Say guys...if you can take a walk down memory lane with me for a few
moments, I'd appreciate some feedback.
The other day, while looking for trouble (i.e., a reasonable next step
in my build) I set myself up to skim some dry micro to fill the
trailing edge depressions where the top and bottom skins are bonded
together, thinking that it would be just an afternoon's job which,
after cure, would be followed by some block sanding to knock down the
high spots, and followed by the application of filler over the entire
panels (flaps, ailerons, and trim tabs) to cover the weave. (For this,
I'm planning on using Poly-Fiber's SuperFil rather than Expancel.)
What I've found however, is that filling those depressions is a bit
more of a job than I'd anticipated. Notwithstanding using what I
thought was the stiffest possible mix of micro, I find myself with
numerous low spots thus requiring 2nd and in some cases 3rd
applications of the micro in order to bring those trailing edge
depressions up to the plane of the airfoils. Between coats, I've used
small bits of 150 grit sandpaper around a forefinger so that the
subsequent coat of micro would have a better bond than to simply apply
it over the (glossy) low areas. I've been working under the assumption
that these trailing edges must be dealt with completely before
squeegying on the filler to fill the glass weave over the foam.
I've also been careful when knocking down the high spots to not abrade
the glass fibers on adjacent areas.
Given that each surface has two sides and I've found that the micro
must be applied separately to each side (in multiple coats w/
intervening cure cycles), at this point I'm sitting here wondering:
- Have I made this more complicated than it need be?
- Am I missing something here?
Lookin for either reassurance or a cautionary "heads up",
Fred
A194
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