Re: Covering foam wings with balsa

There are a lot of different methods of attaching balsa to foam wings. White glue works, (yellow carpenter's glue works better) but consider some of the other methods, also. I've used double-sided carpet tape to do a partially-sheeted wing, and yes, it was pretty strong. A lot of folks use laminating epoxy, which is strong, but it can be heavy if not applied in a very thin coat. Others use contact glues such as Dave Brown's Southern Sorghum. This works, but you have to get the sheeting in place right the first time! The method that's in vogue right now are the polyurethane glues, such as ProBond polyurethane or Gorilla Glue. These glues stick just about anything to anything, cure fairly slowly, and turn into a foam as they cure. This foaming action gets the glue into every nook and cranny, making for a very strong bond. You have to sheet the wing then put it back into the shucks and weight them heavily to keep the foaming glue from pushing the sheeting away from the core.

Morris Lee

Hello > > What is the best glue to us to cover foam wings with balsa?? > I have heard that white glue painted on then dryed then heated will work is > this true and how strong is it?? > Thanks for any feedback > Don > > > > > > > >
Reply to
Morris Lee
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Don't see them in the reply here, but your post had two binary files attached . . .

Sorghum is the 'old standard' for sheeting foam, but it's pesky and you don't get a second chance - it's like contact cement.

Aliphatic resin will work as you noted, but it takes a good bit of heat to re-activate the resin and sometimes the wing skins don't fare well under the heat (they split, bow, warp, etc.).

Lotsa folks using the polyurethane expanding adhesives these days, with mixed anecdotal reports of success and abject failures.

Reply to
Fred McClellan

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