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Sandpaper question


GuinnessGuy74

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I am building my workbench, prepping my workshop, and buying tools and supplies for the upcoming build.

 

I was wondering what grits of sandpaper I will be needing. I not talking about finishing, but what grits will I need along the way? I am looking to buy rolls to cut what I need and glue/staple to blocks. What grits have you used through the build?

 

Thanks for the input!

 

Jim

Cozy MKIV #1565 (Chapter 6)

Charlotte, NC

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The plans say 36 grit. The whole idea is something real rough for new epoxy to make a good bond with cured epoxy. Anything in that area is okay. I buy the 40 grit sticky backed 16 inch strips bu Norton or 3M. These you can stick to a block, board, sander, etc. A box of 50 will last you the entire build. Just geat a few for now if you like. They last a long time and if you peel ply your layups they last even longer.

 

Next is 200 grit for your metal parts. You have to rough them up to attach or flox/attach to your epoxied layups. Just get a few sheets.

 

This I think is pretty straight forward in the plans tool list but I just had to answer to the member name. A person of good taste!!

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Good to see another member enjoys plane and good beer as much as I.

 

I guess I should have phrased my question differently. I do remember the plans call for 36, and 200 for the metals. I have read in a few places that the 36 it a bit much, of course I can't remember where or find them now. I was just curious if people prefer other grits or if I should stick with 36 and 200.

 

Thanks for the answer. I appreciate it...

 

Jim

Cozy MKIV #1565 (Chapter 6)

Charlotte, NC

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When you sand a cured epoxy surface you just need to be careful not to sand through the epoxy into the fiberglass. Thus, you may have heard that a lighter sandpaper may be better such as 80 grit. I've had no problems with the 36 and I'll stick to the plans suggestion first regardless. The thoroughly cured epoxy is hard and gets harder with age. Don't worry now. All this will come together in your skill level as you go. If you follow the plans by chapter, it is setup so you perfect your skill and learning curve as you go.

 

One thing you will learn quickly is there's a lot of "noise" on these forums and emails which has been gathered for over 30 years. Don't get too caught up in it or you'll spend more time here researching and less time building. Stick to the plans and read the newsletters. Join CSA for "official" good changes and tips. Different is not always better. Its just different.

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Do yourself a big favor, and spend $25 on a roll of 36 or 40 grit sandpaper. (sandpaper.com).

 

Much cheaper than individual sheets, comes adhesive backed. Just unroll 7", cut it off, stick in on your board. When you want to remove it, heat it for a couple seconds with the heat gun and peel it off easy.

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Or get the 40 grit for your Fein tool. For those of you old enough to remember, "it makes housework almost nice.":p

 

The Fein tool with the 40 is like a magic wand for bonding onto existing hardened layups. Tremendous control and you can, with a little practice, just abrade the surface of the epoxy and not worry about the glass. It is also very quick. (but noisy)

I Canardly contain myself!

Rich :D

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Excellent advice. I definitely planned on geting a roll. So much easier to deal with than sheets.

 

As for the Fein tool, I am still undecided. I posted over in the shop and tools forum about the new Dremel Oscillating tool. The jury is still out on its quality, but it is only $98 and the accesories are at least 50% less than the Fein ones.

 

Who knows? Found a Fein pretty cheap, so I might just snag it.

 

Thanks for all the comments!

 

Jim

Cozy MKIV #1565 (Chapter 6)

Charlotte, NC

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Guin,

 

I can't comment on the Dremmel but the important thing that Fein conquered is a small angular rotation with incredible power. The speed also seems to be important as too fast and it will melt/burn the structure you are working with. Dremel made its reputation, not because of the power the rotary instruments deliver, but the high speed and thus their effectiveness. If they are trying to duplicate that with the new tool, it will probably be great for sanding veneer on cabinets but insufficient for your needs.

 

Maybe, if you pay a little extra for it and get it from a store to which you can return it, you can cover all bases.

 

I, too, thought that the Fein was too expensive and not needed, after all I built the dragonfly without it.

 

The concept of not having to knife trim layups in the chewing gum state really appealed to me, however, since my hanger is 40 minutes from my house. As time went on, the Fein became my most used tool (with the possible exception of me). Since I was using it in the hanger, at home and at my new office, I thought that I had lost it in transit. I almost had apoplexy. It is now safely back in my hanger eating up the watts.

I Canardly contain myself!

