combatroy

Hello All!

I received a Hangar 9 Arrow from my wife for Christmas. Yes, she is a great wife. I have been flying electrics of all sizes and types for over 4 years and this is my first gas plane.

A gassed up the plane up with 15% fuel and ran a full tank of gas through it in my back yard (holding onto it) at varying speeds, mostly full throttle. when I was finished the starboard side of the plane, wing and tail was covered with a substantial film of fuel/oil. My question is, is this normal? If so, what should I clean the plane up with?

Plane specs are here:

http://www.horizonhobby.com/Shop/ByC...ProdID=HAN2550

Thanks in advance!

Regards - Combat Roy

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

Yup, it's normal. The electric crowd calls our planes "slimers" I use a spray bottle of Simple Green and paper towels to clean the plane at the end of the day.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

Simple Green is a favorite among many people. I use 409 and some people use Fantastic. You get the idea?

Enjoy,

Jim

Jim Thomerson

Sounds like you are running a fuel with some castor oil. The castor goes through your engine lubricating away and comes out taking some heat with it. You can now get into the endless discussion about castor vs synthetic oils. I also use simple green and paper towels for clean up. Welcome to the slimers.[8D]

Dr1Driver

Normal? It depends on what people call "normal". A little slick, oily residue is normal, but a thick slimy goop isn't. This can be caused by running a fuel with too much oil or a substantial amount of castor oil. Or, running the engine too rich. I suggest you get with a local club member who has some experience with glow fuel engines and let him advise you. It's difficult to visualize just how much residue you're talking about.

Dr.1

wcmorrison

My Feedback: (2)

I do not advize using paper towels, paper will scratch your finish. Use old cotton rags such as T-shirts. Almost any good liquid cleaner will do, though some have more amonia than others. Amonia will discolor aluminum engines too.

Good luck,

Cheers,

Chip

Dr1Driver

If you're looking for a cleaner, ammonia won't do it. You need something that will cut the oil. Try a 50-50 mix of rubbing alcohol and Formula 409.

Dr.1

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

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Now that Gerry has mentioned it, any cleaning product containing ammonia will dull the finish and will provide a premature aging look to your model. Avoid Windex and other window cleaners that contain ammonia.

Believe it or not, one of the best cleaners from Monokote/plastic covered models is good old methyl alcohol. Just wear a barrier between your skin and the alcohol, as this stuff is readily aborbed by the skin and attacks the liver. So far, in my experience, nothing beats methyl alcohol as the ultimate slime remover.

Dr1Driver

It may be great stuff, Ed, but too dangerous for me. I'll stick to good old rubbing alcohol.

Dr.1

combatroy

Good stuff!! Its just a fine film on the plane. There isn't any "goop", etc. coming from it. I'll wipe it down tonight.

Dr1driver, I would head to a local field but it is to far away from me. They guys at my local hobby place are pretty knowledgable but I find posting on here is helpful too. You all saved me a trip to the store. I did however find an abodoned airfield with a 3/4 mile runway 20 minutes from my house.


Now that I'll be flying glow I know the ol' school yard/soccerfield just won't do..heh! I downloaded and installed "google earth" and it helped me locate some great places near my house. The airfield looked interesting from the satellite map ( i saw a big brown strip in the middle of a huge field) and I marked a few other potentials. I took my 20 month old son with me this weekend and scouted them out and the old airfield is incredible at least 100 acres of wide open space and a 3/4 mile strip.

Thanks for the advice all.

Regards - Combat Roy

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

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I'll have to give Isopropyl alcohol a try, Gerry. I'm sure I've used it in small location situations, but I haven't tried spraying it on an entire wing panel and rubbing away. At my age and physical condition, I need all the liver function that I have. <G>

Perminator

An exhaust deflector or a piece of rubber hose is really helpful in redirecting the slime in another direction than your plane

Don M.

My Feedback: (5)

I don't understand all this talk about NOT using Windex and paper towels. That is all I've used for over 20 years and am very satisfied.

