hudmun

hey gang anyone patch a hole in a fuel tank. I had a crash which shoved the tank into the engine mouting screws on a alpha trainer. $15.00 shipped for a new one or maybe fix. anyone have any luck with a patch job.

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

The simple answer is "no". Many have tried to patch fuel tanks, but there isn't really any patch that works. Because of the vibrations involved and contact with the fuel patching a fuel tank becomes a frustrating task. I've found it's simply easier (and many times cheaper) to just buy a new fuel tank. One important thing to keep in mind about attempting repair a tank, when it starts to leak that fuel is going to soak directly into the wood of the plane and start to weaken the structure of the plane which will eventually result in a crash of the plane. The cost of the plane isn't worth losing considering how cheap a new fuel tank is.

Ken

exeter_acres

My Feedback: (2)

$15 shipped....

there MUST be a LHS near you......

Ugo Ferrari

My Feedback: (1)

I have successfully patched small holes such as you have, using a small tipped soldering iron and plastic edge trimmer cord as "solder". Get the tank oil free around the hole. Using the soldering iron, carefully melt the area around the hole in a circular motion and slowly apply the trimmer cord to the tip of the iron till it flows and covers the hole. Done ! Pressure test the tank under water....
Good Luck !
Ugo

carrellh

Typing san jose hobby shop in the www.google.com search box returned several results.

A. D & J Hobby & Crafts - www.djhobby.com - (408) 379-1696 - 20 reviews
B. HobbyTown USA - sanjoseca.hobbytown.com - (408) 229-1972 - 4 reviews
C. Rc Unlimited Hobby Shop - www.rcunlimited.net - (408) 377-3771 - 5 reviews
D. Games Workshop Oakridge Mall - www.games-workshop.com - (408) 226-6325 - more
E. California Hobbies LLC - www.california-hobbies.com - (408) 448-1449 - 1 review
F. Train Shop The - www.aawtrains.com - (408) 296-1050 - 3 reviews
G. Sheldons Hobbies - www.sheldonshobbies.com - (408) 946-3801 - 4 reviews
H. Helicopter World Inc - www.heli-world.com - (408) 451-1155 - more
I. Happy Time R'c Hobby - www.happytimehobby.com - (408) 988-1188 - more
J. Sunset Models - www.3rdrail.com - (408) 866-1727 - more

Take your tank with you for comparison and find something that's pretty similar.

42etus

My Feedback: (2)

Patch a fuel tank. Are you serious? Hey, I've got some old AA alkaline batteries. Maybe you could solder yourself up a new receiver pack while you're at it..................Some guys just scare me.
Paul

Campgems

The tank doesn't have to be an exact replacement for the one you broke. Just make sure it is short enough to not to interfer with anything in the radio compartment. If it is a little to wide, simply cut out the bulkhead to fit. An 8oz Dubro tank is very close to most of the arf tanks. They cost less that $4.00 so that is the only route to go. Check DJ's Corner of Campbell Ave and San Tomas Aquino, not the San Tomas Expressway, but about a 1/2 mile to the west from it.

By the way, I've really tore some planes apart and only on two, the tank didn't survive intact. Those two crashes really totaly destroyed the plane.. If you hit hard enough to rupture your tank, you need to look closely for air frame damage.. I'll repeat Closely. A couple years back one of our guys had just finished repairing his trainer after a crash. I was talking to him as he was getting ready to start the engine. As soon as he touched the starter to the engine, it moved back ove 1/2 ". He still didn't realize that the firewall had broken loose in additon to the other damage. You have to look things over with a realy critical eye after a crash. Guessing it is OK doesn't get it. You have to know it's OK.

Don

TexasAirBoss

My Feedback: (22)

Gee, now I think about all those tanks that I threw away over the years. I could have saved dozens of dollars !

jetmech05

get a new tank...cheaper than drying fuel from a fuselage

hudmun

thanks folks, as always lots off good advice. I'll try the plastic solder idea, if it doesnt work I'll brake down and treat my self to a new tank from LHS.
I had to rebuild the firewall and a few odds and ends, cleand up engine and runs fine, I should be flying next weekend. I was lucky It looked whorse than it was.

chashint

Do yourself a huge favor and treat yourself to a new tank now.

OzMo

My Feedback: (3)

It just isn't worth the hassle, buy a tank or make one from anther container. The plug and stuff are worth keeping. But loose the punctured tank. As a club safty officer I could not let the repaired tank fly. You would be asked to replace it before getting a clean safety check that is required at many clubs after a crash.

