Thanks @FoamyDM - that's very much the understanding I'm having about all this and hope to prove out a solution that doesn't fry my ESCs
I did the sanding on all the remaining pieces, and got started on the next fiberglass sections last night.
Bottom of the right wing section and the nose hatch.
I also finished up my bottles of the Famowood epoxy resin and have open up some from East Coast Resin. I'm using their Crystal Clear formula as purchased from eBay at $20 for 32 ounces, but they also sell direct from their own website (couple bucks cheaper, but shipping is extra so it balances out). I'm very happy with it so far (just two panels done with it but all is good)
https://eastcoastresin.com/t/epoxy-resin-kits
The resin is a little thicker in the bottle compared to the hardener so it helps to let it sit under a hot water faucet for a couple minutes before pouring into the measuring cups. It's still a one to one by volume mixing ratio so that's easy to deal with. I use two "single use" measuring cups - one for each part - to make sure it's the right amount. It mixes nicely - I use jumbo craft or popsicle sticks in disposable plastic cups for this step.
Spreads very well too - I pour out a little puddle and starting from the center of the surface - with soft pressure on a gift card - spread it out making sure it's fully saturating the fiberglass. Then after waiting 30 seconds or so I use the same card with more pressure to start squeezing out the excess epoxy and spreading it further out across the fiberglass.
Finally I come back for a third pass using just a little more scraping pressure to make sure all the extra epoxy is spread out evenly. When it's done right, there are no puddles of epoxy left on the surface and when it dries it will have a slightly bumpy texture of the fiberglass - not like a smooth puddle. This is important as puddles of epoxy don't sand well at all, and it usually becomes easier to just add spackle filler on top to deal with any ripples of excess epoxy. Ask me how I know. So spread the epoxy thin in a couple passes to avoid this problem.
And of course for anyone who hasn't done this type of work before, don't forget your latex or neoprene disposable gloves. You will get drips of stuff on your hands, and it makes moving things and the whole workspace messy. Be a happy modeler - use a plastic drop cloth to protect your work area and buy a box of disposable gloves. And don't be shy about switching gloves in the middle of working if you start making sticky fingerprints on stuff or pulling the fiberglass mat with sticky fingers.
I did the sanding on all the remaining pieces, and got started on the next fiberglass sections last night.
Bottom of the right wing section and the nose hatch.
I also finished up my bottles of the Famowood epoxy resin and have open up some from East Coast Resin. I'm using their Crystal Clear formula as purchased from eBay at $20 for 32 ounces, but they also sell direct from their own website (couple bucks cheaper, but shipping is extra so it balances out). I'm very happy with it so far (just two panels done with it but all is good)
https://eastcoastresin.com/t/epoxy-resin-kits
The resin is a little thicker in the bottle compared to the hardener so it helps to let it sit under a hot water faucet for a couple minutes before pouring into the measuring cups. It's still a one to one by volume mixing ratio so that's easy to deal with. I use two "single use" measuring cups - one for each part - to make sure it's the right amount. It mixes nicely - I use jumbo craft or popsicle sticks in disposable plastic cups for this step.
Spreads very well too - I pour out a little puddle and starting from the center of the surface - with soft pressure on a gift card - spread it out making sure it's fully saturating the fiberglass. Then after waiting 30 seconds or so I use the same card with more pressure to start squeezing out the excess epoxy and spreading it further out across the fiberglass.
Finally I come back for a third pass using just a little more scraping pressure to make sure all the extra epoxy is spread out evenly. When it's done right, there are no puddles of epoxy left on the surface and when it dries it will have a slightly bumpy texture of the fiberglass - not like a smooth puddle. This is important as puddles of epoxy don't sand well at all, and it usually becomes easier to just add spackle filler on top to deal with any ripples of excess epoxy. Ask me how I know. So spread the epoxy thin in a couple passes to avoid this problem.
And of course for anyone who hasn't done this type of work before, don't forget your latex or neoprene disposable gloves. You will get drips of stuff on your hands, and it makes moving things and the whole workspace messy. Be a happy modeler - use a plastic drop cloth to protect your work area and buy a box of disposable gloves. And don't be shy about switching gloves in the middle of working if you start making sticky fingerprints on stuff or pulling the fiberglass mat with sticky fingers.
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