this warning can't be taken serious enough. any time you are using a lot of CA you have to be EXTREMELY careful. do not lean over it, do not breather over it, the fumes are nasty. just leaning over it can burn your eyes.Yes, CA is the first thing that goes on. And this may go without saying but: Perform this operation in a well ventilated area (outside even). Keep the piece at arms length until the CA dries as the fumes created are quite unpleasant to the eyes, nose, and throat.
Could some one please explain how to use CA to harden a NC ? Do I use wood filler first? The balsa seems very soft to me so I need to do something .Thanks
Now that I think about it... I seem to remember that someone used a rotisserie-like setup to evenly apply epoxy to their balsa NC's. I'd be interested in adapting that for CA.
I can't really see why... basically the balsa "drinks in" the CA as fast as you apply it until it's saturated/cured to the point it won't accept any more... and what's left dries in a couple minutes...
I could see the use of such a setup with slow-curing epoxy, but CA... nah...
Whatever floats your boat though I guess...
Later! OL JR
Nasty Nose Cone says to Sis': "Don't worry Sis', we'll get you fixed up, then we can call you the Bondo Balsa Bimbo."
You can thin epoxy with lacquer thinner to a near water like thickness and soak it into the balsa. The epoxy won't start working until the lacquer thinner evaporates. The mixture will penetrate deep. After sanding a second coat of epoxy finishes off the job.
I'm going to try that next time I do a Balsa Cone, Thanks.
On my Semroc "Retro-Repro" Blue Bird Zero, I used the CA on the Nose, but I also built it with the Stock Recovery System, meaning the Shock Cord was not long enough. On its second Flight the Nose Cone rebounded into the Mouth of the Body Tube, leaving a nice Dent in the Nose.
I was able to fill it, the Body Tube is fine and I'll lengthen the Cord with extra Kevlar before it flies again, but I was surprised that the Balsa dented so easily.
I find that the CA produces a shell that can be sanded to a very smooth finish, but that it doesn't penetrate very far. It cures very quickly when it comes in contact with the wood and it seals it up. I also find that the resulting shell of CA isn't very tough and doesn't handle impacts well.
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I recommend odorless thin CA. It's a lot easier on the nose and sinuses.
But what I wanna know is why Sis doesn't SAY anything....
Have you got another one up your sleeve?
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