Guide to Strengthening a foam model

Guide to Strengthen a foam model with Bucks-Composites modern building materials of high strength and lightness.

Items needed:-

• Foam Model to be covered ‘FLYCAT’ EDF which was purchased from www.rapidrcmodels.com.
• Bucks Formula 50 Resin and Hardener 420g foam friendly (Bucks-Composites)
• Sanding Pads x5 (Bucks-Composites)
• Metal Handle brushes for touching up x5 (Bucks-Composites)
• ½” Bucks Synthetic Coating brush x2 (Bucks-Composites)
• 1” Bucks Synthetic Coating brush x2 (Bucks-Composites)
• Epoxy Resin Spreaders used to apply filler to model (Bucks-Composites / Model Shop)
• Dust Mask (Bucks-Composites)
• Protective gloves (Bucks-Composites)
• 60ml Graduated mixing pots with spatula’s, 2 packs of 5 (Bucks-Composites)
• Brush cleaner (IPA or Methanol)

Health and safety Note: Operate in well ventilated flame free area and use vinyl gloves whilst handling epoxy resins.

What’s in the box? A few bits of foam & some hardware.

And decals!

Notice the moulding pip marks.

More injection marks found on the whole of the model, Sand away with a sanding pad found on the Bucks-Composites web-site. Most of the plane needs to be sanded smooth which doesn’t take long if using a sanding pad.

Please wear a dust mask when sanding.

Dust masks can be found on the Bucks-Composites web-site.

Sand away another injection mark with the sanding pad.

With a little sanding the injection mark has now gone!

Sand the trailing edges with a fine Perma-Grit sanding tool.

Carefully cut out the ailerons with a sharp knife and a metal rule used as a straight edge. Using a Perma-Grit fine sanding tool, sand the ailerons edges smooth.

Glue the two fuselage sides together with foam friendly glue supplied in the kit.

I have bonded in two pieces of 3mm OD carbon fibre tube to reinforce the wing with foam friendly glue. Carbon fibre tube can be found on the Bucks-Composites web-site.

Locate and bond the wing and fuselage together.

Bond the two booms onto the wing.

Fill any imperfections with a lightweight easy to sand filler using Bucks epoxy resin spreading card to smooth over the filler.

Now the model is ready for 2 thin coats of resin & hardener (un-thinned) to be applied, the first coat seals the foam and the second applies a glossy finish when dries.

Measure out 20ml of Formula 50 resin and 10ml of formula 50 hardener (2 parts resin to 1 part hardener by volume) then stir well. Using Bucks Synthetic coating brush apply a coat to the topside of the model, I work on the bottom of the plane turned over so the bottom is on top first. Leave to cure then turn the plane back over so the top is face up. Now measure out 20ml of Formula 50 resin and 10ml of formula 50 hardener (2 parts resin to 1 part hardener by volume) then stir well. Coat the top side of the plane and leave to cure.

Position the plane on its side and coat the levelled sides with another batch of resin and hardener. Allow to cure. The plane will need a total of two coats of resin and hardener to the whole of the plane.

Don’t forget to coat the elevator and ailerons in the same way.

When dry sand away any unwanted surplus resin on the model with an abrasive tool.

I will now spray with various colours of acrylic paint. The acrylic paint was purchased from Halfords.

Here are the home designed cut vinyl graphic stencils which are going to be used as paint mask on the plane.

Now fully painted!

Fit the elevator, ailerons, servos, ducted motor housing, wire up the motor, wire up the speed controller, battery then sort out the centre of gravity, complete a range check and happy flying.

The cost for Bucks-Composites items is around £25 (plus p+p).

Resin and Hardener 448g, Sanding Pads x5,

Epoxy Resin Spreaders, Metal Handle Brushes x5, Dust Mask x1,

1" Bucks Synthetic Coating brush x2

Surgical Gloves Vinyl x10, Graduated Mixing pots with Spatulas x10,

Please checkout the www.bucks-composites.com modern building materials web-site for the following relevant products: