using dope to lay fibreglass

Stuka Stunt Main Forum · 21 of 21 known posts recovered

denlip · Oct 12, 2001 05:46 PM

I have read in a thread somewhere that dope has been used as the wetting agent for laying fibreglass cloth. now I've done my share of 'glassing' but have not tried this. I'm curious as to the strength and durability of this as the cloth will not achieve it's full rigidity with the weaker dope. I know it's been done and I'd like to have a little info before I try it .

Jim T. · Oct 12, 2001 07:41 PM

#1 source

I learned about the technique from a master modeller who was finishing quickie 400 pylon racers (or whatevery you call them) using that technique. He thought it was lighter than epoxy or whatever and adequately stong. I'm sure you don't get the rigidity you would get with epoxy. I've done a little of it but don't have a comparative feel.

Jim

kdheath · Oct 13, 2001 01:24 PM

#2 source

I expect it would be acceptable, but I have built a handful of Q-500 racers, too, and always used epoxy. Tack the glass down tight with CA at the corners. Smear on some 45 minute epoxy, heat with a Monokote gun til it flows like water into all the glass, blot with paper towels until as dry as possible. I usually had to add an ounce or two of ballast to make minimum weight, so I know it's not terribly heavy. And the center sections put together this way were indestructable.

Randy · Oct 13, 2001 01:32 PM

#3 source

I've done this a bit. Be careful of filler put over the top. I've had some trouble with seperation. Works fine. Also, be careful about putting CF over the top of the glass. Be sure everything is clean.

Randy

RRyan · Oct 13, 2001 05:33 PM

#4 source

Randy,

Here's another bit of "advice?" for you. Take your glass and iron it flat then spray it with dope. Prep the balsa like you would for silkspan then apply the glass by brushing thinner or thinned dope through it. The glass isn't as easy to trim with the dope, but if you predope it you can cut it to exact shapes and it will hold shape until you apply it. If you don't move it around you'll get a nice job. Another thing that helps is to use the lightest glass you can find (I use 1/2 OZ) and put multiple layers on if you want more glass. It both applies easier and fills better since the weave of the lighter glass is tighter.

I know I've said this before but,

GREAT NAME!!

Randy

mrwhizkers · Oct 15, 2001 03:21 PM

#5 source

Try using MinWax Polycrylic. It's stronger than dope and lighter than epoxy

Nils · Oct 16, 2001 12:12 AM

#6 source

Here's a suggestion for applying fiberglass that works great, is easy to apply, no heavier than epoxy & super strong. What is this earth shattering mysterious substance? Are you ready?

SHAZAM! ------> fiberglass resin.

Works great, maybe because that's what it's made for!

Nils

denlip · Oct 16, 2001 07:32 AM

#7 source

Really I didn't know That!!!!!!!!!

RRyan · Oct 16, 2001 10:54 AM

#8 source

Den,

Polyester resin also adds more weight then dope. If you use it blot it well to keep from saturating the balsa. A trick to help that is to give the balsa a coat of full strength dope before the glass layup.

Randy

Ty M. · Oct 16, 2001 12:06 PM

#9 source

SHAZAM! Ok, now tell me what that acronym stands for. Do you remember Captain Marvel comics? Or are you just a young whipper snapper? Ty

LNeumann · Oct 16, 2001 02:07 PM

#10 source

LAST EDITED ON Oct-16-01 AT 02:08 PM (CDT)

>SHAZAM! Ok, now tell me
>what that acronym stands for.
> Do you remember Captain
>Marvel comics? Or are
>you just a young whipper
>snapper? Ty

So, How Are Ze Airplane Modelers?

Leonard Neumann

Leonard Neumann

denlip · Oct 16, 2001 07:16 PM

#11 source

SHAZAM Sampson, hermes apollo,zeus,athena,mercury, long time since he was around. Got sued by Superman and was put out of business

gcb · Oct 16, 2001 11:28 PM

#12 source

Was Billy Batson mentioned in the suit?

George

Nils · Oct 16, 2001 11:48 PM

#13 source

I remember Marvel Comics but I don't remember what the acronym stands for. Please enlighten us. I do remember that Gomer used to say it a lot

Nils

gcb · Oct 17, 2001 06:08 AM

#14 source

I don't think it was actually an acronym. I think it was a "magic" word that invoked the power to make Billy Batson into Captain Marvel. It almost seems that SHAZAM was the wizard that provided the power.
Then again, I was a kid when I read those $.10 comics and may have missed something.
George

denlip · Oct 17, 2001 07:44 AM

#15 source

SHAZAM really was an acronym for the Greek dieties that I posted above. Don't you guys remember that they used to check up on him every now and then. He didn't have time to call all their names so ergo SHAZAM.Sorry you youngsters this is 1930's stuff. As kiwi pointed out billy did get a little dumber when he became Capt Marvel. Heck would you go running around in strechey long johns in public. Oops I forgot they call it SPANDEX in todays lingo.

