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Wingtip sanding...?

kbalch

Well Known Member
OK, here's a bit of a strange question:

I just began fitting my left wingtip and, out of pure reflex, started to sand down the raised mold line that runs along the outer edge of the piece. Then, since the instructions never actually called for that ridge to be sanded down, I commenced to second-guess myself. Finding a -14A first-flight pic online with the wingtip edges still in place didn't help a bit.

It seems as though I've gotten too accustomed to having my hand held on this project. Builders who didn't do it years ago have absolutely zero concept of how good we have it today.

So, should I:
  1. Continue to sand off those edges
  2. Stop right where I am and leave it for the paint shop to do
  3. Stop right where I am and glass those few inches back on
 
I recently saw 3 flying RV14?s at an airshow and noted that 2 had sanded the ridge off, and one had left it on. It looked kinda good with the ridge on. Don?t know if this helps your question but is an observation.
 
The seam is the split line where the 2 mold halves are put together and seam tape is used to glass them together. Some of the epoxy squirts between the halves that gives you the bump. No functional reason to keep it unless it looks good to you. Same thing when you get to the wheel pants, there is a split line from the manufacturing process.
 
My 2 cents, inflation corrected:
It all depends on the looks that you like and how much work you are willing to add to the project. The seam is not a very straight and uniform line so it will look just as that when painted. This seam also exist on the nose wheel pant. Likewise some folks don?t fill the gaps of the elevator/vertical tip to the metal and it will look raw when painted. Others, including myself, fill those gaps to make it look like one piece and since the elevator tips are not a removable part maintenance is not an issue.

As far as doing it yourself vs leaving it for the painter, again it depends on how much you are willing to spend. The painter will charge for any of these work so the less you leave for him, the more time he gets to spend on making it perfect.

Hope this helps.
 
One additional comment - when you sand off the ridges/mold lines (which I also did), you will remove the gel coat and expose the fiberglass, which most likely will have pinholes. These will need to be filled (whereas the gelcoat usually does not).
 
I recently saw 3 flying RV14?s at an airshow and noted that 2 had sanded the ridge off, and one had left it on. It looked kinda good with the ridge on.

That would be the guy who thought the paint shop would take care of it. ;)
 
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