Dope and Balsa Dust

[Mike Griffin]

I have found that mixing balsa dust and unthinned dope (i use Nitrate but I guess Butyrate would work to) makes a great filler for dings in your wood.   I just save the dust and put it in a empty yougurt cup and mix enough dope with it to make a paste.  If you haven't tried it, give it a shot. 

Mike

[Paul Taylor]

Great tip Mike.
I use to use Amroid but I'm sure that was not a good thing. 😁

[Larry Renger]

This is for ding repairs after a couple of coats of dope? Yes? I would think that if used on raw balsa, the hardness difference would be a problem. Basically a very good idea if used properly, thanks for the tip. 

[Gerald Arana]

Mike,

We did that waaaaay back in the '50's.  And yes, I still do it if need be. 

Only difference is I use thinned dope..........sands easier.

Jerry

[Balsa Butcher]

Actually, I prefer using Ambroid for this technique. Has more body than dope and sands easier than Sig-ment. However, my balsa dust is kept in a previously used cream cheese container, like having a top that can be closed to avoid the inevitable tip over and subsequent spillage.  

[Mike Griffin]

Larry I have always used it after I have doped a wood surface and dinged it up.  I never did it on just raw balsa...it might work OK but not sure.  I am sure that if you use thinned dope it would work too, I have just always used straight uncut dope.  It really does make a neat repair and is the same color of the wood around it and that is a good thing...

Mike

[Motorman]

You guys eat allot of dairy.


MM

[Larry Borden]

I use Dap Dry-Dex. Dries white and sands easy.

[david beazley]

I keep my balsa dust on the work bench and floor.  It's much easier to find that way.

[Randy Powell]

The thing you have to think about is shrinkage. Use of uncatalyzed glazing compounds, things like Dap and related fillers you get from Home Depot or whatever and the like is that they shrink. A lot. It can cause cracking, problems with adhesion and all kinds of problems down the road. Dope and balsa dust is fine on previously painted surfaces (as noted). Not so great on bare wood. Personally, I use a catalyzed compound like Evercoat or Dolphin Glaze. It doesn't ever shrink, doesn't present adhesion problems and sand very, very easily.

[Larry Borden]

Been using Dap for several years and haven't had any of the problems mentioned. I use Super-fil for fillets and haven't had any problems there either. And it sands easily.
Maybe I'm doing something wrong if I haven't had any of the problems mentioned. lol

[Peter Grabenstein]

For small dings I put a few drops of water on the spot let it dry overnight and sand it again.
I think this would work on bigger dings + a little more water ,I never had,too.

  Peter

[Will Hinton]

For small dings I put a few drops of water on the spot let it dry overnight and sand it again.
I think this would work on bigger dings + a little more water ,I never had,too.

  Peter

If you want to accelerate the process, rub the water in and then heat it with your heat gun.  The wood will swell back to the surface around it.  I even use this technique on hardwoods.

[john e. holliday]

I just did all the gaps on my newest project with Poly-Fil and there will be hardly any sanding to do.   Also had some areas which I did the spackel compound on with no problems.

[Larry Renger]

In my experience, Spackle swells a bit when you paint dope over it. Anyone else had that problem?

[Randy Powell]

Larry B, go with what works for you. I've had lots of problems with that stuff so I steer away from it.

[Serge_Krauss]

I use a technique someone mentioned long ago on SSWF: white vinegar over dents. I think it works a bit better than water. I've also found that dents incurred after finishing and/or covering often disappear or are at least diminished by rubbing the vinegar in through a pin hole. If the dent is really harsh, I like the balsa dust technique, although I have had success patching, before any doping has been done. Sometimes this is thin surface patching, but the adhesives do cause uneven sanding. It doesnt take much time to actually cut away a small surface section and glue in a like (accurately)-shaped patch. Surface sanding takes care of the blemish. 'lots of ways to deal with individual problems. Keep those helpful hints coming!

SK

[Steve Thomas]

I just put a bit of water on the dent and use a hot iron on it.  There's a sizzling noise and the dent vanishes.  So far it's worked perfectly every time for me (which is quite a lot, 'cos I'm clumsy and always putting dents in things).

[George]

Mike,

We did that waaaaay back in the '50's.  And yes, I still do it if need be. 

Only difference is I use thinned dope..........sands easier.

Jerry 

 

Also used a very thick mix with nitrate as fillets. Back in the 50's SIG used to sell round boxes of balsa dust for this purpose. Used to add my own dust to the box to make it last longer. :-)

George

[Curare]

I have to admit, I've never been a fan of the dope and balsa dust trick as a filler. The main reason being that the balsa dust I collect is probably crap.

The place where it collects in enough quantity to make this worthwhile is around my old drememl scroll saw. It's not an ideal medium as it's full of ply dust, sometimes maple dust and carbon fibre dust and whatever else I've been using the sanding wheel for.

It usually ends up and inconsistent glob, which doesn't sand the same as the rest of the model.

Like most of the guys on here, I prefer not to fill, by taking care of the model with pillows, and blankets on the workebench after I've started to final shape. Inevitably you'll get some dings, and if you're like me (a spaz) you'll make more than your fair share. Some can be removed with a simple lick, others will get the water and iron treatment. I still ahve to try that vinegar technique though!

The only thing that gets filler on my planes is fillets. The rest is generally made from balsa. (even fillets sometimes!)

[John Park]

I've used dope and balsa dust for fillets plenty of times, and it works well for me: my preference is for non-shrinking dope, or  sanding sealer.  In the old days when planking was a common technique (before we learned how to mould sheet to a curve), I was so rotten at it that I invariably had to use the old trick of squeezing cement into the gaps and immediately sanding over them.  This created its own cement/balsa dust filler, and turned a terrible job into a half-way acceptable one.
On a lighter note, AeroModeller once asked for suggestions as to uses for balsa dust: they received one that read simply: 'Head filler for combat modellers'...!
Happy Christmas to one and all.

John

[Larry Fernandez]

In my experience, Spackle swells a bit when you paint dope over it. Anyone else had that problem?

Yes it will swell. and it will bubble at the wing fillets.
Which is why I haven't used this stuff in twenty or so years.

Id be willing to bet that of of the front row finishers use a spackle product of any kind.

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

[Howard Rush]

I use a technique someone mentioned long ago on SSWF: white vinegar over dents.

Not balsamic vinegar?

[Randy Cuberly]

Not balsamic vinegar?

No Howard.  It attracts too many flies! 

Randy Cuberly

[George Hostler]

I've found synthetic spackling to work well for filling dents and imperfections in balsa. It's a snowy white, light weight and different than regular spackling. Minor dings sometimes don't require filling, will come out with a simple wetting with water and hit with a covering iron.