Best filler material over wooden shell

[orwell84]

Hello,

My 737 shell is coming along nicely though slowly. I am copying as closely as possible Ivar Hestnes method of building a wood covered shell and make no secret of the fact that I am using as many of his ideas as I can.

I am trying to decide what to use as filler on the outside of the shell. I have seen many shell builders that use drywall spackling compound. This product is cheap in large quantities sands easily, but I worry that it might crack with the expansion and contraction of the wood or any flex in the shell.

Fiberglass clothe and resin followed by polyester autobody filler would be ideal, but honestly I hate working with the stuff and it's way to stinky and toxic to use indoors. It's also overkill for something that won't be exposed to the elements.

I was wondering if there was an type of filler that was less toxic and appropriate for this kind of application. Where could I look for this information?. Some type of material must be available through building or art supply.

Thanks for the help.

[Ronson2k9]

Seems like some kind of silicone sealer would do the trick. It should be able to handle the expansion and contraction as it's a rubbery compound. Pricey though depending on what you are trying to fill.

Other then that a wood glue perhaps to do the same thing.

What size area are you trying to fill? Perhaps a few pics could help out?

What about something from boat building.. You could solve both problems at once. With a filler sealer that is water tight you would cut down/eliminate the expansion contraction and make your pit smooth at the same time.. There are several locations for such things online

http://www.duncanyacht.co.uk/showpartnumber.asp?CategoryID=2463&PartNumberID=168027