Superfill?

[Bob Reeves]

Replacing the canopy on an older stunt ship and discovered I was out of Epoxolite. Have always used Epoxolite and like it because I know how it works and all the tricks. I have some Superfill I bought a few years ago but have never used. Have a few questions.

Any problems because it's quite old, haven't tried to open the containers yet.
Does it smooth out like Epoxolite with a finger dipped in water/alcohol?

Thanks...

[Jim Svitko]

I was an Epoxolite fan until I tried Superfil.  Epoxolite was getting expensive and now I believe it has been discontinued.  No problem because I prefer the Superfil.

I can't say if the age of your Superfil will make it useless.  Mix a small batch and see how it goes.  The directions on my jars say to stir each part well after long storage before mixing the two parts.

I like the fact that Superfil sets up in about 12 hours.  Epoxolite took much longer, maybe two full days, to set up to where it could be sanded without balling up.  The Superfil is easier to sand than Epoxolite.  It produces a nice, smooth finish.

As far as smoothing it out, you need MEK or the new MEK substitute.  This is one area where Epoxolite was better, at least for me.  Superfil does not smooth out with the finger, or some other item, dipped in the MEK as well as Epoxolite with water.  Maybe I just need to get a better technique but for now I can live with it.

Another thing about Superfil is the mix ratio:  it is 2 to 1 by weight or volume.  Epoxolite was 1 to 1 and easier to guess.  Just get equal size blobs.  For Superfil, I use the kitchen measuring spoons and level out what I need on the spoon for each part.  For me, without the measuring spoons, it is hard to guess the 2 to 1 ratio just by looking at blobs on a mixing board.

It may be hard to give up on an old friend but new things come along all the time.  I was hesitant about the Superfil at first but enough guys who have used it convinced me to try it.

[Randy Powell]

I use denatured alcohol to smooth it. Works fine. Best, lightest filler I've ever used. But it is blue.

[tom brightbill]

One thing to keep an eye out for with Super Fill is that Part B (the white jar) will separate out when sitting. You will see a brownish oil looking fluid at the bottom of the jar. Amazingly enough, once you stir the jar back into a consistent paste, it mixes with the blue component easier and after application flows out for nice fillets. Of course I learned this the hard way--.

[Howard Rush]

I was an Epoxolite fan until I tried Superfil.

So was I, and I still am.

[john e. holliday]

I am sold on Super-fil also.  I'm not the most at measuring it for accuracy.   If you do a search on here you will find it best to smooth it with tools you make.  Mix only enough to do a wing filet at a time.  Mine starts getting hard to smooth after about 30 minutes.  As stated stir both parts before measuring.

[Jim Svitko]

One thing to keep an eye out for with Super Fill is that Part B (the white jar) will separate out when sitting. You will see a brownish oil looking fluid at the bottom of the jar. Amazingly enough, once you stir the jar back into a consistent paste, it mixes with the blue component easier and after application flows out for nice fillets. Of course I learned this the hard way--.

Agree with that.  I noticed the brownish layer and stirred it but have not used it since. But, it is much "creamier" (softer?) now and it should mix and spread easier.  The blue part (Part A) also separates.  I noticed a darker blue layer at the bottom of the jar and stirred it as well.

[bill bischoff]

Jim, why not 3 equal blobs, 2 blue and 1 white? 

[Mark Scarborough]

if it is being argumentative when stirring the parts before measuring,, 4 or 5 seconds in the mocrowave helps soften it enough to stir better,, ,,
Like Randy, I use alchohol on my finger to smooth

[Jim Svitko]

Jim, why not 3 equal blobs, 2 blue and 1 white? 

Yes, that would work.  Maybe it is faster than using the measuring spoons.  I like the measuring spoons for accuracy.  I don't know how Superfil quality is affected if the mixing ratio is not accurate. I know that at times the Epoxolite I used did not set up to max hardness.  Maybe I was off on the blob size as I never measured, just eyeballed it.  Or, it was an old batch and should have been discarded.

[Mike Griffin]

Hi Bob

I have used Super fil that was a couple of years old that worked just fine.  I have found that the stuff is pretty forgiving as far as getting exact portions of each.  I just use a small paper plate and dip out as close as my eye will judge what I need and I have never had problems with it hardening properly.  I let it sit overnight and sand the next day.  I pour out a little rubbing alcohol into an expoxy cup and just dip my finger in it to smooth out the material.  When I do wing fillets with it, I tape off the width on both the fuselage and wing to the size of fillet i want and then apply the Super Fil with a popsicle stick and then dip my finger in the alcohol and smooth the fillet to where it looks good.  I then immediately remove the tape and dip my finger in the alcohol again and feather the edges of the fillet.  When it dries you can sand it smooth.

Some people JB Weld a ball bearing to a dowel and use that to smooth with but I think that is really not necessary, your fingers work just fine.

Mike

[Andrew Hathaway]

Doesn't the label say to measure parts A and B by weight?  I always just set my mixing cup on my digital scale, hit tare to zero the scale, then add enough of the one to read 1 gram, then add enough of the second part to read 3 grams.  Instant 1:2 ratio within the tolerance of the scale.  Never had a problem with the Superfil not setting up.  There's a mostly unused order of Epoxolite somewhere around the bench, but I haven't used it since I tried Superfil.  Not that there's anything wrong with the Epoxolite, but the Superfil comes in such a large quantity I'll struggle to use it all before it goes bad on the shelf.

[Bill Little]

Bob Hunt told me about Superfil years ago.  I have not used anything else since then for all my fillets.  It's not critical on mix ratio, hardens just fine, smooths out easily.  It is produced for Homebuilt full size airplanes, I think it is strong enough for our use.

BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM

[Larry Borden]

I've been using SuperFil for a few years. I always make it a point to stir both parts before measuring out. I use my finger dipped in water to smooth the fillets out. Works for me. I wait until the next day to do any sanding, to make sure it has cured.