AX-O

Well Known Member
just wanted to let you know I got a good deal on ebay on a kitchen scale. I will attempt to use it to measure the 10:1 ratio of proseal. The tanks will be ready for prosealing soon. By the way check out the price of the scale compared to S&H.

Good deal
 
Axel - that ought to work fine. I have a similar scale and use it like this:
Set it to grams, set an old Corelle plate and putty knife (or whatever you're scooping/mixing with) on the scale, and press "tare". Scoop part A onto the plate until you've got about what you want evenly divisible by 10, then add part B to the side with a popsicle stick. Don't contaminate one with the other until you're done measuring, 'cause you might be adding/removing B until you get it right. For example: 50g of part A, run the weight up to 55g with the part B, and mix! Even though it's only accurate to a gram, it seems to be "close enough".
Just don't do the boneheaded thing I did: 150g part A, run the weight up to 155g with part B, mix, and install the rear baffle and cleco every hole - before the 2 nagging thoughts "this is too easy" and "something ain't right" came into focus. After talking to a guy in the Flamemaster lab ("It will never cure properly - at altitude the fuel may push through") I took it all apart and thoroughly cleaned off all the sealant. I'm thankful I hadn't started riveting!
The only bright spot in that four hours of wasted motion was seeing that the baffle would have been sealed perfectly.
 
When I built my tanks, I went to the local office supply store and picked up a postal scale. Set it for grams and was able to get a very accurate 10:1 ratio.

Jim Kinsey
7A fuselage
 
A personal observation

Jkkinz said:
When I built my tanks, I went to the local office supply store and picked up a postal scale. Set it for grams and was able to get a very accurate 10:1 ratio.Jim Kinsey
7A fuselage
Ditto. A postal scale is what I use and is very accurate. That precision requires making up (on my scale) a batch of 11 grams of proseal at a time...perfect for most jobs. On occasion, I've only needed 2 or 3 grams to do a small job. Proseal is in actuality, relatively forgiving of an imprecise mixing ratio. I'm certainly not recommending anyone do this, but when I need a small amount, I simply "eyeball" what I think is a 10-1 ratio in a paper cup and punt. With a practiced eye, you can tell if you are close...too dark and its got too much part B, too light...not enough. I still have some proseal dated year 2000 and though decidedly stiff to mix, it works, but I just use it for non critical tasks such as caulking holes, optional fay sealing, etc. It even fixed the one weeping rivet I had, stuffed around the rivet from the outside in........and that was several months ago. In my experience, I have never seen cured proseal mechanically fail. I really like the new Flamemaster Van's recommends, it seems significantly "creamier" and mixes easily without wearing out your arm.
 
I have the exact same scale, works great. It looks like the price has come down a little though. I think I paid about $20 w/shipping for mine almost a year ago.