Glassing a fuselage

[Cliff Harvey]

Hi Guys, I plan on glassing and epoxying my balsa covered fuselage. The curved fuselage is 1/16th balsa covered and could do with a little more strength.

I see fibreglass weights listed in grams and Oz here in the UK.

My query is what weight glass to use and who are the go-to suppliers for the glass and epoxy? 

[Mark P]

Hi

I usually usually use 50g cloth for fuselages. This is slightly lighter than 2oz cloth

My favourite supplier is Bucks Composites: https://www.bucks-composites.com/products

They do a 49g cloth which is excellent and their L285 epoxy is the stuff to use. They also do a range of brushes and rollers etc. The 2" rollers are excellent for applying the resin resin to the cloth.

Regards

Mark

[oipigface]

16 hours ago, Mark P said:

Hi

I usually usually use 50g cloth for fuselages. This is slightly lighter than 2oz cloth

My favourite supplier is Bucks Composites: https://www.bucks-composites.com/products

They do a 49g cloth which is excellent and their L285 epoxy is the stuff to use. They also do a range of brushes and rollers etc. The 2" rollers are excellent for applying the resin resin to the cloth.

Regards

Mark

I hesitate to criticise a master of the art, but 'applying resin to the cloth'?? In the first instance, I  always apply it to the wood, lay the cloth on the wood, and then use a credit card to remove excess resin. The process is described in detail on the Fighteraces website.

[wookman]

Not sure what MP’s method is but having some of his work in the flesh, it definitely works. There are many ways to skin a plane!

[Mark P]

5 hours ago, oipigface said:

I hesitate to criticise a master of the art, but 'applying resin to the cloth'?? In the first instance, I  always apply it to the wood, lay the cloth on the wood, and then use a credit card to remove excess resin. The process is described in detail on the Fighteraces website.

The object of the exercise is to wet out the cloth with the minimum amount of resin for maximum strength and minimum weight. Applying the resin to the wood first allows the balsa to soak up the resin and once the resin is into the grain the credit card will not get any excess out. Laying the the cloth over the wood first and applying the resin through the cloth allows you to apply just enough resin to wet out the cloth. I then lay kitchen roll over the the wetted out cloth to absorb any excess resin.  I use the foam rollers to apply the resin as with a lightly loaded roller you have to work it into the cloth until the the cloth has absorbed enough resin to go translucent rather than just daubing it on with a paintbrush. Doing it this way around requires considerably less resin which equals more strength and less weight.

Works for me.

[Cliff Harvey]

Thanks for the tips guys, by the way Oipigface the Fighteraces website is blocked on my pc as it's a 'dangerous website' and hence black listed!

[Phil.Taylor]

Any tips from the experts on a strategy / order of events for glassing a fus? - one side first, then the other when set? - or the whole lot at once?- and how to get the glass cloth round the compound curves on the nose section?

I've got a kit for a Krick Reiher which has a balsa planked fus - would be good to glass it for slope flying

Phil.

 

[Cliff Harvey]

Great questions Phil, also I read the 'grain' direction of the glass should be at 45 degrees for maximum strength?

[oipigface]

18 hours ago, Mark P said:

The object of the exercise is to wet out the cloth with the minimum amount of resin for maximum strength and minimum weight. Applying the resin to the wood first allows the balsa to soak up the resin and once the resin is into the grain the credit card will not get any excess out. Laying the the cloth over the wood first and applying the resin through the cloth allows you to apply just enough resin to wet out the cloth. I then lay kitchen roll over the the wetted out cloth to absorb any excess resin.  I use the foam rollers to apply the resin as with a lightly loaded roller you have to work it into the cloth until the the cloth has absorbed enough resin to go translucent rather than just daubing it on with a paintbrush. Doing it this way around requires considerably less resin which equals more strength and less weight.

Works for me.

I was right to hesitate!

[oipigface]

Just came across the FighterAces article on my machine:

glassing_article.pdf

[Mark P]

On 01/12/2024 at 21:02, Phil.Taylor said:

Any tips from the experts on a strategy / order of events for glassing a fus? - one side first, then the other when set? - or the whole lot at once?- and how to get the glass cloth round the compound curves on the nose section?

I've got a kit for a Krick Reiher which has a balsa planked fus - would be good to glass it for slope flying

Phil.

 

I glass fuselages one side at a time and and apply the cloth just past the centre line - imagine the seam line on a moulded fuse. I let the first side cure and then trim the excess cloth by lightly sanding with a sanding block and fine paper. When glassing the other side you just have to overlap it slightly and repeat the trimming procedure with a sanding block. Overlapping the cloth a bit further past the centre line on the bottom of the nose section makes the fuselage a bit more resilient if you can't always land in soft grass.

Applying glass cloth at a 45 degree bias definitely improves torsional rigidity and is it is a technique used in all quality moulded wings. It also helps with fuselages but  I don't usually bother as a lot of cloth is required. However, using 45 degree bias on the nose section can make covering the compound curves a bit simpler. Around the nose I will usually cut the cloth well over size so I can wrap it around the front and hold it in place with clothes pegs on the other side. Cutting the cloth well over size all round is beneficial as it will drape nicely over the sides and gravity stops it lifting away. I usually support the fuselage well off the bench to facilitate this. 

[Cliff Harvey]

Thanks Mark great tips, I downloaded the glassing article from Fighteraces that Oipigface posted.