Rich :D

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I build cheaper than most of the other builders. I bought 36 grit bandsander belts and cut them up with tin snips. Do your self a favor and buy a Fein tool. I bought mine on ebay it works great. I spent more on the cutters for it than I did the tool. Get some good Weis scissors hope I spelled that right you can cut wet out glass with them and then wipe them down it will take a couple of sharpenings to make it through a plane. I dont know how I made my first Longeze without the fein tool. They did not exist back then to my knowledge. Get a good bunch of varied size clamps you will use them all along the way. Get a signed document from your wife that says it is allright to build this plane and hang it up on the shop wall. When the wife complains point to the paper it helps.:D STeve build on

Steve Harmon

Lovin Life in Idaho

Cozy IV Plans #1466 N232CZ

http://websites.expercraft.com/bigsteve/

Working on Chapter 19,21

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Do yourself a big favor, and spend $25 on a roll of 36 or 40 grit sandpaper. (sandpaper.com).

 

Much cheaper than individual sheets, comes adhesive backed. Just unroll 7", cut it off, stick in on your board. When you want to remove it, heat it for a couple seconds with the heat gun and peel it off easy.

yes, i was just going to say that. 36 is hard to find by the roll (2"x50feet)

greg, i just read marc said sand upto 50 % of the top layer to get a good bond. we will all die ! hope i read it right:envy:

Steve M. Parkins

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Get a signed document from your wife

Awesome Big STeve. Writing up the contract now. Even though she is 100% behind me now, I know exactly what 100% means....

 

Thanks for all the help guys. I have purchase a roll of 40 grit with adhesive backing. You are right, 36 is hard to find in a roll.

 

Probably going with the Fein tool anyway. I was just curious if anyone has heard anything about the Dremel Multi-Max. It appears to have the same specs as the Fein. Got a good bead on a Fein, so I am probably taking it...

 

Build on...

 

Jim

Cozy MKIV #1565 (Chapter 6)

Charlotte, NC

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  • 1 month later...

I build cheaper than most of the other builders. I bought 36 grit bandsander belts and cut them up with tin snips. Do your self a favor and buy a Fein tool. I bought mine on ebay it works great. I spent more on the cutters for it than I did the tool. Get some good Weis scissors hope I spelled that right you can cut wet out glass with them and then wipe them down it will take a couple of sharpenings to make it through a plane. I dont know how I made my first Longeze without the fein tool. They did not exist back then to my knowledge. Get a good bunch of varied size clamps you will use them all along the way. Get a signed document from your wife that says it is allright to build this plane and hang it up on the shop wall. When the wife complains point to the paper it helps.:D STeve build on

Just a thing on scissors... one can buy a pair of emergency technician scissor (ambulance worker ???) they will cut throught anything from paper to metal.... so cutting fiber glass.... not even a problem....

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Just a thing on scissors... one can buy a pair of emergency technician scissor (ambulance worker ???) they will cut throught anything from paper to metal.... so cutting fiber glass.... not even a problem....

G'day

 

I purchased two Weiss scissors. I use one set for cutting glass off the roll before any epoxy is applied and the second set for work after the glass is wet and needs some trimming.

 

I am not sure about the emergecny technician scissors. I know the newbie SAF_Zoom hasn't built any chapter or even purchased the Terf-CD as of a week ago. He posts often, but has questionable experience. Take the advise of several veterans or a newbie with no experience, your choice.

 

I do know that for the 30+ years the Weiss scissors have worked well. At the price of epoxy and glass, I will use the tried and true equipment.

 

Just my humble opinion; yours may differ and we will agree to disagree.

 

Jeff

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Kevlar shears from aircraft spruce + Dritz (Eberly) electric scissors (a must)

In fact, just save yourself a lot of time and effort and get a good start on your project by getting the Cozy Girrrl toolkit from Wicks.

 

http://www.wicksaircraft.com/catalog/product_detail.php/pid=14258~subid=11281/index.html

T Mann - Loooong-EZ/20B Infinity R/G Chpts 18

Velocity/RG N951TM

Mann's Airplane Factory

We add rocket's to everything!

4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 9, 10, 14, 19, 20 Done

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Thanks for all the replies. You guys and girrrls are an invaluable tool for new builders.

 

I just placed my first order for chapters 4-7 from ACS yesterday. Have my shop heater installed and I am building my worktable/hotbox/glass cabinet now. I bought a pair of dritz scissors on ebay. From what I hear, they are a joy to work with. I also bought a dremel version of the fein tool along with a roll of 36-grit adhesive backed sandpaper.

 

Can't wait to get started!

