Bram,
As usual, I try to figure out something on my own and then learn from you the
best, tried and true solution....lol. I spoke to Bill and Tony at Forte when
I had my mast track fixed and they recommended painting the mast with varnish
or 2-part poly paint. But I had decided to follow your suggestion for the
105/207 approach.
I worked on the lower mast section to experiment with sanding and 105/207
epoxy. I was concerned with sanding the mylar wrap too far, so I sanded down
until the dimples were small and finished roughing up with the red Scotch
Bright
pads. To sand, I used 100 grit 3M sticky back long board paper stuck to the
inside of a one foot section of 2-1/2" ID cardboard mailing tube, sliding it up
and down the length of the lower mast section. Before the first coat of
epoxy, I wiped the surface with acetone and used gloves to handle the section.
It
took four thin coats applied with a brush, with sanding each inbetween, to
fill the remaining dimples, so now I wonder if I have added too much weight and
thickness to the mast. For the upper mast section and the boom, I'll try your
rougher grit, orbital sander approach and one coat foam roller application.
I guess that I was too concerned with cutting thru the mylar wrap.
For the boom, I have sanded down to small dimples in the mylar and started
the hardware holes and mainsheet platform installation. I had to reinforce a
couple of areas with s-glass/423 graphite/peel ply where the mounting holes are
close to the end of the boom, such as the main sheet block at the forward end.
My plan is to finish the surface with one coat mix of 105/207, 406 silica
and 423 graphite powder and peel-ply, for the black textured surface that I saw
on your 002 boom. How has that peel-ply finish held up for you on the 002
boom? Do you recommend that approach? Let me know before I blunder down that
path.
Bill Scheumann
USA020 and USA040
|