JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

How long does debonder remain a fluid and how long does it take it to work? I am building a model, have it almost finished with a beautiful covering job. Unfortunately the covering is about half MonoKote Pearl Copper which is not listed in Tower Hobbies' site any more. The problem is that I was installing the inner push rods which is a plastic rod inside a plastic outer rod. I inadvertently got some CA between the outer and inner rods controlling the elevator and they bonded instantly. Now my problem is this: I really do not want to rip this covering apart to get to the rods. Not only is this a good covering job that I would just as soon not destroy, but finding another roll of Pearl Copper could be a real problem. So, if I drizzle some debonder with a pitot tube between the two rods, how long will it remain fluid? How long will it work? And if it dries out, will it further adhere the two rods together? What are the chances of debonder working in this situation? And does anyone have any other ideas of how to get the inner rod to slide in the outer rod again? I really don't want to destroy a good covering job because I made a stupid mistake. Especially since I may or may not be able to locate more of the covering.

52larry52

My Feedback: (1)

Go ahead and get some debonder down into the affected tube and be prepared to work the inner control rod loose and then completely out of the outer tube as the debonder softens the CA. It should only take 5-10 mins for the it to work and may take two applications depending on how much CA got in there. No, it will not make it any harder or stronger if you fail. You can also try to cut off the end of just the outer tube where the CA got in if you can get at it.

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

Thanks, Larry. I can't get to the outer tube as i faired it into the exit slot with micro balloons and epoxy and then sanded it flush to the fuselage before covering. There is no outer tube exposed at all, but I will try the debonder tomorrow and see what happens. As far as I can figure, that is the only avenue open to me at this point.

TomCrump

Would it be possible to get some oil to the effected area ? If you could get oil under the CA, it would break the bond.

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

For anyone who is still interested in this, I am happy to report that all is well. I acquired some debonder and a pipette with a very small tip. I managed to get enough debonder in the outer tube to break the bond and when it broke, the inner tube pulled out with almost no resistance. That was after almost 2 ounces of debonder and four hours of staring at this thing. I was almost at the point of giving up when it came loose. I have no idea where all that debonder went, but I was holding the fuse vertical with the nose down and none of it ran out the other end of the tubes. The really funny part of all of this is that after removing the stuck inner tube, I ran a solid wire from the servo end of both the outer tubes (rudder and elevator) to kind of clean out the tubes and I encountered almost no resistance. The tubes, even thougt they cross just in front of the tail section, are evidently straight enough that solid wire runs all the way through then without binding, so I used solid wire and now do not have inner plastic tubes at all. The rudder and elevator work perfectly with no binding at all. So this is to thank those of you who responded,

52larry52

My Feedback: (1)