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Dealing with Seams

Don’t use super glue to join large assemblies. You’re probably using it for its speed. Be patient. Hold the fuselage pieces together at the nose. I use the liquid cement to join fuselage halves when possible. Dip a small brush (4-0) in the cement and run it along an inch or two of the seam while holding the parts together. You have a few seconds to make sure they’re aligned as best as possible. If you see melted plastic squeezing out that’s good, If you don’t that’s OK too. Continue this process back to the cockpit. Turn the kit over and repeat the process on the underside of the nose back to just under the cockpit. Always make sure the seam is level on each side as you go. Continuing, we turn the kit over and work on the seam behind the cockpit back to the tail, turn once more and work the underside, finishing with the tail end. Take your time-there’s no hurry. Time spent here will save time later.

For warped fuselages I like to use the tube glue. Working basically the same as with the liquid cement. When I get to the area where the parts need to be brought together I use rubber bands or tape to hold them in place while the cement sets. Tube cement also allows me to work the joint for fit before the cement sets.

Once the parts have cured we begin to eliminate the seams. You can clean up squeezed out plastic with a #11 exacto knife by lightly shaving it away. Take your kit and some 400 grit wet or dry sandpaper to the nearest sink. I usually cut a piece of sandpaper 2” x 4” and fold it over a few times to work with. Wet your kit and the sandpaper and give the seam a going over. Sand at a 45-degree angle to the seam. Remember to move your sandpaper over the curves in an arcing motion to keep from sanding the seam flat on a rounded surface. Keep the sanding to within 1/8” of the seam. We don’t want to eliminate any details on the surrounding areas. Take an old toothbrush and some dishsoap and wash the fuselage to eliminate the sanding slurry. Dry it and look along the seam by pointing it at a light and viewing it as if you’re sighting a rifle. Bright areas along the seam are low spots that weren’t hit with the sandpaper. Use your judgment. If it looks too low we’ll have to putty. If not another sanding should do the trick. I also like to circle these spots with a pencil in case I have to move on to something else or get called away for some reason.

These techniques can also be used for wing assemblies, submarines, or anything else. Remember to sand along the curves. Move your sandpaper around the shape to eliminate the possibility of flat spots.