Fairing Filler

410 Microlight is the ideal low-density filler. When you blend it with epoxy, it creates a light, easily-worked epoxy fairing compound. It’s especially suited for fairing large areas. We formulated Microlight to mix into epoxy more easily than typical fairing fillers. 30% easier to sand than most other epoxy-based fairing compounds. Epoxy thickened with Microlight feathers to a fine edge and is more economical for large fairing jobs. You can blend 410 into any WEST SYSTEM® 105 Epoxy Resin®/200 Series Hardener combination. We don’t recommend using 410 under dark paint, or on other surfaces subject to high temperatures.

Designed for :

• Fairing
• Thickening
• Light surfaces

PROJECT USES:

Thicken blended resin/hardener and create a multi-purpose adhesive for:

• Large Scale Fairing
• Fiberglass Repairs
• Architectural Repairs
• Autobody Repairs
• Marine Bottom Repairs

Product Specifications:

• Color | Tan
• Cures to Tan

Fairing Compound should be of a consistency that can be troweled onto a surface without sagging. Add 407 Low Density or 410 Microlight filler to mixed epoxy, checking the consistency as you stir in the filler to determine if the mixture has the correct viscosity for your application. When selecting your hardener, consider the required working time, the ambient temperature, the amount of epoxy that will be mixed, and desired cure speed.

Highly thickened fairing compound mixtures will have very little epoxy available to wet the surface of the hull and may be an issue on porous surfaces such as wood. To ensure good adhesion with highly thickened mixtures, apply a thin coat of unthickened epoxy to the surface before troweling on the fairing compound. The fairing compound can be applied right after you apply the unthickened coat, but you may want to wait until the unthickened coat becomes tacky so a thick application of fairing compound does not slide on the surface.

Use chalk and a batten (a long, flat, strip of metal, plastic or knot-free wood) to find the low and high spots on the surface, then decide whether to proceed by filling in low spots or removing high spots. After marking the low spots, use a spreader with a notch to create a “guide.” After a strip of fairing compound is applied, the batten can be wrapped in release fabric and placed into the fairing compound. After these strips cure, fairing compound can be applied between them to fair in the entire surface. Reduce sanding by applying the first layer of fairing compound with a notched trowel. Only the top of the ridges formed by the trowel will be cut by the sandpaper. A second application will fill in the valleys.

Templates are very useful when fairing foils and can be created from a drawing or a surface. Tracing the shape onto a board gives you a rough shape and then a batten can be used to make it a fair curve. The template can be used to form guides to assist in the application of fairing compound on the rest of the foil’s surface.