Senior Space Cadet
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- May 23, 2020
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I've tried a couple wood filling products and I'm not very impressed. They are gritty and don't spread that well. Someone suggested thinning them out with water, but the extra moisture warped my balsa fins. No one wants warped fins. Maybe there's a trick I don't know, but I don't think much of wood fillers.
Wood glue seems to work better, in my opinion, and probably adds strength to the wood too. I use a spatula or scraper to spread it.
I recently bought a product called Titebond Quick and Thick. Originally I was thinking I'd use it for construction, but it isn't as strong as wood glue. It does have better gap filling properties, so might actually be stronger in some instances. Being thicker than wood glue, it makes a really nice fillet. Since it's not as strong as wood glue, it might be best used as a second coat over a wood glue fillet. It seems to work really nicely for spreading over balsa before sanding. It doesn't do well with moisture, but I'm not sure that is much of an issue with rockets, unless you launch in the rain, and it would be under paint anyway. Dries clear. So far, it seems to be the best thing I've tried for filling balsa.
Don't remember exactly what I paid for the Quick and Thick. Probably about $5 for a large bottle, at Lowe's. I think it's worth experimenting with. Like I said, it makes a nice looking fillet, has good gap filling, doesn't run, and might make a really good wood filler for fins and it's fairly cheap.
Wood glue seems to work better, in my opinion, and probably adds strength to the wood too. I use a spatula or scraper to spread it.
I recently bought a product called Titebond Quick and Thick. Originally I was thinking I'd use it for construction, but it isn't as strong as wood glue. It does have better gap filling properties, so might actually be stronger in some instances. Being thicker than wood glue, it makes a really nice fillet. Since it's not as strong as wood glue, it might be best used as a second coat over a wood glue fillet. It seems to work really nicely for spreading over balsa before sanding. It doesn't do well with moisture, but I'm not sure that is much of an issue with rockets, unless you launch in the rain, and it would be under paint anyway. Dries clear. So far, it seems to be the best thing I've tried for filling balsa.
Don't remember exactly what I paid for the Quick and Thick. Probably about $5 for a large bottle, at Lowe's. I think it's worth experimenting with. Like I said, it makes a nice looking fillet, has good gap filling, doesn't run, and might make a really good wood filler for fins and it's fairly cheap.