Thought I'd open a new Thread on the LOSER's snout. Possibly share some info and other's info on shapping model snouts.

I'm sure it's not every day someone takes a profile model then builds a "built up" fuselage around it? Well, a scratch built one anyway.

Nothing really complicated but possibly a tad different than having a solid block set up and sanded to the likes of the spinner, as is the typical construction methods.

In this case, because I'm using stringers over formers to shape the fuselage, I need two things. I need a plywood nose ring and a ring of balsa behind it, recessed in diameter, to except the thickness of the stringers. Plus, glue works better with balsa to balsa? CA?

Accomplished easily actually. Rough cut plywood nose ring and oversize balsa ring, both .125'' thick.

Ten minutes of eyeball sanding and the ply nose ring is shaped. Adhesive backed sand paper on a metal rule sands away the balsa to the dept needed behind the ply nose ring to except fuselage stringers.

The balsa nose ring is glued in place, but the ply nose ring is not epoxied in place as of yet. The nose ring will be epoxied after all fuselage stringers are put in place.

The ply ring doesn't move during sanding because it's sandwitched between sandpaper.

I have only one spinner and elect not to scratch it up while shaping the rings. So, I have a donor backplate that I'm using for this.

The spinner backplate is wrapped with copper tape. Works much better than masking tape, which would have to be replaced a few times.

Here's my efforts to date while I wait for custom HDWE from Tom Morris.

Charles

Where do you get the copper tape? I still have a little bit of lead tape, but of course you can't buy it anymore. Nice stuff for putting a bit more flex into a CF fishing rod that's too stiff to cast a light lure. Gots to "load the tip".  Steve

Steve,

The art stain glass builders use it. i.e. leaded glass. They take a strip and place it around each piece of glass then solder them together.

This tape is sticky back. Available at any craft store or on line. Stain glass supplies.

Charles