Question on Rage Gold and where/how I can use it

[Brantel]

I purchased a gallon kit of Rage Gold filler since I have seen references many times that it is good stuff.

My question is where and how can I use it?

What is its base: Polyester or Epoxy? EDIT: Found the MSDS and it is Polyester based...

Can I use it on the epoxy parts like the pink cowl? How about the gell coated emp tips? Wheelpants/fairings?

Will it harm my canopy if I use it on the glass I put around it?

[Mel]

Polyester shrinks continuously forever.
Polyester does not adhere well to epoxy. (prepreg cowling)
Your gel coated wing tips and wheel pants are polyester. Polyester does NOT play well with plexiglas. Use epoxy here.

[Brantel]

I have seen lots of references to where people use Rage Gold on the pre-preg cowl.

So this is not a good thing to do???

[Rick S.]

Just for compatibility I would use Super-Fil or micro and epoxy. I really like how the superfil sands to a very smooth surface, a bit more pricey than just epoxy and micro. I have used Rage gold and Metal Glaze on the metal to polyester parts like the emp fairings after I laid up some glass cloth to cover the seam. Those parts will show weave for quite awhile but as time goes by the shrinkage slows quite a bit. The first year after they are laid up they do shrink enough to see the glass cloth weave if you get the glare just right. The resin seems to gas off for quite awhile, remember how they smelled when you took them out of the crate the first time? I've heard of builders taking those parts out into the sun for several cycles to let them warm up and cure some more.

[Brantel]

So if I am going to use this Rage Gold on Polyester parts and metal like the emp tips, must I also use Polyester resin with the glass reinforcement strips?

Looks like the only good use for this stuff is to fill dents in the metal only?

If I can't use it on the cowl, looks like I wasted about $35

[Rick S.]

I used it on the tips because it was polyester and the fact it is made for fiberglass. Fiberglass on cars that is..which for the most part is not epoxy glass because of the cost but it is glass mat formed and laid up with polyester resin. Think Corvette. Dan Checkoway used it on a bunch of his parts. Last time I saw his airplane they didn't look any worse for wear..I'm not sure he still wanders around this list to give an update or not. I personally love the stuff, the Metal Glaze is even better for skim coats. Most of my filling has been around the windows and I didn't want to chance the chemicals would etch or craze the lexan. There is a rule regarding epoxy resins over or under polyester resin, One won't cure over the other but I don't remember which is which. No on the polyester to adhere the cloth I used West Systems and it cured fine and stuck very well to the glass cloth.

[ChrisL]

Per Sam James's fiberglass demo at Oshkosh last year, I went out and purchased Awlgrip's Awlfair epoxy fairing compound. So far, I have used it on my emp fairings and emp intersection fairing. It goes on very smooth and fills holes very easily. From what i remember of the presentation, Sam has been using this stuff for years and swears by it. It is a professional marine product used for fairing racing sailboat hulls, so it can be purchased at places like Jamestown Distributors. Note it is expensive (around $100 for two quarts, but it goes on so well, and sands so nicely that you can do more than one plane with that amount. Since it is already at the consistancy of peanut butter, you just do a spoon of each, mix together and apply with a good squeege.

I love it and was suprised there aren't many refereneces to it here on VAF.

Chris