I tend to start in the middle of the fin and work down. Then turn the body over and smooth from the middle up.
Look close and you can see the excess epoxy under the dowel.
The dowel is being pulled down and slowly turned clockwise at the same time.
Turning the dowel pulls most of the excess epoxy away from the joint and onto the tape to be removed in a few minutes.
Watch the ends and edges! This is where you could end up with drops and dried "threads".
Before the epoxy dries, you can easily pick these up with a Q-Tip dipped in (91% or better) Isopropyl alcohol - not rubbing alcohol.
Dip the Q-tip in the alcohol and shake off the excess. Too much moisture and you could swell the fibers in the body tube.
Let the epoxy set up for a few minutes and remove the tape taking up all the excess epoxy.
Dip your gloved finger in alcohol and run it over the epoxy. This should smooth over the epoxy ridges left when the tape was pulled up. This ridge smoothing is done while the epoxy is still setting up. Once the epoxy is dry, you won't be able to remove the ridge with the alxohol.
When first adding epoxy to the joint, try not to use too much. Use enough to be able to smooth it with the dowel end. Too much epoxy and you'll be stuck with more to clean up later.
TIP: Never mix or smooth epoxy with your bare fingers! You could be allergic (or develop an allergic reaction) to epoxy! Wear gloves when working with epoxy.
I bought nitrile dispoable gloves from Harbor Freight. They do sell them in extra large size!
Chris,
ReplyDeletethis is almost the exact masking technique that I use with Titebond Molding and Trim Glue. I mask the tube & fin with blue tape; I even mask a right angle at the top of the leading edge of the fins. I smear the TBM&TG into the fillet and finish with the curve at the end of a popsicle stick! I'm only working on LPR right now, but the craft stick has served me well for fillets on rockets from the Thunderbee to the FatBoy. I just finished filleting 6 Alphas with this technique and I'm sooooo excited to paint them in the 1973 Livery! I think I'll hafta post pictures on YORF at some point!
I hope you're keepin' those cruisers entertained and your trip's goin' well. Thanks for your diligent blogging.
-Eric Bee.
Hi Eric,
ReplyDeleteI've never used the masking tape when using the Titebond M&TG. For me it makes for an easier cleanup when using epoxy. The epoxy will go everywhere if the tape "dams" weren't in place.
You should post the pictures on YORF. I always like the older catalog paint jobs.