fin fillets, need help

[Kehoes23]

As you can see, my fillets did not come out as good as I wanted them to, I used aeropoxy for the fillets and I put on two coats of Elmers wood filler on top, and now they just look terrable, Im not fully comited on paint yet its still in primer, is there something better that I can use for the fillets? this is such an eye sore, thanks for your advice and help

 

[neond7]

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As you can see, my fillets did not come out as good as I wanted them to, I used aeropoxy for the fillets and I put on two coats of Elmers wood filler on top, and now they just look terrable, Im not fully comited on paint yet its still in primer, is there something better that I can use for the fillets? this is such an eye sore, thanks for your advice and help

Bondo spot putty works great for me. Best to use several thin coats with sanding in between, if you put it on too thick it just cracks. I use the one you don't have to mix the hardener in with, I think the Bondo you have to mix is the "professional" one. Also, make sure you wear a dust mask when you sand so you don't have any lung problems......

Actually, yours don't look too bad, the Bondo should fix it up fine. I've never used Aerpoxy for fillets, only internal bonding since its very hard to "shape" like I want. It seems to stick to everything, its almost rubbery at times. You must have really worked hard to get them as good as they are using that stuff.

 

[Aksrockets]

Did you wrap your fillet tool (what you used to form the fillets) in sandpaper and run that along the fillets? That usually gives me a nice, smooth shape.

They don't actually look that bad.

Alex

 

[MasonH]

I usually wrap sandpaper around a dowel that is the same diameter as the fillets. It works fine for me, but thats just me.

On the bright side, it could be a lot worse.

 

[CarVac]

Perhaps I am less picky, but what exactly is wrong?

Which Aeropoxy did you use? Structural?

 

[ClayD]

fillets take some time to learn the technique that works best for what your using...

they look pretty good.

Use some automotive glazing puddy, it's a tad more durable than bondo in thin aplications where you have primer already on the fillet.
i have used it quite a bit.

some of that stuff, can be filled with primer, its how i make my fillets look good.

 

[Salvage-1]

Not bad filets at all, seen and done much worse myself!

 

[Eat, sleep, and Fly]

To be honest, I don't see the problem. They look really good!

 

[Kehoes23]

Perhaps I am less picky, but what exactly is wrong?

Which Aeropoxy did you use? Structural?

Thanks, I used structure, I guess that I'm a little picky about the fillets, I'll give it a few days then get back at it

 

[Kehoes23]

Thanks every one for the advice and support, just a little picky about the fillets, as I said in the previous post, I'll give it a few days then get back at it, thanks again

 

[oddmanrockets]

when I do my fillets I have a bowl of rubbing alcohol handy and dip my finger in it before i smooth them out with my fingertip

 

[CZ Brat]

I ditto the comments on not looking bad. I use the Bondo Glazing and Spot filler. It WILL crack. Once dry, I go over it again filling in the cracks. I also sand using a dowel the size of the fillets. I also use the IPA trick (rubbing Alchohol, 90%). Take a look at the last one I did. It cracked, but I filled them, sanded, primed, sanded, and painted. The pics are near the bottom of the thread.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?47232-Estes-Leviathan-My-first-MPR-build

 

[cgould]

FWIW,

Your fillets look much better than mine!

I'd be happy as a lark if my fillets looked that good!

:grin:

-C

 

[Kehoes23]

To be honest, I don't see the problem. They look really good!

Thank you.

 

[Kehoes23]

I ditto the comments on not looking bad. I use the Bondo Glazing and Spot filler. It WILL crack. Once dry, I go over it again filling in the cracks. I also sand using a dowel the size of the fillets. I also use the IPA trick (rubbing Alchohol, 90%). Take a look at the last one I did. It cracked, but I filled them, sanded, primed, sanded, and painted. The pics are near the bottom of the thread.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?47232-Estes-Leviathan-My-first-MPR-build

Thanks, like the paint work on your rocket

 

[Kehoes23]

I just looked at the rocket again, the fillets did turn out pretty good, I do need to do some more work on them, the paint was still wet at the time and now that it had a few days to dry they look good.
Thank you again for your help and support:smile:

 

[tstone]

View attachment 124180View attachment 124181View attachment 124182View attachment 124183
As you can see, my fillets did not come out as good as I wanted them to, I used aeropoxy for the fillets and I put on two coats of Elmers wood filler on top, and now they just look terrable, Im not fully comited on paint yet its still in primer, is there something better that I can use for the fillets? this is such an eye sore, thanks for your advice and help

Paint it blue metalflake. It cures everything. Yours look fine as is.

 

[Coop]

A bit of filler and you'll be golden-- nothing wrong with those as-is, but I dig the standards to which we hold ourselves sometimes. We all have our own internal "good enough" level.

Personally, I'd fly the Hell out of those just as they are in MOST cases.


Later!

--Coop

 

[Pantherjon]

Yeah, those fillets are absolutely horrendous.uke: Only thing to do is get out a chisel and knock them off and start all over again.

And if you believed that I have some ocean front property in Arizona I can sell you!:roll:

Those fillets look fantastic! A whale of a lot better then some fillets I have done!:clap:

 

[Kehoes23]

So, I really jumped the gun on this one, after letting the primer dry for a few days, I finally got back to work on the fillets, after some more sanding and filling and sanding and so fourth, and a coat of primer, the fillets look a heck of a lot better, I'll post some pics when the primer drys for a few hours in the sun:w::wave:

 

[Kehoes23]

so, the fillets came out looking good, I put on a few coats of primer and a few coats of white paint

 

[REK]

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so, the fillets came out looking good, I put on a few coats of primer and a few coats of white paint

Nice work on the fillets. Im still trying to get my fillets on my Mariah 54 to blend in. Was forced to use orange spray paint as primer. Sands like if it were sandable primer. Maybe just one more heavy coat should do the trick. Is your rocket a Super DX3 by Madcow or a custom build?

 

[Kehoes23]

Nice work on the fillets. Im still trying to get my fillets on my Mariah 54 to blend in. Was forced to use orange spray paint as primer. Sands like if it were sandable primer. Maybe just one more heavy coat should do the trick. Is your rocket a Super DX3 by Madcow or a custom build?

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Yes it's a Madcow super dx3, check out my build thread at Madcow 4" fiberglass super dx3 build thread

 

[REK]

Yes it's a Madcow super dx3, check out my build thread at Madcow 4" fiberglass super dx3 build thread

I checked out your thread and I got to say Im most impressed on how you used the Baby powder on the Aeropoxy to make it into a peanut butter consistancy. Thats why I kept wondering how your fillets turned out so great. Keep up the good work.