GP Super Sportster 40MKII Build questions
06-03-2009, 06:12 PM
#1
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GP Super Sportster 40MKII Build questions
Hi Folks,
Good to see such interactions from the manufacture to improve customer experience.
I thought I would post a few questions I have in regards to the mentioned above plane, as while the wife and I are at home in a few days with our first baby I thought I would build a plane to keep out of her hair
!! <Believe it or not, got it from her for this exact reason 
>
In the extra or optional building supplies it specifies to use Micro beads. Should I bother with this, is it worth the itchy hands I may encounter when dealing with this stuff.The only place that Ican see that you would use this is in the wheel pants. If I get it, should I use it on the wings and other joints and it would help make the bonds stronger pehaps?
Another question, Iwould like to tint the canopy. Have you gotten and good feedback or complaints from customers on doing this modification. (I don't want to detail the inside as this is only my second plane, still have my first after 1 year
)
Thanks for replying, looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Good to see such interactions from the manufacture to improve customer experience.
I thought I would post a few questions I have in regards to the mentioned above plane, as while the wife and I are at home in a few days with our first baby I thought I would build a plane to keep out of her hair
!! <Believe it or not, got it from her for this exact reason >In the extra or optional building supplies it specifies to use Micro beads. Should I bother with this, is it worth the itchy hands I may encounter when dealing with this stuff.The only place that Ican see that you would use this is in the wheel pants. If I get it, should I use it on the wings and other joints and it would help make the bonds stronger pehaps?
Another question, Iwould like to tint the canopy. Have you gotten and good feedback or complaints from customers on doing this modification. (I don't want to detail the inside as this is only my second plane, still have my first after 1 year
)Thanks for replying, looking forward to hearing from you soon.
06-04-2009, 10:20 AM
#2
My Feedback: (11)
RE: GP Super Sportster 40MKII Build questions
"Micro-balloons" is what you're most likely referring to. When you get a container of this, it looks like a white powder, if it's made from glass, brown powder if made from phenolic resin. We've never experienced any kind of itch or irritation from their use. That's because the substance is in the form of micro-small beads, and not fibers that can stick into you. Don't breathe them, just as you would not breathe any kind of dust (balsa dust, drywall compound, paint, and so forth), use a dust mask or respirator when you're using them. Just add to slow-curing epoxy or poly resin and mix. Add as much as you need to get the consistency you want. The thicker the paste, the weaker it becomes, so a thick paste is good for filling "dings" and such, but not for making structural fillets.
If you must reinforce a joint, first make sure you have an absolutely-good glue joint. Clean, well-fitting parts make the best joints. In areas of high stress, add extra wood, such as triangle stock to reinforce the fuselage side/firewall joint, or add a layer of fiberglass cloth and resin around the joint. In almost all of the glue joints in the model, you'll only want well-fitting, clean joints. Use just enough glue to bond the parts together well. More glue, or filleting the joint, won't add strength, but will add a lot of weight by the time you're done.
To tint the canopy, just get a package of clothing dye from the supermarket. Mix it in a bucket according to the directions. Submerge your canopy. The longer it's in the dye, the darker it will become. Lift it out from time-to-time to check. Rinse it off with fresh water and you're done. You can also paint the inside with any plastic-friendly paint. That's been done in a lot of models, too. Remember, though, that the paint must be friendly to the plastic of the canopy, or it will distort into a twisted mess!
If you must reinforce a joint, first make sure you have an absolutely-good glue joint. Clean, well-fitting parts make the best joints. In areas of high stress, add extra wood, such as triangle stock to reinforce the fuselage side/firewall joint, or add a layer of fiberglass cloth and resin around the joint. In almost all of the glue joints in the model, you'll only want well-fitting, clean joints. Use just enough glue to bond the parts together well. More glue, or filleting the joint, won't add strength, but will add a lot of weight by the time you're done.
To tint the canopy, just get a package of clothing dye from the supermarket. Mix it in a bucket according to the directions. Submerge your canopy. The longer it's in the dye, the darker it will become. Lift it out from time-to-time to check. Rinse it off with fresh water and you're done. You can also paint the inside with any plastic-friendly paint. That's been done in a lot of models, too. Remember, though, that the paint must be friendly to the plastic of the canopy, or it will distort into a twisted mess!
