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 "Cloudster" Construction Project Session #90

Speed 400 Cloudster Project
Last year, a fellow modeler (Van Wilson) sent me two identical glue applicators to try out. I filled one of them with aliphatic glue and have been using it with great success for some time. The small pointed opening of applicator's tip lets you put just right amount of glue where you want it. So today I filled the second applicator with the Weldbond glue as shown below in preparation for the Cloudster's side window installation. 
 
I found the best way to glue the DURA-LAR windows in place was to put a small bead of the Weldbond glue around the window opening as shown below. However, the first time I tried to glue the side window on, I really messed it up. When I pressed the  DURA-LAR down onto the glue bead, it oozed out onto the window inside %$#@*  However, I was able remove the window and easily clean all of the glue off of the fuselage frame with a damp rag. I took the  DURA-LAR cut out to the sink and also cleaned all of the glue off of it with warm water. On my next attempt, I applied the small bead of glue just as before, but this time I smeared the bead of glue out into a thin film with my finger. Working relatively quickly, I cleaned my fingers off with water and then put the DURA-LAR in place over the window opening. I went around the edges of the DURA-LAR and pressed it down onto to the smeared glue film with my finger. Then I went around the edges of the DURA-LAR with a damp rag and cleaned off all of the excess glue (this Weldbond glue cleans up really well with water).
 
The fuselage was laid on its side on the work table and a piece of foam was placed over the fresh glued DURA-LAR window. A smooth Maple board was placed on top of the foam and three steel building blocks were placed on the Maple board for weight. This provided the necessary pressure around the window to hold it down while the glue thoroughly dried.
 
The picture below shows the end result of all of my windshield and window efforts, with which I am most pleased. You can not see it in this picture, but the forward edge of the side window's DURA-LAR butts up nicely against the back edge of the windshield's DURA-LAR on the fuselage's vertical frame. In summary, this particular part of modeling has always been a big problem for me. However, thanks to Albert Pardue's advice and recommendations, I think I have products and a procedure that I can do a respectable job with from now on. Hopefully, this discussions will be useful to some of you.
 
I still have to decide how to seal the bottom edge of the windshield, but not today as I want to think about it for a while. If you recall, Albert Pardue appears to have completely outlined his windshield and maybe the windows also of his Eugene III with thin black striping tape as shown below. I might do the same or I might just go around the bottom edge of the windshield only with a piece of thin white striping tape and not do the complete outline. What do you think?.............................Tandy
 
 

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