Dr1Driver

Ed,
Don't forget the Formula 409. I've also used the Clorox wipe-type cloths with good results. I will usually give the plane a swipe at the field, then give it a good cleaning when I get back to the shop.

Don,
A paper towel, as is any paper, is very abrasive, but I haven't have any scratching problems using them. The secret there is keep it WET and don't scrub like you're cleaning the floor.

Perminator,
An exhaust deflector will keep the first 3" of your plane clean, then it does little good. If it's too long, it may actually do harm by creating too much back pressure and messing up the engine tuning.

Dr.1

blw

My Feedback: (3)

I *think* that Windex loosens Monokote. Maybe that's why some people say that you shouldn't use it.

The rough fibers in paper towels will scratch covering over a period of time. You first notice the lack of shine, or a dullness. I've used them some, but not always. I use cotton rags like old tshirts.

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

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I used it for many years too, Don.

The ammonia in Windex puts a hazy finish on the Monocote and some other plastic finishes. That's all I'm griping about. Obviously, it isn't bothering you if you are still using it after all of these years.

Howard

My Feedback: (55)

The oil residue is normal and part of the whole experience. I have been doing this for 36 years and in that time I just can't remember seeing folks use a rag instead of paper towels. I make my own cleaner which is mostly tap water, a squirt of liquid dish washing detergent and about a tablespoon of rubbing alcohol all in a spray bottle. I am open to using better stuff if there really is an advantage so some feedback would be welcome.

Howard

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

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I have had good luck using a similar mixture, Howard.

A friend of mine once made up a killer mixture. He wouldn't tell me what was in it, but we quickly named his formula "Gak", because that is what the user said whenever they got a whiff of it.

blw

My Feedback: (3)

I think a lot of people at my club have rags in their flight boxes. I have several thrown in the top.

The easiest method to clean planes for me is to wax the covering first. I fly off of a grass field and chopped up grass/weed/bug parts don't stick to the wax. I don't use any spray and just wipe the plane clean with a cotton rag. It all comes off easily seems cleaner than using a spray with rags or paper towels. Polymer wax lasts much longer than organic based waxes with carnuba. Waxing only takes about 15 minutes a couple of times a year.

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

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And when you have to repair a tear in the covering - what do you do?

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

I have enough trouble making time to wax my cars a couple times a year, there's no way I'm waxing my planes too!

Phil Heller

My Feedback: (9)

Welcome to the wonderful world of internal combustion engines! Enjoy it, it's all part of the experience!

I use 409 and Brawny paper toweling. Brawny seems to be softer and more absorbant. Sometimes I will use windex, doesn't seem to bother Century 21 fabric or ultracote.

Anyway, a little goop gives your plane character!

Phil

Perminator

I disagree, I usually install it so it points directly into the ground, downwards in a 90° angle from the plane. I see all the difference in the world compared to no deflector in terms of grime. Too much back pressure is rarely a problem with a 2" tube. If running a Pitts-muffler, it's only good. I can understand that it's a problem if you were to clamp on a 1 foot rubberhose but come on, that little thing ain't gonna hurt.

Woody 51

Heck, I just use a mix of dish washing detergent with some methylated spirits added in an old spray bottle. I add the meths after I put the water in with the detergent. Cheap and works just fine every time. House hold detergent has grease cutting addatives in it anyway and the meths just helps the whole mix along.

blw

My Feedback: (3)

Well, I use a liquid wax and it takes about 5 minutes for a 60" wing. About the same for the fuselage. That's worth the easy cleaning job at the field. I probably save that 10 minutes after 2 times out flying. It's not a big deal. I was reading about aspect ratios and Reynolds numbers, and decided that maybe I could improve mine on a pattern plane by having a slicker surface. That lead to realizing that a waxed surface would maybe make cleaning easier, which it did.

Ed- I'm not sure what you are getting at. I suppose that I would repair a rip in covering like any other person would do. I did add wing stripes to a waxed wing covered in UC. No problems. Just ironed it on.

It's just a tip and it isn't for everybody. People can do whatever they wish as far as I'm concerned. This is just a hobby.