Fixing up my sailplane
10-08-2004, 08:07 AM
#1
Fixing up my sailplane
I purchased a Legend a year ago. This plane was build about 15 years ago and has been flown and repaired over the years. I have about 40 flights on it.
I want to fix it up, so I am stripping the covering. I think it is Ultracoat. However it is so old and brittle that it is coming off in little pieces. I am basically chipping it off with a razor knife. I can't just lift an edge and carefully pull off large sections. It is too brittle.
Any suggestions on how I can do this more quickly or efficently? It took me an hour just to get the bottom covering off a 36 inch outer wing section. I used the heat gun on the other outer wing section but it left tons of glue on the wood so I tried doing this one cold.
Any advice would help.
I want to fix it up, so I am stripping the covering. I think it is Ultracoat. However it is so old and brittle that it is coming off in little pieces. I am basically chipping it off with a razor knife. I can't just lift an edge and carefully pull off large sections. It is too brittle.
Any suggestions on how I can do this more quickly or efficently? It took me an hour just to get the bottom covering off a 36 inch outer wing section. I used the heat gun on the other outer wing section but it left tons of glue on the wood so I tried doing this one cold.
Any advice would help.
10-08-2004, 09:16 AM
#2
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Join Date: Jan 2004
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RE: Fixing up my sailplane
I have never done this myself, but you may be able to use a solvent to break the adhesive bond. MEK or Acetone may do the job. Both are available at Home Depot. I know MEK can be used to apply Monokote graphics, so it must do something ot the adhesive to soften it. Just be careful and read the safety warnings before using them.