 

Jim

Cozy MKIV #1565 (Chapter 6)

Charlotte, NC

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G'day

 

I purchased two Weiss scissors. I use one set for cutting glass off the roll before any epoxy is applied and the second set for work after the glass is wet and needs some trimming.

 

I am not sure about the emergecny technician scissors. I know the newbie SAF_Zoom hasn't built any chapter or even purchased the Terf-CD as of a week ago. He posts often, but has questionable experience. Take the advise of several veterans or a newbie with no experience, your choice.

 

I do know that for the 30+ years the Weiss scissors have worked well. At the price of epoxy and glass, I will use the tried and true equipment.

 

Just my humble opinion; yours may differ and we will agree to disagree.

 

Jeff

The newbie you talk about is an aircraft technician :cool2: and I used to be in the Canadian Ski Patrol... so this is where I found out about these great scissors... a bit unconvential but still very good. I like showing mine of by cutting a cent in two pieces...

 

http://www.stjohnsupplies.co.uk/products/default.asp?productId=F11935

 

They do not have a long cutting edge though... but for the price...

 

And they do not replace all scissors or cutting tools... they are just one more tool for the trade.

 

And BTW the Terf CD is purchased LOL... Like that changes anything :rolleyes:

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G'day SAF_Zoom

 

Great! I also used to be an aircraft tech (ASQ38 B-52 G/H) and Flight Test technician Pax River NAS and NPGS.

 

I have experience with the emergency medical scissors with avionics installs, but have not used them with the glass. I feel $20 for the Weiss is a good investment in a quality tool that is tried.

 

My posts are directed at the quantity and quality of comments. I have experienced comments/ideas from lurkers/newbies speaking as they knew from experience in the past that didn't work. The success and completion rate on these projects is fairly low in a small part from poor quality advice from members that don't know from practical experience. Advice and building tips should be from knowledge and experience in my opinion. The builders here may just be betting their lives on it later.

 

Welcome and good luck on the build. I look forward to your building progress.

 

Jeff

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I ear you Jtest,

 

These are notorious for low completion.

 

Most poeple don't realise the dedication one most give his project to see it through. 3000 hours (typical time) does not sound long but its close to 2 years worth of 40 hours per week building.

 

Given that life will undoubfully throw you a curve along the way... most are bound to take way more then 2 years to get airborn :mad:

 

BTW I too find it frustrating, its hard to determine what is genuine information from that of illinform participant.

 

I'm only in my planning phase... and from the looks of it... I will start building soon (its going to be an Open EZ). So I have no actual "hands on" experience with this type.

 

Regards,

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  • 4 months later...

I'm finding that Jamestown Distributors is a pretty good source for sandpaper and other finishing tools.

I ran accross them by accident when I was trying to find some accessories for my Fein (the Wicks site was down at the time.)

 

They have a good selection of the 20 yd rolls of pressure sensitive sanding materials.

 

I guess finishing a boat takes a lot of the same techniques.

T Mann - Loooong-EZ/20B Infinity R/G Chpts 18

Velocity/RG N951TM

Mann's Airplane Factory

We add rocket's to everything!

4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 9, 10, 14, 19, 20 Done

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I'm finding that Jamestown Distributors is a pretty good source for sandpaper and other finishing tools.

I ran accross them by accident when I was trying to find some accessories for my Fein (the Wicks site was down at the time.)

 

They have a good selection of the 20 yd rolls of pressure sensitive sanding materials.

 

I guess finishing a boat takes a lot of the same techniques.

 

T,

 

Good source. Glass finishing techniques are very similar.

 

I'm not sure about the prices there, I think that you can do better by searching the web.

 

One thing that I noticed is that they only go down to 80 grit on all of their abrasive products. I have found that 40 grit (or thereabouts) is excellent for shaping micro, which you then finish with finer grits. Doing it this way saves untold hours (months) in finishing. I can't remember where I got mine from (comes in 3' velcro backed strips which attach to a rigid or your option flexible back-- I prefer rigid.. found it on the web. I'll see if I can get the name. From what I remember, they were a good deal on the web.

 

Also when looking for Fein blades, search the web. Some good deals are available. look at amazon etc. Wicks seems quite high but make sure you are comparing apples to apples

I Canardly contain myself!

Rich :D

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...... I'm also glad I didn't toss my drywall tools. :D

I seems that the longer drywall knife blades when held at the edges do a nice job of bridging gaps for a smooth result.

T Mann - Loooong-EZ/20B Infinity R/G Chpts 18

Velocity/RG N951TM

Mann's Airplane Factory

We add rocket's to everything!

4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 9, 10, 14, 19, 20 Done

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