Is there an advantage to using CA over 6 min Epoxy for minor repairs?

Pros: Less weight (& less wait) than epoxy

Cons: More brittle than epoxy, rushed repairs often overlook other damage, more expensive.

Thanks strato911. Point well taken about the quick fix and overlooked damage. I'll stick with cautious portions of epoxy for now.

I almost never use Epoxy, even when building.

Unless it is larger than a .40 size I just use CA

I use epoxy for wing bolt blocks and firewalls primarily. Everything else is pretty much CA. I double glue some stuff with White wood glue before I cover. Fixes are primarily CA unless it is structural and needs epoxy. Most things don't.

That raises a question for me then. If CA is the best to use in construction because of its weight, how would I glue on my top sheeting? For example, I am building my first kit, a Someting Extra. I have come to a point several times when I needed to put the sheeting on the leading and trailing edges, and on the decking closest to the Cockpit. Because the wing is still pinned to the plan on my building board, I was unable to get under the wing to apply CA all along the contact area. I used 5 min epoxy because I could put it on the ribs, and then wrap the sheeting along the curved part of the front. With CA curing so fast, is there a tip that I should know about in order to use CA on this part?

HookedonRC- try this:

Build your wing on the plans as normal, cut cut the sheeting for the top and bottom if possible while the wing is still pinned down.

Remove the wing from the plans and align the sheeting on the inside of the leading edge on the bottom of the wing and make sure it lays where it should all along the width. Use pins or clamps as necessary but get it right BEFORE uncapping the glue bottle. Apply medium CA in each bay, forming a small fillet from the sheeting to the leading edge. When everything is tight, use thin CA and run a line along each rib, while pushing the panel gently on to the bulding surface, keeing pressure on the rib you're gluing. This will keep everything flat and straight.

When the bottom is done, turn the assembly over and align the top sheeting. Use medium CA and glue the sheeting to the leading edge by starting at the root and gluing out to the tip is as large a section as you feel comfortable with. Keep a paper towel handy in case of excess. If there is any glue of the surface, DON"T USE KICKER. It makes a nasty mess that will never sand off. :angry:

When the sheeting is, for lack of a better term, tacked in place, start at the root again and run a line of medium over the first few ribs and roll the wing panel on the building surface to ensure contact between the ribs and sheeting.

Continue until finished.This will give an easy but nice sheeting job. This was for a flat-bottomed or semi-symmetrical wing. a symmetrical wing doesn't care which side you start on, but with a flay bottomed wing, start with the bottom. The curve of the ribs on top will help keep the sheeting away from the ribs and allow you to get the glue on the ribs.

Epoxy works on EPS foam, CA melts it

Epoxy also seems better at handling vibration than CA. Some CA's seem to soften with extended contact to fuel as well, though I can't say I'm sure of it.

I've done sheeting with slow-setting, thick CA, just put some on the ribs as you would the epoxy, and place the sheeting in place and hold for a few seconds.

You'd also be surprised at just how far thin CA will penetrate down a seam. You can put the sheeting in place dry, then just touch one side of the rib and run a light bead down the rib. It will soak all the way though, and then some.

While Woodpile's method works, I think he uses more CA than needed, and beleive it or not, CA is heavy stuff.

If you want the absolute lightest way to sheet over wood ribs, the old "yellow" resins (wood glues) are the best by far. Ask an old free-flighter who's been around since before CA about it (that's not me, but I've seen it done. Takes patience though, over night drying and all that)

I built my first plane entirely with household white glue (12 years ago) to save the cost of glues. It took forever to dry, but it penetrates the wood very well, and once it dries is extremely light and strong.

It survived some pretty rough "landings".

Well I really don't mind using the 5 min epoxy, just was wondering if there was a better way. I do agree that applying the CA from the side will cause it to soak through, the problem is on a leading edge sheet you do not have access to the ribs unless you unpin the wing as Woodpile suggests. It is just that the Something Extra instructions recommend not unpinning until you want to start on the bottom because it still needs to be held in place until all top sheeting is completed. I really do appreciate the suggestions though, and think the placing of thick CA on the ribs and then adding the sheeting may be the way to go. At least I wouldn't have to mix everytime I want to put epoxy on the ribs.

Titebond (not the II variety) is light and easy to use. If you make a mistake heat with your covering iron to reactivate the glue. I don't use many clamps and simply use doubled masking tape to hold things in place. This glue attains about 50% of overall strenght in 15 or so minutes. Takes about 24 hours or more to fully cure. This glue is considerably stronger than Elmer's woodworkers variety. Don't use this for sheeting foam wings! Use polyuretahne glue or epoxy for sheeting.

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