LNeumann · Oct 17, 2001 07:55 AM

#16 source

>SHAZAM really was an acronym for
>the Greek dieties that I
>posted above. Don't you guys
>remember that they used to
>check up on him every
>now and then. He didn't
>have time to call all
>their names so ergo SHAZAM.Sorry
>you youngsters this is 1930's
>stuff. As kiwi pointed out
>billy did get a little
>dumber when he became Capt
>Marvel. Heck would you go
>running around in strechey long
>johns in public. Oops I
>forgot they call it SPANDEX
>in todays lingo.

You didn't watch "Mole 2" on TV, did you?

Leonard Neumann

Leonard Neumann

mrwhizkers · Oct 17, 2001 05:56 PM

#18 source

>Here's a suggestion for applying fiberglass
>that works great, is easy
>to apply, no heavier than
>epoxy & super strong. What
>is this earth shattering mysterious
>substance? Are you ready?
>
>SHAZAM! ------> fiberglass resin.
>
> Works great, maybe because that's
>what it's made for!

>
>
> Nils
>

Don't try this with foam. It'll melt quicker'n an ice cream cone with a hole in the bottom.

jerry day · Oct 17, 2001 10:02 PM

#20 source

>
>
> Nils
>right on nils,for more info and some nice products check out www tapplastics.com/ jerry day

Mikey · Oct 17, 2001 01:47 PM

#17 source

Denlip,
I used the dope method as described by a few in the above posts. I found the following method far superior to dope or epoxy and a lot faster. If you are not sensitive CA then this works great. If you are, then use dope or epoxy.

Very lightly spray (stand back about two feet and let the droplets fall onto the area) the area where you want to attach the glass cloth with 3M 77 spray adhesive. Place the glass cloth onto the part and smooth out any wrinkles. The 3M spray will hold the glass cloth in place. Starting from the top, apply thin CA to the glass cloth working in a back and forth motion. The CA will wick into glass cloth and flow out smoothly. Continue apply CA until the all areas are covered. Quickly wipe off any excess CA with a rag. After the CA has cured (do not use kicker) lightly sand the glass cloth with 220 grit paper and trim off any excess glass cloth. Now apply a second coat of CA to the cloth by placing a puddle of CA in one spot and smoothing it out and into the weave of the cloth with your finger. This will help fill the weave of the cloth. One note of caution is once you start ribbing the CA into the cloth do not stop with your finger on the cloth. Otherwise it will be part of the model. After the first puddle of CA is rubbed into the cloth a layer of CA will build up on the end of your finger. This is ok and can be peeled off after you have finished. Some people have used plastic bags on the ends of their fingers but I found this to be quite cumbersome. Bob Gialdini showed me this process and described how he covered an entire pattern model with this method. I had no trouble with dope sticking to the five models that I have used this process on.

Hope this helps

Mikey

Mike Pratt

Steve Helmick · Oct 17, 2001 09:35 PM

#19 source

The fibers need to be adhered to the model, but also need to be insulated from eachother, to prevent one fiber from cutting the crossing fiber. Therefore, I prefer to give the bare wood a coat of thin Nitrate Clear Dope (gasses off faster and more completely than Butyrate), sand, give a second coat to raise the grain just a tad. This raised grain will hold the glass in place well enough while you apply thinned epoxy, and the dope will prevent a lot of epoxy from soaking into the balsa. I don't trust polyester resin enough, as it is much more sensetive to age and mixing ratios, plus is generally too fast anyway. When you have the epoxy on, use a roll of TeePee to soak up the excess. Just roll it across the surface and when it is soaked up, tear off the wet TP and put it in the garbage. I don't like to sand the cloth too much, as if you sand much, you have just short pieces of strand. Haven't tried the CF Mat yet, but it should work just the same way. You could attach either with thinner and then epoxy. There are lots of ways to do this, and you may find one that suits you more. Remember that the most strength comes from the outer shell, so epoxy is well suited. Steve

Steve http://www.nwskyraiders.com/index.html