Thanks Rob...I figured the handle should and could be bent to the contour.  Now I know it can.  I will do that.  Clearly, to your other point, it will require a considerable amount of micro to do the body work.  It seems that the area below the handle will require much more depth to the micro contour than will the the area above the handle.  Is that how yours is done Rob?  If you or anyone reading this can give me an idea of how far to start the work below the handle that would help quite a bit.  Again, pictures of finished work will be most appreciated.

Berni

On Tuesday, June 5, 2012, wrote:

Berni -

 

Two things.  First, all you do is make a huge glob of micro on the side of the fuselage.  If you look at finished Lancairs, thanks Robyou will see that the glob, when painted, is not objectionable.  I agree that it looks weird when you are making it, however.

 

Second, you can make the glob much smaller if you bend the handle.  The forward part of the handle that engages with the interior components needs to stay perpendicular to the internal mechanism.  However, just aft of this, the fuselage is necking inwards.  I bent the handle so that it goes parallel to the fuselage, and this allowed a much smaller glob of mirco.  Take the handle apart, tape it to protect the chromed surface, clamp it in a vise, and bend it.  That's what I did and it was pretty easy.  I think I probably put a block of wood on it and pushed, rather than beating on it with a hammer.  But it was so long ago that I don't remember.

 

You should consider how you lift the handle out of the glob.  I made a dimple in the micro at the aft end of the handle.  I can get my fingertip behind the handle and lift it away from the micro.

 

Sorry, no pictures today...

 

- Rob Wlf