LoneRanger

My Feedback: (1)

I've got a Top-Flite Corsair and when I glassed it the sheeting sagged inbetween the wing ribs, as I sanded the glass down it went through to the balsa so there is balsa showing at almost every wing rib.

I know I cant primer the fuse with bare balsa showing so I used polycrylic and painted the bare wood spots to seal the showing wood. it is a water based acrylic that I have used for tons of things in the past. I figgured aout 3 coats and it would seal up the wood grain enough so I could primer it and if any grain still showed through I could get it with some glazing putty before painting.

does everyone think this was an adequate fix?
any one would have done it different?

I would not consider putting on another coat of resin as that stuff is a royal PITA to sand off.


let me know-

L.R.

NE0

My Feedback: (9)

LR,

Had a similar problem, to a lesser degree. Instead of sanding the rib areas down, I built the sagged areas up with spot putty. Not too much, just enough to level it out, weight gain was negligible.

Fixing it after sanding through can be an exercise like chasing your tail. Most materials you use to seal it back up will only raise the level back up to what it was when you sanded through it in the first place, putting you back to square one.

Your best bet is to hit it with the WB poly for a few coats (I'm glassing my whole plane with it), then sand it LIGHTLY as not to cut back through again. Something else that may help after that is Plastikote "Spot Filler & Primer" to smooth it out a little more. It's a "high-build" lacquer primer that will go on pretty thick, but lightweight and VERY easy to sand.

It does a great job of smoothing out the feathered areas and filling any scratches/weave left over. I use the stuff like it's goin' out of style. You can also use it to help build up the sagged areas a little more.

Neo

LoneRanger

My Feedback: (1)

I plan on wet sanding with 400 to knock down the edge till it is level- dont know how much yours had sagged but i think mine is pretty significant- too much so to add that much filling.



thanks though and I do know what you are saying.



L.R.

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

Yes, I would never try to fiberglass over an open structure.

Seriously, if you're going to glass a wing, it should be completely sheeted. Fiberglass will not span an opening without sagging.

Not sure what you can do at this point, but I would have used a bit more glass on the bare spots.
Dennis-

NE0

My Feedback: (9)

OPEN RIBS?

Wow, I didn't realize that was the case (was it?). If so, DBC is right... don't ever glass over open structure... ONLY over sheeting.

Neo

LoneRanger

My Feedback: (1)

I've been modeling aircraft for 18 years now. YOU tell ME weather or not I used sheeting.


I hope you were kidding all the way through your post.



L.R.

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

LR,
Guess I mis-read your post. When you said "when I glassed it the sheeting sagged inbetween the wing ribs", I thought you were saying the glass sagged between the ribs (of an open bay). So no, I wasn't kidding, just obviously wrong.

Mea culpa.
Dennis-

LoneRanger

My Feedback: (1)

DB,

Everyone get's one goof up! LOL



cheers~


L.R.

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

One goof-up!?

Geez, now I'm gonna have to be REALLY careful!

Dennis-

Scott Smith

My Feedback: (4)

I realize this won't help your current predicament...but next time, don't sand! If you blot up the excess resin with toilet paper as you apply, there should be nothing to sand.

After the resin cures, apply two coats of poly to fill the weave, then sand lightly. Serious sanding should only come after priming where its easy to see when your getting close to the cloth.

LoneRanger

My Feedback: (1)

Scott, I have heard of doing it that way however I have not tried it as of yet-

mabey on the next project though~



L.R.