Talcum powder revisited

I was watching the news a couple of days ago while everybody was talking about anthrax and some "expert" demonstrated how the anthrax spores could penetrate a sealed envelope. He put talcum powder in a sealed envelope and patted it and you could see the dust fly. His explaination was that paper was porus. The pores in the paper are about the size of a human hair. But talcum powder was about one tenth that size and the anthrax spores were smaller still.

Well, I quit thinking about anthrax and started thinking about talc. It is no wonder this is such a good filler when mixed with dope. If the stuff is that small, it can fill some mighty fine ridges and pin prics to give us that perfectly flat base for our final finish. If we used a coarser grit to fill our dings and grain depressions, then we would still have a coarse grit on the flat surface to deal with. But something that is one tenth the size of a human hair isn't all that bad to level out on the surface.

Leonard Neumann

Just be sure to use pure talc. Don't use the stuff for your babys bottom, ie; Johnson & Johnson. It has oils and perfumes in it and will react with dope. Guess how I know. I now go to Walmart drugs and order usp pure talc. No problems.

I know about the warnings, and yet we have used the perfumed stuff with no apparent problem. However, I agree that it is best to get pure talc as some perfumes could pay havoc with adhesion. Besides, who wants their airplane to smell like some baby's bottom?

Another source for pure talc is a billiard supply--perhaps an athletic store.

Leonard Neumann

However, I agree
>that it is best to
>get pure talc as some
>perfumes could pay havoc with
>adhesion. Besides, who wants
>their airplane to smell like
>some baby's bottom?
>
>Another source for pure talc is
>a billiard supply--perhaps an athletic
>store.

Thanks to Mr. Granderson, try TAP Plastics:

http://www.tapplastics.com/fiberglass/fillers_dyes/45_talc.html

They have a lot of great stuff.

>I know about the warnings, and
>yet we have used the
>perfumed stuff with no apparent
>problem. However, I agree
>that it is best to
>get pure talc as some
>perfumes could pay havoc with
>adhesion. Besides, who wants
>their airplane to smell like
>some baby's bottom?
>
>Another source for pure talc is
>a billiard supply--perhaps an athletic
>store.
>
>Leonard Neumann

"perhaps an athletic store"

I hope this doesn't mean my airplane will smell like and athlete's bottom!!!!

Randy

If the anthrax is finer, Leonard, I'd go ahead and use it for filler. Heck, it comes free in the mail anyhow. Just be careful not to sand through the silver later.

Besides, some of it's almost lighter than air, your plane will float away without an anchor!

Anyone have any idea how large the grains of cornstarch are?

Great Post! Modelers will go to any length to get a competitive edge!

Or worse, a jock strap.