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Was it the Florida humidity? Maybe too much wood filler? Any way to flatten them back out? I, I mean my friend, put weights on them all night with no effect.
They're 1/8" plywood. Heavily sealed with DAP Plastic Wood filler and CA along leading edge with 1/4" of CA around outer and trailing edges. I'm seriously depressed right now.Balsa, basswood, plywood?
if one of the first two, you might try spraying them with Windex w/ammonia. It relaxes the lignin in the wood fibers and allows you to bend the wood more easily. Once straight (or a touch more in the other direction to account for any ‘spring back’ allow the fins to dry. You might also try sandwiching them between two flat surfaces and allow them to dry.
Only concern is whether the filler will allow the Windex to penetrate the wood fibers.
Hope you can true them up...
Even with the grains filled and sanded?Windex is also my trick. But I have clamped them before in something flat and put them in front of a heat source.
Have never done filled and sanded. Might have to sand down to the grain is windex will not penetrate.Even with the grains filled and sanded?
I can sand most of it off then apply the Windex. Then clamp it to a flat surface real tight. I should use heat after that? I don't have a heat gun, but I have a space heater that will singe your leg hairs. I could put them in front of that...Assuming it is what I think it is, the wood filler is quite porous and there's only a very thin layer of it there. I would expect the Windex to penetrate just fine.
It might also kind of dissolve the wood filler and remove it, though (i.e. you'll need to wipe it off and re-fill afterwards).
Does Windex help with plywood?
It worked! I sanded all the filler off, then sprayed both sides with a little windex. Then I clamped them down as pictured to a granite cutting board and put them in front of a space heater. I checked it after 15 minutes, and it was damn near fixed. So I flipped it over for a little longer and it's perfect!Assuming it is what I think it is, the wood filler is quite porous and there's only a very thin layer of it there. I would expect the Windex to penetrate just fine.
It might also kind of dissolve the wood filler and remove it, though (i.e. you'll need to wipe it off and re-fill afterwards).
Does Windex help with plywood?
Is there any reason I can't coat these in CA and sand it smooth?Suggestion for future wood fins - glass them with lightweight fiberglass cloth and vacuum seal them on a piece of acrylic. You strengthen, add rigidity and seal the wood all in one step. You need to own a vacuum sealer, but other than that, the process takes about 10 minutes and the next morning you have perfectly sealed and smooth fins.
Is there any reason I can't coat these in CA and sand it smooth?
I really like how your tubes came out. Is there much sanding afterwards? Do you think the sealer would pull enough vacuum to do big tubes?
ToxicityThats a lot of CA
That's why I've mostly switched over to fumeless BSI SuperGold, despite it's higher cost. I can work comfortably with it indoors.Toxicity
The fumes from cyanoacrylate are a vaporized form of the cyanoacrylate monomer that irritate the sensitive mucous membranes of the respiratory tract (i.e., eyes, nose, throat, and lungs). They are immediately polymerized by the moisture in the membranes and become inert. These risks can be minimized by using cyanoacrylate in well-ventilated areas. About 5% of the population can become sensitized to cyanoacrylate fumes after repeated exposure, resulting in flu-like symptoms.[31] Cyanoacrylate may also be a skin irritant, causing an allergic skin reaction. The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) assign a threshold limit value exposure limit of 200 parts per billion. On rare occasions, inhalation may trigger asthma. There is no singular measurement of toxicity for all cyanoacrylate adhesives because of the large number of adhesives that contain various cyanoacrylate formulations.
I just did it outdoors and stayed upwind. Had the fin can supported on the cradle. Never caught a whiff. Used gloves, though. Of course, I live in south Florida and it was 73 degrees last night.Toxicity
The fumes from cyanoacrylate are a vaporized form of the cyanoacrylate monomer that irritate the sensitive mucous membranes of the respiratory tract (i.e., eyes, nose, throat, and lungs). They are immediately polymerized by the moisture in the membranes and become inert. These risks can be minimized by using cyanoacrylate in well-ventilated areas. About 5% of the population can become sensitized to cyanoacrylate fumes after repeated exposure, resulting in flu-like symptoms.[31] Cyanoacrylate may also be a skin irritant, causing an allergic skin reaction. The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) assign a threshold limit value exposure limit of 200 parts per billion. On rare occasions, inhalation may trigger asthma. There is no singular measurement of toxicity for all cyanoacrylate adhesives because of the large number of adhesives that contain various cyanoacrylate formulations.
Good stuff on FG, mtnmanak. What paints did you use on the orange rocket and the green LOC IV?
Those were regular Rustoleum fluorescent orange and green you can find at Walmart. One thing I learned about those paints is that they are ultra flat. Like ceiling paint. So, the decals didn't stick to them at all. If you use the Rusto fluorescent paints, give it one or two gloss clear coats, then decal, then finish with 3 or more clear coats in whichever finish you want.
The only fluorescent gloss paints I could find were true automotive paints (the kind you mix and shoot with a compressor gun) and I am not setup to do that.
For FG, I have pretty much gone to DupliColor Engine Paint from the automotive store and their Engine Clear Coat. Those paints seems to handle "Mach rash" better for high speed flights:
View attachment 450139
Thanks for the details and info, and super-looking Brightstar!
I'm a fan of fluorescents and am building a set of upscaled Estes Beta (TK-45) rockets and planning to paint them in fluorescent colors. I've had limited success with fluorescent paints to date. I typically start with white automotive primer, then spray (always rattle can for me) on the fluorescent paint over that. I've also found fluoro's to be flat, and have yet to put a clear coat over them. I'll have to try that on my current builds, as I have decal sets for each upscale.
Cheers!
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