RE: Plane Cleaning
 

You might want to be careful about using ammonia to clean your planes. If they are covered with Monocote, ammonia is able to soften the adhesive. A detergent or citrus based cleaner works just as well without that danger.

Hey Charlie P, it sounds like you had some fun stuff to play with for a while there. I know a few serious shooters who use 15% ammonia to clean the copper fouling out of their rifle barrels in the field. It only takes one pass for the patch to come out bright blue, and maybe 3 for them to start coming out clean. My father in law who works at a hydrogen peroxide plant has some neat stories to tell about his product in high concentrations too.

RE: Plane Cleaning
 

Does this mean that using Windex is Verboten because it might loosen the Monokote???

Bob

RE: Plane Cleaning
 

OK. Made the 'solution' and tried it. It cleaned up pretty good, but after a quick LIGHT spray from the garden hose she was drying. A short time later I took a look at it and noticed a lot of white 'fuzzy looking' stuff at a few joints. It was what I had feared. The solution/water had softened up the joints at the formers, radio tray. So now I am worried about the actual integrity of this thing. Looks like a scrapper now! But before going further throwing it away, I will trace the side profile and make plans for a new one. Thinking a Telemaster/Senior type fuselage, with sheeting up front, and stick rear end. Does this sound do-able? Would this be alright? I am used to foamies that cost a buck or two to build and am not worried if it doesn't work. So before doing this, I would just like another opinion. Thank you.

RE: Plane Cleaning
 

In case you're serious and truly diduse a garden hose on the inside of your model(!?!) :) Cleaners aren't to be used inside the airframe.


I guess that beats taking it to the laundromat.

RE: Plane Cleaning
 

Dead serious. Garden hose was used. I was originally looking to clean the inside of the plane. I guess I did not mention the inside originally. As it was full of mouse stuff, and other 'goodies'. So I really thought this was alright to use to clean the inner structure. But after removing most of the covering, the damage became more apparent. Top aft th ewing was split down the center, sides were seperated from the top sheeting, lower fuselage was seperated from the center to the front, wood was thin from the previous repair, etc. Not just the tip of the tail as it looked from the begining. So no big loss. I will air it out to dry and see how it looks after that.

RE: Plane Cleaning
 

Acetone or MEK.  Balsa that is not sealed is a sponge. 

I have used kitty litter to absorb spilled fuel and acetone to wipe out the fuselage as best as possible.  But wood airframes are not built to be bathed.

I'd check it real carefully for warpage after a soaking.

RE: Plane Cleaning
 

It sounds like the plane is a lost cause. There's no shame in trying to fix one up and failing, but to continue you're just throwing more energy and money into a project that might still be unflyable when you're done. Start shopping for a plane or lot of planes in better shape and cut this one up for scrap balsa.

RE: Plane Cleaning
 

new222, just a tip from an oldie.

Drop by one of the 1$ stores or such, go to the cleaning supplies and look for AWESOME. Comes in a variety of sizes and spray nozzles. Take your choice as I have not found any real difference between sizes or what is advertised for dishes versus heavy greece, etc. This stuff is "AWESOME". It has a disclaimer of not being associated with some other Awesome Company. It will clean most anything you want to clean.
At these stores there are different sizes, different spray caps, and different colors. I have tried many of them and find no difference in EFFECTIVENESS and price is always the proverbial $1. As is fishing lures are designed to catch the fisherman more so than the fish, :D I think the contents in an AWESOME bottle are designed to catch the housewife.
All same stuff, different color and size!

I do caution that some of the spray caps don't work well. I check that out before going to checkout. I hold on to a few good ones as I empty each bottle.

Someone mentioned "money"-kote tends to peel. One way to delay such is to pick up a can/jar of fuel-proof butyrate dope or Aero Gloss if you wish to be a big-spender, and do with a small brush a couple of coats down the seams PRIOR to a first flight. Give it a couple days to really settle and cure. A week would be better. Drying in a few minutes is not CURED! BTDT! ;)

Good Luck with your rebuild. You will be happy that you did so.