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Some questions about an old plane... - 2/13/2008 9:46:42 PM   
greybucket



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Joined: 1/15/2008
From: Jasonville, IN, USA
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  • I am currently in the process of taking the covering off an old plane and plan to recover it. I am finding that is it a long, slow process of taking the old covering off but it gives me something to do while it is around 10 degrees outside. Anyways, using my heatgun, I peel off the old covering (the plastic film on top) but I am finding that the adhesive is left in some areas. At this point, I have been taking a spoon and scraping off the adhesive left being extra careful not to damage the wood. Is it ok to leave what I can't get off even after a light sanding to smooth everything out? Will it be ok when I go to recover?
  • Secondly, is there a really effective way to remove paint from balsa wood? This plane was bought from a flea market type place and I figured it would be something to tinker with and learn how to do some repairs, esp covering. The previous owner really painted things up from the firewall out, and where the gas tank goes. Some tight spaces in there and it would not look the slightest bit good to repaint over it.


This isn't my only plane but since I don't feel comfortable building one by myself yet, I am in no hurry to see this done and in the air. It is just one I am using as a learning experience. All my other planes and equipment I received as a gift from my grandfather not long ago. Most all the planes are in some need of repair and I am using this one to practice with. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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RE: Some questions about an old plane... - 2/13/2008 10:07:01 PM   
Edwin


 

Posts: 3381
Joined: 2/8/2002
From: Leander, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Dont know about the paint. Maybe a little sanding then paint over, unless its really thick. Then more sanding until you're satisfied. As for covering, I do the same as you did and dont have much of any glue residue left behind. Maybe a small amount, but I'm not concerned with it. I just happen to be recovering a Rascal110 that I stripped down a couple of months ago.
Edwin

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RE: Some questions about an old plane... - 2/13/2008 10:31:01 PM   
daveopam



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Joined: 10/10/2002
From: ELK CITY, OK, USA
Status: offline 		Just dont try and use a light covering over a dark residue. Yellow for example is almost transparent. If you leave any other color behind it will show through. White is almost as bad.

David

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RE: Some questions about an old plane... - 2/13/2008 10:54:27 PM   
greybucket



Posts: 38
Joined: 1/15/2008
From: Jasonville, IN, USA
Status: offline 		Its a pretty old plane so the covering residue left behind doesn't bother me too much. I am more concerned with the paint... it is thick in some areas. So far, I have been able to use the heat gun on it and using the spoon, scrape it off. However, this way won't get me anywhere when it comes to the inside of the plane. Maybe someone will have a good way to take care of it.

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RE: Some questions about an old plane... - 2/14/2008 4:39:11 PM   
jaka


 

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Joined: 12/11/2001
From: Upplands Vasby, SWEDEN
Status: offline 		Hi!
..Inside??? Is it painted inside???
First I would sand the airplane ..with a good sandpaper. Second I would try razor plane.

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RE: Some questions about an old plane... - 2/14/2008 5:47:34 PM   
djr1007


 

Posts: 236
Joined: 3/21/2005
From: Tucson, AZ, USA
Status: offline 		Not sure if it will take off the paint (depending on type), but try Acetone, should also work well on the left over glue backing. You should go easy with it, it won't warp the balsa like water and some ispropals (with high water content), but you also don't want to soak it. Strong suff on the nose, but it evaporates quickly.
I would suggest getting as much paint off as you can to keep the weight down, but if this is just a building skill exercise, you probably don't care about being able to fly it.
I'm doing the same thing to one of my old planes, except I'm using it to learn fiber glass.
Good luck.

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RE: Some questions about an old plane... - 2/14/2008 6:05:26 PM   
Tall Paul



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From: Palmdale, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Acetone will smear the paint into the wood where there isn't any paint.

