Sanding Sealer

[Oceaneer99]

Lou,

The Aero Gloss sanding sealer is clear model airplane dope with lots of talc added.  I have a jar of it that I bought at a hobby store.  Starting about the time I built the PT-10, I experimented with mixing my own.  I think the model airplane dope works really well as a base because it shrinks a bit as it dries.  However, I have successfully used clear lacquer nail polish with baby powder mixed in, which is what I used for the PT-10.  I had to add a bit of lacquer thinner after a while, since it started to get really thick.  For small models, it is great because the brush is in the cap.  For larger models, I'd go with the Aero Gloss, or try mixing some lacquer with baby powder and lacquer thinner if it needs to be thinned out a bit.  Then you can use a large, soft brush to apply it as you would any lacquer.

For the I-16, I used the nail-polish based sanding sealer on the small parts, but a spray lacquer sandable primer (used for automotive painting) in a rattle can for the fuselage and wings.  It takes many coats of that to fill, though.  I think I ended up with about 5-6 coats total, with little touch-ups and putty work in between each.  If the grain is open, like mahogany, you'll need to fill the grain first with a wash of thinned putty.

I'll put a copy of this post in the paint and finishing board.

Garet

Hi Lou,
I use Aero Gloss since it is easy to find.

Jim

[lastvautour]

Thank you Garet. I am just tired of using a full can of primer to seal even the smallest model.

Lou
P.S. I can't get clear dope locally either. This is hobby-waste-land around here.

[cliff strachan]

I've been using "SIG Sanding Sealer". It's a commercial product that seems similar to the product that Garet's describing. It's a dope based sealant that saves one from adding telc. But, in contrast to mixing your own with telcum powder, your model still will show the grain as it is transparent.

Dope has the advantage, in my opinion, of providing a degree of weight, substance and strength to light balsa models and a certain durability - at least in the case of my old models (older than I like to admit) that have stood a test of time. But the principal disadvantage is that not all paints are compatable for applying over Dope. All paints should be tested before applying over a Dope based sealant. Of course all you guys know that.

Cliff.

[teddon61]

be careful when buying sanding sealer, some have a wax base, and when used it is impossible (almost) to cover it with acrylics, the paint creeps on the surface even after copious sanding. I threw away two projects after trying a sanding sealer that a salesman told me would work, Ugh!!!
Ted Billings

[Oceaneer99]

copied from old MSN forum:

From: MSN NicknameOceaneer99  (Original Message)   Sent: 9/20/2007 10:17 PM
I copied this from another message thread:

I mixed a fair amount of baby powder (talc powder) into a jar of clear lacquer nail polish, and it seemed to work just fine on the Heinkel. I used two coats, sanded between, followed by a coat of gray lacquer primer, which makes it easier to spot imperfections.

It's handy having the brush in the bottle of "sanding sealer", but I'm not sure it would work for a larger model. You'd need to use a wider brush to get the lacquer to flow on properly. But at this tiny scale (single-place fighter at 1/288 scale), it works just fine. I also bought a bottle of white nail polish that I might be able to use instead of the spray if it's not available. They had the bottles on sale for only 60 cents each.

I need to touch up a few little spots, and use some finer sandpaper to get rid of the last of the roughness. It is very difficult to sand such a complex surface that is this small.

Garet
Seattle, WA, USA

   
Recommend     Message 2 of 2 in Discussion
From: MSN NicknameOceaneer99   Sent: 11/27/2007 11:50 AM
I tried out the nail polish + talc sealer last night. I'm working on a plywood "simple scale" model (the last one I had at the plan stage when I went on to work on other models). The plywood is 4mm luan door-skin plywood, so has some noticeable grain. I used a latex-based wood putty to fill the plywood grain.

After sanding, I applied the nail polish filler using the brush in the bottle. It seems to have worked okay, even though a wider brush would have made things easier (I have a jar of model airplane dope sanding sealer I usually use).

As with all lacquer, you have to flow it on and don't want to go back, or you'll leave brush strokes. It was dry enough after 15 minutes for me to seal the back sides of the pieces. I'll sand with P400 or P600 silicon carbide (wet or dry) sandpaper and then use a spray primer.

We're currently transitioning to metric sandpaper in the US, and it's been confusing because not all manufacturers are marking the metric grits with a "P". It doesn't matter that much until you get to the finer grits.

Garet
Seattle, Washington, USA

[Joe]

Hi, All,

This is a bit late to be sure.  However, in case you have not found a source for Aero Gloss Sanding Sealer that will post it to you, here it is:

http://www.advantagehobby.com/product.php?productid=25621&cat=461

They are now selling it for about $6 for 3 1/2 oz. and the shipping is included in that price.

Regards,

Joe