How to Make a Good Fillet Sander
04-22-2006, 10:59 AM
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How to Make a Good Fillet Sander
We all know about wrapping sandpaper around a dowel, right? Well, that method sucks, frankly - particularly when using smaller dowels. You can make the dowel handle longer but that won't necessarily work when you need to be working flush with the surface, such as wing fillets.
You can make a half dozen different sizes of these in an hour and you'll love them. They'll last a long time too.
[link=http://www.airfieldmodels.com/information_source/how_to_articles_for_model_builders/tools/make_a_fillet_sander/index.htm]Make a Good Fillet Sander[/link]
You can make a half dozen different sizes of these in an hour and you'll love them. They'll last a long time too.
[link=http://www.airfieldmodels.com/information_source/how_to_articles_for_model_builders/tools/make_a_fillet_sander/index.htm]Make a Good Fillet Sander[/link]
04-22-2006, 01:48 PM
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RE: How to Make a Good Fillet Sander
My pleasure, Ken. I'm one of those guys who tries every way there is - usually starting with the hardest and working my way to something simple that works. I'm trying to save other folks the same pain. 
04-25-2006, 03:06 PM
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RE: How to Make a Good Fillet Sander
Excellent!! [sm=thumbup.gif][sm=thumbup.gif]
BTW, what's a good source for chopped fiberglass, and what's a good type to start with?
Cheers!
Jim
BTW, what's a good source for chopped fiberglass, and what's a good type to start with?
Cheers!
Jim
04-26-2006, 06:56 AM
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RE: How to Make a Good Fillet Sander
Jim - I bought the jar of chopped glass I have from a hobby shop when I was stationed in Germany. I've seen them sold by various places that sell composite materials, but I can't give you a source off hand.
It doesn't take much though. For a half ounce of fiberglass you only need a pinch of the stuff. If you take a piece of 2" x 2" fiberglass and cut it up with scissors you'll have plenty. The strands in fiberglass cloth are actually many strands. When you mix the stuff the strands will come apart and thicken the epoxy a lot.
Check the links at Mike James' NextCraft site: http://www.nextcraft.com/rclinks.html
It doesn't take much though. For a half ounce of fiberglass you only need a pinch of the stuff. If you take a piece of 2" x 2" fiberglass and cut it up with scissors you'll have plenty. The strands in fiberglass cloth are actually many strands. When you mix the stuff the strands will come apart and thicken the epoxy a lot.
Check the links at Mike James' NextCraft site: http://www.nextcraft.com/rclinks.html
04-26-2006, 07:07 AM
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RE: How to Make a Good Fillet Sander
PS. I don't recommend that you make fillets using epoxy and chopped fiberglass as standard practice. The reason I did it is because this is a profile model that has very little bonding area between the wing and the fuselage. I also need to ship the model without the wing attached and didn't want the fillet to be too easily damaged.
