gregoryshock

A while back I read someone asking about melting epoxy. Ithink He wanted to remove some unwanted epoxy from something. This got me to wondering. About 15 years ago, Dad and were building what was going to be my 3rd plane. It is an Extra 300L kit by House of Balsa:

http://www.houseofbalsa.com/store/st...=products:k-45

When we installed the fin and stab section we didn't know about using denatured alcohol to remove the excess epoxy. We thought that the epoxy would dry clear. But after a few years you can see what it did. This Plane has never flown. I am curious if there is anyway to still remove the excess epoxy. The white covering is MonoKote.

Top_Gunn

My Feedback: (6)

Heat. But you'll have to re-do the covering. If all the excess you want to remove is on top of the Monokote, it shouldn't be a big job.

Lamoilleriver

Been there, done that. White spray paint? No simple way I know of, but we do have some creative folks here.

jetmech05

Its hard to tell from the picture how smooth the epoxy is....But I'd either cut a strip of white Monokote to cover or use some paint....
Yes heat will release the epoxy...but as said above you'll be recovering anyway

SeamusG

After you remove the epoxy spoog and a strip of white trim to recover the area - nobody but you will ever notice that there was an issue.

My building mentor uses epoxy to seal these kinds of joints all the time. He uses a bit of epoxy on his finger tip dampened in alcohol and runs a small fillet down the joint seam. Then he comes back with a bit of paper towel dampened in alcohol to clean any off the the surface of the film.

BTW - my epoxy is much clearer than what your picture shows. Might consider using a different brand than is clear, not amber.

carrellh

I would sand it a bit and paint it white. Sanding the gloss off will help the paint stick.

gregoryshock

I think all of you guys have good suggestions.  I haven't decided what method I'm going to be using.  However I have one question.  How do you apply heat?  What tools do you use to do this?  Also how hot does it need to get?  Will the heat hurt the glue joints?

SeamusG

A heat gun (used in covering) is frequently used. A trim or standard film covering iron would work as well and an added plus is that you can limit the area being heated.

I was just thinkin' ... (dangerous activity on the best of days)

Epoxy usually doesn't hold very well to the glossy exposed side of film. I just might take an X-acto knife tip (or better - a chiseling blade) to gently pick at the epoxy from the edges. These blades are bloody sharp (pun intended). Take it slow. Might not need any heat at all.

carrellh

Heat ruins epoxy joints. Not sure about CA and woodglue.

A 'hot knife' can be used in some cases http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXSD16&P=0
A heat gun can be used
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...&storeId=10051
The ones used for shrinking covering may not get hot enough.

Top_Gunn

My Feedback: (6)

A soldering iron would work, too. A lot more heat than a covering or trim iron, but as the job would go much faster, it probably wouldn't soften any more of the underlying glue. But SeamusG is right: especially since the epoxy seems to be mostly or all on top of the Monokote, try just prying or chipping it off first. Take it from a guy who once set a model on fire soldering with a torch: heat is what you use last.

huck1199

You could try dissolving it with an acetone soaked cloth. You might try warming it with a heat gun first - warm not hot to disrupt your covering film.

jaka

Hi!
A soldering iron is the way to go and some prying and chipping with a X-axto knife with a sharp No 11 blade! Have done it that way many times.

Charlie P.

Mask off the area and remove as much as you can mechanically (files, sandpaper, Dremel, etc.) and then wipe with Jabsco Paint & Epoxy Remover (wear gloves and use outdoors).