|
first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
I'm a little ahead of myself but I'm just getting started with building a Top Flite Corsair 60 (red box version). I've never glassed and painted an airplane. I need to know the lightest cloth and resin to use and the best paint.
I've used iron-on fabric before and lustrekote but that method added huge amounts of weight. I do not want to use iron-on plastic or colored fabric since I want the edges feathered vs hard lines. I'm looking forward to your assistance and will be bugging you in the future regarding how to add panel lines, maybe rivets,etc Tom |
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
The cloth is .56 or .7 oz per square foot cloth; it is thin and almost paper like you can use either finishing resin(tougher) or water based poly-urathane(lightest). You lay the cloth on the surface and drizzel a little resin or poly on in the center, and spread it out with something like an old credit card. You want just enough to wet the cloth and lay flat without bubles; the rest is scraped off. Do one side at a time and let dry. I just got a hold of a NIB red box Corsair about 3 months ago by luck.
|
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
seems simple .........thanks
|
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
There are a lot of threads on it. You might search the poly-u. The secret is use just enough. Keep us updated on the plane. What retracts are you going to use?
|
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
Would you put glass covrering and resin over open spaces or should you only do it over sheeted areas?
David |
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
1 Attachment(s)
Just on sheeted areas. If you use water base polyurethane (WBPU), you should first apply a couple of coats to the bare wood first. Otherwise the balsa absorbs the WBPU very quickly. Using WBPU is quick and easy, no smell and water clean up. Here's a pic of the nose of my restored Perigee, 3/4 oz cloth and WBPU. It went around the curves like they weren't there.
FB |
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
water base poly u works great no mess no smell easy clean up
|
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
1 Attachment(s)
Tuff, Maybe these (pictured) with Robart robo struts and retractable tailwheel which are also Robart. These were part of my deal on the NIB kit.
Also, this is how I hope to have my finished Aircraft look when completed. Tom |
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
ORIGINAL: iflircaircraft I'm a little ahead of myself but I'm just getting started with building a Top Flite Corsair 60 (red box version). I've never glassed and painted an airplane. I need to know the lightest cloth and resin to use and the best paint. I've used iron-on fabric before and lustrekote but that method added huge amounts of weight. I do not want to use iron-on plastic or colored fabric since I want the edges feathered vs hard lines. I'm looking forward to your assistance and will be bugging you in the future regarding how to add panel lines, maybe rivets,etc Tom Hope this has given you a good idea of how to do it light. Do one side at a time. let it dry. Remember excess resin adds weight not strength. |
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
Id suggest not spraing 3m77, if you get a wrinkle your screwed.
Read this on the poly coatings. http://www.tompierce.net/rcplanes/glasstest/index.htm I use West systems |
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
ORIGINAL: JohnVH Id suggest not spraing 3m77, if you get a wrinkle your screwed. Read this on the poly coatings. http://www.tompierce.net/rcplanes/glasstest/index.htm I use West systems I agree heavy is bad. I spray it very lightly holding the can 2 feet above the work. Just a very light mist and you can stll reposition the cloth as long as you have'nt push it down firmly. When I didn't do this the very thin .56 oz. cloth weave would strech just from spreading the resign or tring to pull out a small wrinkle. |
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
I just lay out the cloth, take the back of my hand to smooth it out, the static will make it stick.
|
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
I have also read to use 'Hair Spray' to stick the cloth down before using the Resin or WBPoly-U; not sure where I read this, I think Tom Pierce.
|
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
thanks guys for the great information. looks as if I'm in for some new building experiences. Tom |
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
I have used all the methods discussed and they all work well . Each method has it advantages and dis advantges. Wbpu No oder dries fast, resin harder but can get heavy if your not carefull. I buy a .99 21/2" roller at ho and apply my resin with that. It puts it on thin, easy to go over and bond cloth to wood wont run and leaves a flat surface.
|
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
ORIGINAL: frequent flyer ORIGINAL: JohnVH Id suggest not spraing 3m77, if you get a wrinkle your screwed. Read this on the poly coatings. http://www.tompierce.net/rcplanes/glasstest/index.htm I use West systems I agree heavy is bad. I spray it very lightly holding the can 2 feet above the work. Just a very light mist and you can stll reposition the cloth as long as you have'nt push it down firmly. When I didn't do this the very thin .56 oz. cloth weave would strech just from spreading the resign or tring to pull out a small wrinkle. |
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
As a first time glasser i used the Minwax and it's the cats ars!! brush it on directly on the cloth go easy and wip off excess afterwords. 6 coats no filler the primer..
|
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
yeah I used it on my bonanza and its all im going to use for now on
|
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
we tried it on a couple projects, its more work (spend alot more time) unfortunately. So I kept with west systems on my P47 instead of the WB polyC, as I know the west is easy to do and you spend less time messing around. I may give it another shot someday though.
|
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
quote: ORIGINAL: frequent flyer quote: ORIGINAL: JohnVH Id suggest not spraing 3m77, if you get a wrinkle your screwed. Read this on the poly coatings. http://www.tompierce.net/rcplanes/glasstest/index.htm I use West systems I agree heavy is bad. I spray it very lightly holding the can 2 feet above the work. Just a very light mist and you can stll reposition the cloth as long as you have'nt push it down firmly. When I didn't do this the very thin .56 oz. cloth weave would strech just from spreading the resign or tring to pull out a small wrinkle. Some folks use inexpensive hair spray in lieu of 3M spray. I use Minwax Polycrylic and a foam brush wide enough to fit inside can. I work from center to edge. It is water based so most of the weight evaporates. I have used the same foam brush over and over because it is very easy to clean with warm water. I was thinking of adding Microballoons to the Polycrylic to save time with finish sanding. I haven't tried it yet but will. FB |
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
I put the resin on the balsa and scrap it off with a card, then lay the glass down on the damp balsa. That way you're sure to get minimum (light) resin and glass doesn't get dragged around. You really only need enough resin to bond the glass to the surface and 1/2 fill the weave. I use unthickened resin so it penetrates the wood. When dry, sand, and apply a second coat of resin, with some filler if you want but not necessary, to fill the top 1/2 of the glass weave. Scrap again to remove all excess resin. Sand again. Then use quality automotive filler/primers to achieve level of smoothness you want.
|
RE: first time glassing..... HELP!!!!
|
| All times are GMT -8. The time now is 02:47 PM. |
Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.