Have to say, I haven't gotten my Jan 7 MA yet, so I can't comment on Phil's article. But in general, the idea is you give the airframe 2-4 coats of clear, sand, cover with wet silkspan (or dry CF depending on the area - can't put CF over open bays). Usually, I just seal the edges of the wet silkspan with dope and let it dry. Then one coat of full shrink dope then 3 or 4 more of non-taunting dope. All coats after this are done with non-taunting dope.Sand, then go back and sand it again. Check for thin spots and possibly hit those areas with a bit more dope and sand again. Then a coat of fillercoat. I use either talc or zinc-sterate (Randy Smith's Aero-1 is pretty cool stuff) mixed in clear dope with a bit of gray dope to give it a bit of color and make it easier when sanding. Then, big surprise, it's sanding time again. Go back and hit low spots with more fillercoat and sand some more. When you're happy with it, another coat of clear to seal things up.

At this point, some will paint silver dope on to highlight low spots that can be filled. Once you do that and are happy with the surface, another coat of clear and it's time for color.

Everything past the silkspan covering, I use a spray gun to apply all material, but that's me. And remember, no finish is ever really done, just abandoned.

Mark,

It is a good point and I keep it in mind when finishing. Sometimes it depends on the amount of time I have to complete a plane. But when time is not a constraint, you have to evaluate when you reach the point of dimishing returns. I have said to myself before, "well, that's as good as I can make it" at various stages of the finish process. As time goes on and experience accumulates, that point moves farther down the line, but I've yet to build a perfect plane. No where near. I've had a few finishes that I felt were acceptable and a couple that I was relatively proud of, but none that I felt couldn't have been better. Sometimes a lot better. And like you, I know where every flaw is.

another method, use wax and grease remover, it wont bead , so gives the gloss effect without rippling like water can due to surface tension differences. Also immediatly after spraying sealer or primer, typically there is enough gloss to do the same thing.