Which is better; White fiberglass or gray fiberglass?

[Desert Rat]

I bought completed wings back when I started the project and the sellers threw in a questionable empennage, I rebuilt most of it with new parts and now find myself in possession of both white fiberglass tips for from around 2007 as well as gray tips from around 2019.

I haven't put them on the scale to see exactly what the delta is, but the white parts are definitely thinner and lighter. I don't know if this because the gray ones have more plies or maybe just thicker gel coat.

Is there any benefit other than weight savings to using one over the other, since I have the option?

 

[scottmillhouse]

Yes the white (usually more light green) are peppered with pin holes since they do not have a gel coat. The gray does not require all the pin hole filling. If you are lucky you can just sand and then deal with cleaning up and filling the pin holes you opened up at the seams.

 

[rvbuilder2002]

Yes the white (usually more light green) are peppered with pin holes since they do not have a gel coat. The gray does not require all the pin hole filling. If you are lucky you can just sand and then deal with cleaning up and filling the pin holes you opened up at the seams.

Actually, the white and grey coatings are both gel coat. White parts are older vintage.
I think the gel coating on grey parts is sprayed vs brushed by hand.

 

[Desert Rat]

Yeah the white is definitely gel coat.

I took my postal scale to the hangar this morning and weighed all the empennage tips. In total, the white stuff is about 8 ounces lighter than the gray.

I can live with it maybe being a little less robust to save a full 1/2 pound off the tail, so white it is!

 

[[email protected]]

Actually, the white and grey coatings are both gel coat. White parts are older vintage.
I think the gel coating on grey parts is sprayed vs brushed by hand.

Most gel coat is applied to the mold first and the mold should be slick. Brushed or sprayed. IT goes on the mold first before the laminations are applied.
It really boils down to which color you like. Ha Ha. gel coat can be any color. Filling pin holes comes with finishing the part. Seen holes in all.
If weight is a question just weight them.
Which one is sturdier?
I just bought a new rudder kit for and RV-6 and the grey parts are of a heavier weave glass making them stronger. But, not really heavier. But we are talking rudder caps here not main wing tips.
I like the stronger caps because my plane lives on a soft/hard grass strip with a few bumps in it. Allowing you to make a couple landings sometimes, That rudder bottom gets some landing activity occasionally.
I've had people ask,,, ""Hey, why is there grass hanging on the tie down loop?"" OOOOPPPPSSSS!!!!
My luck varies FIXIT

 

[scottmillhouse]

Actually, the white and grey coatings are both gel coat. White parts are older vintage.
I think the gel coating on grey parts is sprayed vs brushed by hand.

I know the new gray is gel coat, thought the earlier kits had the green/translucent finish like the older RV-12 I’m finishing for wheel paints, tail cone, cowling etc. getting tired of chasing pin holes. The optional stabilator tips were gray gel coated and great with a smooth finish so just the seams to work. They also seemed to be thicker/stronger and sanded well. I’d use the new gray since I think it is an improvement.

 

[rvbuilder2002]

I know the new gray is gel coat, thought the earlier kits had the green/translucent finish like the older RV-12 I’m finishing for wheel paints, tail cone, cowling etc. getting tired of chasing pin holes. The optional stabilator tips were gray gel coated and great with a smooth finish so just the seams to work. They also seemed to be thicker/stronger and sanded well. I’d use the new gray since I think it is an improvement.

The earlier RV-12 kits had un-gelcoated parts for a bit of weight reduction and to sometimes have them translucent for the installation process (uls cowling)
The later 12 kits got gelcoating on all parts
All of the other models have always had gel coated parts with a few exceptions. Usually also to simplify installation.