[NSRCA-discussion] glassing a fuse

[verne at twmi.rr.com]

Eddie,
For the lightest, most pinhole free fuse, spray your mold with paint before you lay it up. You can let the paint dry or cure overnight. It will stay stuck to the layup. I prefer PPG white epoxy primer. I don't remember the exact number but I think it has the number 48 in it. Just spray enough in the mold so it is smooth and opaque. Besides for giving you the perfect base for your paint job, it will also bridge all those pesky pinholes that will occur if you don't use some sort of gelcoat. The epoxy primer will be far lighter sprayed than any gelcoat you can brush in. I tried one layup with pigment in the epoxy and didn't like it. Pinholes galore and far less opaque than I was expecting. I'm pretty sure that pigment reduces the strength of the epoxy depending on the amount you put in. I do use black pigment in the gelcoat for the mold itself because I've found it's easier to see the cloth wetting out against a black background than a white one. The really skilled guys do their whole paint job in the mold prior to laying up the fuse, but that's way above my level. I don't do much glasswork anymore because I really don't enjoy it. To me it's like monocote except that everything is sticky and rushed and requires more shop space than most of us have. Hope this helps.

Verne

 
---- "Eddie Batchelor P.D." <perkinsrx at centurytel.net> wrote: 
> I am about to glass my 1st fuse.  I;ve read all the threads on how to's but I have question I've not seen covered by anyone.
> 
> Looking at laminating epoxys I see pigment available. in my past I fiberglassed an old wooden boat and added pigment to the resin BUT I had no clue how to properly apply glass/resin and didn't care about weight. I learned a lot about what NOT to do.
> 
> I have not seen any reference by anone to using pigment in their resin when glassing a plane.  Why not.
> is it weight  or lack of ability to see the wood underneath for finish sanding or something altogether different thaht I haven't thought of.
> 
> Just curious.
> 
> eddie batchelor
>