Badger7196

I'm looking for opinions. What happens when an airframe gets oil soaked??? Do glue joints get damaged? Does the wood become weaker? What to hear you opinion!!!!

firstplaceaviator

My Feedback: (27)

Yes, the wood becomes weaker. The glue joints get weaker. The covering starts coming off and will NOT stay down.
In other words, an oil soaked airframe is a BAAADDD thing!

I once had a firewall let loose in flight because oil soaked the glue joints. That made for an exciting landing!
The engine was hanging by the throttle cable and stuck about 1/2 throttle. All I could do was outside loops, until the engine quit!
Then, a dead stick landing with the engine hanging below the fuselage.
Thank God that the firewall did not come loose while I was tuning the engine! That could have really injured me!

That was a tough way to learn about fuel proofing the inside of the fuselage. Now, I fuel proof the entire inside of my fuselages with thinned out 45 minute epoxy.

The good news is that K2R Spot Lifter does take the oil out of balsawood, hardwood, fiberglass and fabrics!
Doug

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

No big, just build a new airframe, cover it, put yer old stuff in, and fly it.
Thats what the rest of us do.