Tim Flyer Posted November 26, 2019 Author Share Posted November 26, 2019 Cheers Ash . I guess it does seem fast , but to me it isn’t really ...there are so many stages where glue has to dry etc. I guess that’s why I hate painting ( this is mostly going to be film covered). I have had much more time this year after stopping paid work although I’m not sure if that will be permanent . When I start a project I do find it hard to stop and I really try to keep to one project at a time as my workshop is very small and plane storage almost full now! I have epoxied the inside with West systems Epoxy. It required just about 20g which is minimal weight . As this model is solidly built with liteply laminated sides plus various filleting on corners I dint need any cloth in the middle section. The sheeting on this model is also quite thick balsa. On ARTFs I sometimes use lightweight cloth on the inside sheeting where needed. Some ARTFs are ridiculously delicate. On this Chipmunk nose section I used fibreglass tape similar to wing joining tape around the firewall and sides. It’s the same stuff they use to reinforce canoe joints and can be bought cheaply in long rolls ( canoe joining tape). I put in the engine blind nuts after epoxying the engine bay . That makes it easier . I also flatten the spikes on the blind nuts and just glue them in as the spikes can allow oil ingress plus damage and are not really needed. I am still using my supply of Solartex but noted your Glosstex recommendation. Thank You 😊 Edited By Tim Flyer on 26/11/2019 22:41:34 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASH. Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 Best way to do it Tim. Once a project is started it is best to carry on 'till completed otherwise it can drag on for ages.. months.. sometimes years! Yes, looking at the pics I can see your previous boat building skills have come into use. The dark wood inside fuse looks like 'antique Teak'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted November 27, 2019 Author Share Posted November 27, 2019 Cheers Ash . Must admit I’m quite “allergic” to oil blobs on wood so its epoxy painted which adds lots of strength and rigidity. I like to make the inside neat if possible too plus always put the of bit of triangular balsa gusset into the main stress points. I’m not keen on dry balsa . It just falls apart in the hands 😉 Edited By Tim Flyer on 27/11/2019 06:53:08 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted December 2, 2019 Author Share Posted December 2, 2019 Things are moving along steadily now. I have covered painted and fixed the rudder tailplane and fin and just glued on the Long tail strake along the top of the fuselage (not sure what you call that!) . I will cover the tail strake next as that will be fiddly . I also fitted the instrument panels . These are rather nice for a kit I think. In the photo I lust loosely placed the canopy to make it look more “Chipmunky”. I used thin clearcoat as sanding sealer for the wings as I like the hardness it gives the balsa to stop dreaded hangar rash ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Collinson Posted December 2, 2019 Share Posted December 2, 2019 You sure Andrew Hardman has sold out of Clearcoat? I had some from him earlier this year and agree, it's versatile stuff. Got some Balsaloc too. Could not get him to spill the beans on Prymol, what was in it, whether there's an equivalent etc. If anyone knows the answer I'll be grateful, as I'm sure will many others as Clearcoat is ok for sealing recalcitrant trim edges but I feel sure an etch primer would keep them stuck for longer. Nice build BTW Tim, not been glued to it previously but clearly a project. Didn't succeed in maidening my P 47 which you helped with, got distracted by lots of elderly F3A planes and the UKCAA. Determined to sort it this winter though, the strip is very boggy so aviation opportunities are both scarce and short-lived. BTC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted December 2, 2019 Author Share Posted December 2, 2019 Thank You Bruce I hope all well with you. We suffer the same strip problems as you I think. The only plane In using at the moment is my Wot4xl. It’s high wing reduces wing mud spray plus the large balloon wheels on my model and over power with OS 120ax means It will take off from the worst grass strips. The P47 is certainly a Model well worth waiting for I had a great summer flying mine. Yes I do like this clearcoat stuff I thinned it a bit and it’s a great balsa sealer & hardened plus film sticks very well to it . The only downside is that it’s not suitable for my decals. I tested it on a spare and it soon started lifting colours. I will test the two pack klass kote . Otherwise I will have to go safe I guess with polyurethane, which I’m not that keen on . The quest for decent non reactive fuel proof coating seems to have been running since the 1970s when I first started modelling.,.and I guess we’ll before!! Edited By Tim Flyer on 02/12/2019 16:08:08 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Collinson Posted December 2, 2019 Share Posted December 2, 2019 Check out next month's RCM&E for my clubmate's prize winning letter re turning Carte d'Or ice cream tubs into mudguards! We also have sheep ... Did you check Solarfilm for Clearcote? That was the point of my post! BTC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted December 2, 2019 Author Share Posted December 2, 2019 . Edited By Tim Flyer on 02/12/2019 16:35:11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted December 2, 2019 Author Share Posted December 2, 2019 Bruce no I didn’t check Andrew Hardman as I have a big supply of clearcoat as I bough some big cans a year ago