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RE: Some questions about an old plane... - 2/15/2008 2:20:45 AM   
greybucket



Posts: 38
Joined: 1/15/2008
From: Jasonville, IN, USA
Status: offline 		Thanks for the tips... If at some point this plane can fly, then great! I will probably try to get as much of the paint sanded down best I can on the inside. So far, I have been able to remove all of the paint of the outisde just using the heat gun and scraping it off.

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RE: Some questions about an old plane... - 2/15/2008 2:52:02 AM   
fozjared


 

Posts: 544
Joined: 7/1/2007
From: gilmer/nacogdoches, TX, USA
Status: offline 		dremel and sanding drum! or what i would probably do is just choose a dark color monokote and cover the whole plane with it.. the glue residue should not effect the new monokote, unless the glue is thick.. if it is just the remnant of the old monokote then it will not cause a problem.. if you cover with a dark color monokote you shouldn't be able to see the remnant glue, nor the paint on the front.. i would never waste so much time on taking off the old paint unless i just had to cover the plane in a light colored monokote!

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RE: Some questions about an old plane... - 3/14/2008 1:47:31 AM   
greybucket



Posts: 38
Joined: 1/15/2008
From: Jasonville, IN, USA
Status: offline 		Thanks for the help

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RE: Some questions about an old plane... - 3/14/2008 4:19:58 PM   
Jburry



Posts: 560
Joined: 7/12/2006
From: Cape Spencer, NB, CANADA
Status: offline 		The paint inside the plane, was it put there to fuel proof the tank compartment? If it's inside, I'd just leave it. Can't see it when yer flying anyway!

J

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RE: Some questions about an old plane... - 3/18/2008 1:36:47 AM   
greybucket



Posts: 38
Joined: 1/15/2008
From: Jasonville, IN, USA
Status: offline 		Thats true... just kind of a perfectionist. I will probably just sand it down best I can and put light coat of paint over it.

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RE: Some questions about an old plane... - 3/18/2008 4:36:03 PM   
Jburry



Posts: 560
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From: Cape Spencer, NB, CANADA
Status: offline 		I can understand that, greybucket!

Just be careful about adding too much weight. It adds up really quickly, and I've found it's easy to make a rebuild go overweight, and even covering and paint add it on quickly.

Have fun!

J

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RE: Some questions about an old plane... - 3/19/2008 2:15:24 AM   
John Sohm


 

Posts: 183
Joined: 7/2/2002
From: Stone Ridge, NY, USA
Status: offline 		I ran into this same problem with an old .40 size Modeltech Cap 21 I had started years ago and lost interest in. I had covered it with Goldberg white ultracote and painted with R/S Perfect paint. After years of being stored away, the seams of the ultracote started to peel back and rather than try to re-iron it on, I wanted to try some glassing on it. So I started stripping all the ultracote off. Well some came off real easy but other spots just did not want to give up the ghost. I tried sanding, which worked but took a lot to get through the excess adhesive. I tried alcohol and acetone with so-so results.

Then I thought, Ironex is what I've used in the past to clean off my irons, it should work on this residue too. And it did, it dissolved that stuff like it was nothing. Later I tried Xylol, which worked just as well and I think is the basis for the Ironex. Anyway, it got all that old stuff off. There were a few minor areas where it got into the wood pores but nothing major that would show through later (unless you were going to use a transparent covering). Now it's all glassed and primed and ready for paint.

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RE: Some questions about an old plane... - 3/19/2008 2:47:43 AM   
greybucket



Posts: 38
Joined: 1/15/2008
From: Jasonville, IN, USA
Status: offline 		I found somewhere in another forum that if you use a dryer sheet, place it over the left over color adhesive, use the iron over the dryer sheet, the color adhesive will end up sticking to the dryer sheet and this way can be used to get the majority off before sanding what little is left over. Have yet to try it, but if it does, dryer sheets are so cheap at dollar general.

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If practice makes perfect, and nobody is perfect... why practice? - AMA #910567 - http://www.greybucket.com

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