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Recommendations for preparing a nearly-finished surface for a structural bond.

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cattflight

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2010
Messages
47
Location
Spokane, WA
Pursuant to some of the ideas offered here, I am looking for some feedback.

Without asking you to read the entire thread in the above link, suffice to say some smart folks recommended adding "blisters" to the outside of a per plans Cozy fuselage to solve my interest in increasing elbow and hip room in the front seats. Whatever my decison might be in terms of how extensive I want to modify the per plans walls to accommodate this, I am looking for feedback/recommendations on how best to prepare a nearly-finished exterior surface for a glass-to-glass or foam-to-glass structural bond. Not looking for recommendations on how to compensate for the loss of structure in such an idea, only how best to prepare the surface for the modifications.

Here's why: I may have access to a nearly-completed airframe project, but the surface is, essentially, fully-prepared for the first round of primer. (read: completely filled and smoothed with micro) None of the underlying glass is visible and there's nothing there to "bite" a new layup. So, if I were looking to make a modification to such a surface, what would be the best way to prepare this surface? I have seen guys sand-blast (at nominal force) a composite surface to prepare for finish coat while others have sanded. The argument for sand-blasting is great because the material gets into the crevases of the glass weave without destroying the peaks in the fabric, but I don't know whether that would work for a nearly finished surface. Does this even matter? Is scuffing the surface enough? After all, a peel plied surface is pretty darn smooth also.

Feedback welcomed!
 
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