Building Tips and technical articles. > Building techniques
Blue Fillet Material
Howard Rush:
Having spent the last few hours with the blue — um — stuff about which so many express enthusiasm, I offer my considered conclusion: it is awful and it sucks. The emperor has no clothes.
Dan McEntee:
Sorry about that bub. I have never used he blue-un-stuff either. The finish cure epoxy and micro balloons has always worked well for me.
Hang in there and keep pitching!
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee
Dennis Nunes:
--- Quote from: Howard Rush on May 01, 2021, 04:56:52 PM ---Having spent the last few hours with the blue — um — stuff about which so many express enthusiasm, I offer my considered conclusion: it is awful and it sucks. The emperor has no clothes.
--- End quote ---
What issues are you having? I've used it on my last 5 planes with no problems. I use it just like Bob Hunt showed, tape the edges, lay it in thick with a popsicle stick (make sure there is no air bubbles), remove the excess using a stainless steel cake stylus tool dipped in alcohol. Then wait about 30-45 minutes and remove the tape, then smooth out with alcohol. Once cured, some very light sanding mostly to roughen up the surface for the dope to stick. Perfect every time.
It sure beats using polyester resin with micro-balloons that I used 40 years ago!
Dennis
Jim Svitko:
Are you referring to Super Fil? If so, what is wrong with it? It might be a bit difficult to spread but other than that it is far better than the Epoxolite I used in the past. The Super Fil hardens much faster than Epoxolite and sands much easier. I use MEK substitute to help spread it.
I never used micro balloons so I can't compare anything to micro balloons. As long as the Super Fil is doing the job for me I see no reason to use anything else.
Steve Dwyer:
The old saying goes "if it ain't broke don't touch it", I guess that sort of applies here.
I have always been curious about what others are using to make fillets while I continue to use epoxy with micro balloons. I get great results using Bob Smith Industries 30 min mixed with micro balloons to a stiff consistency. I have tried the tape border idea but prefer to simply lay a bead into the crotch using a wire dragging the mix along. Then I wet an index finger with Naptha and drag it through the fillet. Naptha is less volatile than most dry solvents so it gives you the time for the lubrication needed to create the fillet shape. Keeping the finger wet you can build the fillet to the depth you want depending on the wing, stab or rudder size. Add more to build out or press into the remove any excess, drag along the edges to remove any excess. No tape lines to contend with and you can drag it completely around the LE and TE as desired. As it begins to set you can go back and touch up or shape any areas you wish.
But here's my concern with B.E. epoxy, you can't sand it to remove material if you have left too much. You can rough the surface with with 150 for the primer to bite but it's HEAVY.
So what more preferred? Is Epoxolite and micro-balloons easier to use, sand able and lighter? Pros and cons comparisons?
Windy's recently posted 1987 Nobler series showed him using DAP spackling for the fillets and for touch ups. I tried the DAP years back and had terrible results, it applied nice and sanded well, problem was the paint lifted even after ample coats of clear. My experience with off-the-shelf Home Depot materials for modeling is a no no.
Steve
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