at wings and wheels... I thought I had mentioned that earlier 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted December 2, 2019 Author Share Posted December 2, 2019 . Edited By Tim Flyer on 02/12/2019 16:37:32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted December 2, 2019 Author Share Posted December 2, 2019 . Edited By Tim Flyer on 02/12/2019 16:37:09 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted December 2, 2019 Author Share Posted December 2, 2019 Oops triple posted ! Edited By Tim Flyer on 02/12/2019 16:36:45 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted December 2, 2019 Author Share Posted December 2, 2019 I could do with mud guards. With all the rain the worm casts are extra large and get blown by the propeller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted December 2, 2019 Author Share Posted December 2, 2019 . Edited By Tim Flyer on 02/12/2019 16:42:17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted December 2, 2019 Author Share Posted December 2, 2019 . Edited By Tim Flyer on 02/12/2019 16:41:56 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted December 2, 2019 Author Share Posted December 2, 2019 . Edited By Tim Flyer on 02/12/2019 16:39:31 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted December 2, 2019 Author Share Posted December 2, 2019 The internet /phone is playing up so will have to sign out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted December 5, 2019 Author Share Posted December 5, 2019 Covering is now well underway. I’m using Oracover and Solartex . I managed to find some colour matched fuel proof spray from RC World called “RC Colours” . I will try that on the cowling later and the Solartex. It’s supposed to be fuel proof. Edited By Tim Flyer on 05/12/2019 13:28:32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted December 5, 2019 Author Share Posted December 5, 2019 Hmm well the RC colours Red is more of an “ Orange Red” and certainly doesn’t match the Oracover Red film I’m using. The cans are quite small 150 mill too . I will now stick to Halfords Audi Laser Red. One of the RC Colours Red cans I bought didn’t have enough propellent in , or was blocked when I first tested it so I’m not filled with confidence for their quality. I also bought some light grey Oratex from RC World which is great and will save me some painting. I have already used it on a wing and it’s nice and opaque on the hollow sections. It seems just as good as Solartex . Edited By Tim Flyer on 05/12/2019 18:28:08 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted December 22, 2019 Author Share Posted December 22, 2019 It’s getting closer! Now the final rush before Xmas . Need to glue canopy fix undercarriage on and fit aileron and elevator control rods 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 That does look rather nice Tim, can’t wait to hear about flying exploits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted December 22, 2019 Author Share Posted December 22, 2019 Cheers Ron . It will be a while I’m afraid before our grass strip is good enough to fly it from. Hopefully we might get a drier spring! But at least it gives me some time to finish it off without the usual rush . I ran out of hinges last week after using 4 instead of 3 on the rudder . I was amazed how fast SLEC were with a one day delivery 😊! Happy Holidays / & a Happy Xmas to all ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 Its looking ace, and a little time before the first flight can be a blessing as paint and fuel proofer can take weeks to fully cure. The paint on my stampe was tacky for months before it finally went hard as nails. With a bit of luck my Hurricane will be ready for the new season. Im little behind you but i think it should be ready by the spring. Ill update my build thread when i make some meaningful progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted December 22, 2019 Author Share Posted December 22, 2019 Thanks very much Jon 😊I’m looking forward to seeing the Hurricane too. That looke an impressive Solartex job.! You are so right re fuel proofer. It’s still the “bain of modellers lives” . It’s no better than the 1970s when I started ... in fact probably worse as cellulose paints aren’t easily available and those paints take class Kote and the “strong “ two pack proofers well . I’m will be using “JP high grade polyurethane “ proofer on the cowl as I have some spray acrylic red on the bottom and I don’t want the risk of class Kote bubbling it up ! The downside with the polyurethane is that it slightly yellows the white . I tried it on the spinner and it’s not too bad. I’m going to spray the decals and film with RC Colours clear spray which I believe is also polyurethane. I must say after covering I really noticed the difference in quality film, I used Oracover and Oratex and it was way better than the cheapo stuff as it was much much easier to use . It doesn’t seem to melt and sticks way better plus the backing peels away easily 😊. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted December 23, 2019 Share Posted December 23, 2019 Interest in the Hurricane seems to have dried up now we have stopped arguing about swastika's, but i will keep posting. I might give klass cote a try. I became reasonably adept at spraying the cellulose thinned epoxy fuel proofer from mick reeves over enamel without eating it. Hopefully i can pull off the same trick with KC. It is a pain though as enamels are so easy to get in the right colours and easy to spray. My hope is that a reduction in the oil content of my fuel will minimise the need for fuel proofing anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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