Hi! Ian and other Europaphiles.
Yes Mine was the wing you saw Aircraft Coverings working on at Cranfield.
No, I'm not in their pocket !! but IMHO the materials are excellent
although very costly. The Superfill is extremely light and cuts back very
easily compared to the Ampreg filler although I'm given to understand that
the Ampreg people have recently developed another type probably under
pressure brought by Polyfibre success. Can't for the life of me understand
why Europa are still persisting with the outdated type. It is so sticky to
sand in the first instance then it just is so full of pinholes a swarm of
bees would think all their birthdays had come at once!!!!!
The Polyfibre Superfill does have occassional pinholes but they are quickly
filled by scrubbing the corner of the roller across them, that is the
roller used to apply the white filler primer first coat.
However IMOH the methods used on the demo go a longway to get you to use
more than necessary . I have had to sand so much off to find the original
wing profile it is unbelievable. However I yet have to have a final spray
job on a wing to make a quality of finish declaration.
I am using Courtaulds Aerospace (now PRC-DESOTO INTERNATIONAL LTD) FR89
primer and CA 40,000 High Durability UV Protected Top coats.
Latest paint technology as used by many airlines and indeed by the Royal
Air Force, at altitudes with hundreds of times more exposure to radiation
than our machines will have to withstand.(not forgetting the bug and rain
impact erosion factors!)
SO obviously I'm unable to voice opinion on the Polyfibre top coat,
although similarly they have recently combined their UV protection into the
top coat .I had experience needing to cutback the finished tailplane after
application of the CA 40000 had been cured along with my whole Europa at 45
degrees and needed really sharp 3m's sanding paper to cut through the top
coat it was so hard ,which must give an indication of it's durability.
Hopefully this info. assists you with your decision , above all I agree
that the original Amreg filler route is well outdated .
BFN
Bob Harrison 337 G-PTAG
-----Original Message-----
From: Ian Robson [SMTP:ian@robson54.freeserve.co.uk]
Sent: 14 August 1999 14:56
Cc: paul
Subject: Substitute filler
My colleagues and I are at the end of constructing the first stage of an xs
model, and were thinking of using the superfill filler produced by
Polyfibre, as opposed to the standard filler supplied by the factory. We
saw it at the Cranfield PFA rally and it seemed pretty impressive. Does
anyone have experience of the system, or hold views on substituting the
material?
Regards
Ian Robson.
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