How do you deal with wing root fit problems

Mike

Something I done a couple of times in this situation (usually if I discover the pinholes after apply a coat of paint) is to apply some Elmers glue or Micro Clear over the pinholes with a toothpick. After it drys, use a damp rag to smooth the area. Paint and drive on.

Hi Mike
Perhaps you've already done this but I use the tip of a used #11 knife blade to spot fill little areas like you described. That way, none of the rivet detail gets covered. Hope this helps.

Bert

lots of putty, superglue, or just some sheet styrene cut to fit tightly when assembling. epoxy putty not included

Thanks for the replies everyone.
If there is no seam along the wing root at all, then I guess the suggestions given will work fine, but if there is a line that needs to be scribed then using Future, white glue, or putty will result in too soft of an area to rescribe.
I can't find a really clear photo of the top of the F-16 to see if there is indeed a visable line there or not. From what I have seen it is either very light or not really visible at all I guess.

Mike

I guess just cutting the wings off and making a stubby-winged pod racer would be out of the question, huh?

Things like that I "Pre Treat". I go in and deepen the panel lines that are going to get sanded of and deepen the rivets that are going to disappear. It's a lot easier to scribe an existing line than make a new one, and it's a lot easier to deepen rivet holes when you already know where they are.

I agree with Music City about the scribing beforehand thing... that's something I just learned my last build. I was sanding away and realized no matter how careful I was, this one panel line was slowly disappearing... then it hit me I should have deepened it as I went, or at the first...

Wood glue should dry hard enough to scribe... it has to cure for about 48 hours though.. I have found if let to cure long enough it ends up fairly hard, and the longer it sits the more brittle (hard) it gets... so 24 hours or more, then scribing should be ok. If not that then wood filler but those holes are tiny.... probably too hard to fill with that...

if the pin holes are small try going back over them with Tenax... I have had some luck with ambroids melting the hard edges around the pin hole or small section of seam enough as to make it all but invisible...

Mike, In my experience, the only filler that can be scribed is CA. I'm not sure whether the F-16 has a visible join there or not. Modern AC is not my area of knowldge, but my guess is some join line would exist.

Regards, Rick

Mike, I found this pic.. while not clear it does show a line at the area you are showing in your pic... maybe a light scribing of it would clear the problem, instead of filling it?

here is the pic:



not sure but to me this appears in the exact area you were showing... which would mean you could scribe over the area and be safe...

---Tom---

Thanks for the comments everyone.

Tom,

I appreciate the photo. I went and filled it the best I could and then scribed it lightly along that seam. I am calling it good enough as I am sick of fooling with it.

Mike

Have you tried Tipp-Ex to fill in micro-bubbles??

QUOTE: Originally posted by djmodels1999 Have you tried Tipp-Ex to fill in micro-bubbles??

DJ,

No I haven't. That is what is called White-out here I believe.
I have heard people mention using this before but have never tried it.

Mike

Mr surfacer in a jar unthinned is a little less messy than correction fluid. maybe ambroids isnt the glue to use in this situation. i know it a little too late, but maybe CA or "normal" cement might work better for ya.

Mike, a couple things you might want to consider, my friend...
1. Make sure you do a good dry fit prior to final gluing. Sometimes there will be a small rise down the entire center portion of the wing root joint where the tab is located. Scraping that down will allow a little better tolerances, and a better match up between the wing and fuselage.
2. Consider using a glue that doesn't set up as fast as Tenax, and you may not get the bubbles you describe. Plus, a slower setting glue will allow you ample time to get the wing positioned just right. Testor's liquid cement works well for this. Of course, you could use super glue...
3. If filling is still necessary: A modeling buddy of mine uses Mr. Surfacer 1000 to fill and smooth over panel lines. After sanding smooth with 600 grit paper, he uses a small pin and LIGHTLY goes over the surfacer to rescribe the lines, except the lines are scribed into the surfacer and not the plastic. According to him it's quicker and easier to do, and doesn't leave ridges that need to be sanded down, which is associated with plastic rescribing. It must work pretty good--he wins firsts at every IPMS event he's ever been to.

Hope this helps you some, Mike!
Gip

Mike, not sure if this is appropriate, but Pix past on a tip to me a while back. Where you have 3 part wings, ie 2 upper surfaces, and one large lower, glue the upper faces on separately to the fusalage, ie without the lower section.

I have used this on several kits, and it ensures a filler free join, with no clean up. I then attach the lower portion of the wing, usually wing tips first, before glueing in the rest.

I know it sounds odd, but it does work.

Karl

actually Karl, I built the Accurate Miniatures SBD-5 awhile back and that is the EXACT method they listed to make sure the wing roots fit... in this case it was glue the bottom wing (one piece) to the plane, then starting at the root, glue out to the wingtips on the upper wings.... but it said let the wing root dry first...

it really worked out well, I just added a little white glue in one tiny spot instead of having to putty etc...

Luckily Mike had a panel line on the real thing that he can scribe onto the root... I hate some of the WWII planes with no root seam at all... well not hate, the hate is only the putty and endless sanding, haha...