Hi!
I am almost ready to make the "seam" along the edge of my elevator tip fairings.
Steps so far:
- bonded alu strips inside for the rivets to bear against
- a gross shaping to help make it look right
- the "joggle" edges have been sanded back
- the edge of the elevators have been taped up with packing tape, then a single layer of electrical tape (to help achieve a consistent gap), and finally
- the whole gel coat has been sanded with 80 grit.
I am ready to mix some micro to spread over the whole thing in order to both finish the edge to a consistent gap, and also fill any exposed weave and pinholes that have shown up from sanding.
Q: what sort of consistency am i looking for in the micro to achieve this? I assume it needs to be kind of loose so that it flows into the holes? Or do i make it thicker to help make the edge against the elevator skin, and push it with a card (hotel card etc) into the holes in the fibres?
Do you think i need to use flox or a couple layers of cloth at the front to make the large gap where the counterbalance skin is curved and the tip is not?
I appreciate any advice that is available - this is my absolute first go at fibreglassing! (actually enjoying it so far - it seems mistakes are easy to fix).
Here are some overview photos of the left tip:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/cezWUr3jQQtdrCK89
https://photos.app.goo.gl/tfECVnSU6SLjf8bk9
and here is one showing the sanded back edge ready to take some micro to help make a nice edge:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/H7vVxc1Qo5ty8Yfe8
I am almost ready to make the "seam" along the edge of my elevator tip fairings.
Steps so far:
- bonded alu strips inside for the rivets to bear against
- a gross shaping to help make it look right
- the "joggle" edges have been sanded back
- the edge of the elevators have been taped up with packing tape, then a single layer of electrical tape (to help achieve a consistent gap), and finally
- the whole gel coat has been sanded with 80 grit.
I am ready to mix some micro to spread over the whole thing in order to both finish the edge to a consistent gap, and also fill any exposed weave and pinholes that have shown up from sanding.
Q: what sort of consistency am i looking for in the micro to achieve this? I assume it needs to be kind of loose so that it flows into the holes? Or do i make it thicker to help make the edge against the elevator skin, and push it with a card (hotel card etc) into the holes in the fibres?
Do you think i need to use flox or a couple layers of cloth at the front to make the large gap where the counterbalance skin is curved and the tip is not?
I appreciate any advice that is available - this is my absolute first go at fibreglassing! (actually enjoying it so far - it seems mistakes are easy to fix).
Here are some overview photos of the left tip:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/cezWUr3jQQtdrCK89
https://photos.app.goo.gl/tfECVnSU6SLjf8bk9
and here is one showing the sanded back edge ready to take some micro to help make a nice edge:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/H7vVxc1Qo5ty8Yfe8
Last edited: