Like the Sig SE I paint the inside of the engine compartment black or some other color that matches the plane with Testors Model Master paint so you can't seen any bare colored wood.

Actually, in the instruction book on page 20 on th e top right is when it tells you to use SIG Polyester Finishing Resin to completely seal the wood in thtis area. Then it says to sand it lightly then you can paint it. On my first SSE I just used 5 Min Epoxy and it worked fine. I never had a problem. I am gaoing to do the same eith my second one as well which is almost finished with the covering.

How do you thin epoxy?

Matt

P.S. I always seal with normal epoxy resin...

I'm with Daryl_y on this one. On an open compartment plane like the SE I like to do it AFTER the covering is on for all the reasons he mentioned. I usually use 30 min epoxy thinned with alcohol.

-Cheech

I don't use anything to thin the epoxy. I mix it up and spread it as thinly as possible and then use my heat gun to make the epoxy flow. It helps it to soak into the cracks and crevices and also leaves a glass-like finish when it cures.

Like cheech said, I've always used alcohol to thin epoxy.

Thin it with Alcohol paint thinner or acetone.. I prefer to use spray clear dope to protect the interior around the fuel tank and paint the exposed engine compartment with a color like aluminum or black. As stated in another post, it helps to stick down the covering around the edges of the compartment. Fred123[&:]