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

I have heard of people (soldering) milk jug plastic and fixing tanks,,,look around your house if its a big tank get a 50 cent bottle of rubbing alcohol and make a tank out of it,,,shampoo,,heck I have made 1/2A (.049) tanks from visine bottles, cutex nail polish remover bottles even bubble blowing bottles.....but please dont waste your time trying to fix a plastic tank,,think about it, if it doenst work you wont know until your plane is ruined...Rog

MikeL

My Feedback: (3)

Holy smokes. I've heard of things like this going on, but never actually seen it. That's the sort of thing that gives some clubs a bad reputation. How is repairing a tank a safety issue? It's not the brightest thing to do, because it's likely to fail and tanks are inexpensive. That said, it's not a safety issue.

Stuntpilot51

I agree with MikeL, I can't believe your inspecting every plane that crashes and then requiring a clean bill of health to fly again. In my opinion this is unenforceable and rediculous. Albeit trying to repair a fuel tank is unwise and I would never do it, your policy is still absurd. If I tried to do that at our club, I would be tarred and feathered and sent home.

chashint

Over zealous safety dude lighten up, it is not worth stressing out over something like this.
Fuel tanks leak all the time for lots of different reasons, if he decides to repair the tank and it leaks it is no different than a fuel line breaking or the tank splitting .... hardley a safety issue .... but the fuel makes a real mess in the plane.
I think a tank with a hole that is patched will fail .... but hey its not my plane and if he wants to "solder" the hole in the tank to fix it then it is his choice to do so.

TexasAirBoss

My Feedback: (22)

Some clubs ? Doesn't every club have one of these guys ?

2slow2matter

My Feedback: (1)

So grab a cold one, old over-zealous-safety-dude, this bud's for you....

Rudolph Hart

Over the last 30yrs i've welded most types of plastic prior to painting and finishing in the automotive trade.Once it's had fuel in it you can forget it.

Villa

I would never consider repairing a fuel tank since an 8oz Hayes fuel tank (the best fuel tank I have ever seen) costs only about $4.80.

Delta3

Let me think now, we spend hundreds of dollars on air craft, engines, radios, field boxes etc etc and then we want to repair a $10 fuel tank, throw the old one in the trash and spend the $15 bucks it will save you a lot of grief.

daveopam

My Feedback: (9)

PLEASE, throw it away and buy another one. Fuel soaked balsa can cost you the airplane.

David

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

I have repaired a plastic tank too. It must be very clean, and the plastic to repair it of a compatable plastic. They are not pretty, but if done well, they don't leak. I'm a bit surprised at some of the sanctimonious responses made in this thread thus far.

Delta3

I to am quite astonished by some of the comments in here particularly the ones regarding safety, there is nothing more annoying than people who think that safety is an issue for everyone else and not them. I find it even more astounding that most of the adverse comments over safety come from the US where people sue each other for the most ridiculous things. This is a wonderfull sport and like plenty of others I have a lot of time and money invested in it but to critisize a person for being heavy handed with safety is downright silly. This is / can be a dangerous hobby especially when we are anywhere near spinning props and combustable fuel. I agree with OzMo on this one the tank should be replaced and he as Safety Officer has a duty of care to ensure that not only the safety of the pilot is not compromised but also the safety of everyone else that is either flying or spectating at the club.

The reality is that the "It won't happen to me brigade" need to seriously rethink attitudes to safety because I have seen plenty preventable accidents happen because someone wanted to take a shortcut or simply believed it wouldn't happen to them

MikeL

My Feedback: (3)

Oh please. If that's the "correct" way of thinking, everyone needs to have every model inspected prior to every flight. That doesn't happen.

If we wanted to be completely safe, we'd just fly simulators. Modeling involves an imperfect art. How many people don't check their batteries before each flight? How many people knowingly fly models that have flaws? I know that I do. Tell me how a patched tank is any more dangerous than any of the calculated risks we take. Are you inspecting your fuel system before every flight? I don't think so. It's incredibly easy to point fingers. There are people who fly beyond their abilities - all of us, at one time or another. There are people who fly models that have problems - all of us, at one time or another. Is every ARF inspected for bad glue joints? Is every flight made with a spotter on a buddy box, just in case?

If a person has the skill and patience to patch a tank, more power to them. Most of us wouldn't even attempt that. If someone believes they can do it, so be it. This hobby's roots are in individuals building skills and making their own equipment. We've become a disposable society. I'm part of that, you're a part of that, we're all a part of that. I don't mind a bit that someone might attempt not to be part of that. Remember when tanks were metal, and needed to be soldered? The world didn't end.

Yes, people who are heavy handed about safety should be throttled back. Heck, even the most recent AMA magazine safety column makes this point.