Hey guys,

I need some help in sanding CA glue off of my Flyin' King that I am building. What is the best # of sand paper to use in sanding CA off? Also, in sanding a fuselage that is mostly constructed of sticks, how do you sand a small area without digging into the other part of the fuse and sanding the parts you don't want to? I'm using a sanding block, but I'm having a difficult time.

Any tips, tricks, or suggestions would be very welcome. Thanks!

Thomer

As you have already found out, CA glue doesn't sand worth a damn. In places where I plan on sanding, I use the old time model airplane cement like Ambroid or Testor. Now where you want to sand one area next to an area you don't, you can protect it with a layer or two of masking tape. Grits usually starting at 100 for roughing, 180 to 240 final shaping. Above that depends on what type of finishing technique you are doing.

As HighPlains has pointed out, it's next to impossible to sand CA soaked wood. About the only advice that can be given it to not get too much CA into areas that are going to need to be sanded. To be totally honest with you, this is one of the biggest reasons why I switched from building with CA to building with wood glue. I got tired of wood that I couldn't sand.

Ken

if you have a small area to smooth out take a Q-tip and use CA debonder to loosen up the CA, then quickly wipe off the extra CA and again quickly sand the area before the glue re-hardens, its a pain but it works in a pinch, like ken said if you have a area that you know for sure your going to need some sanding or shaping then a tite bond or similar type glue sands much better I use allot of CA in my building also. another way if you are doing a area of lets say sheeting is to use blue tape to protect the areas you don't want touched and use a rough grit like 100 to tear into the glue you have to be real careful I usually use a sanding block,some extra balsa wrapped in sand paper works well, the rough stuff will make short work of balsa wood and hardly a dent in the CA but the blue tape will protect the surrounding balsa from over sanding.

use 60-80 grit paper glued to a small (1/2" x 2" block. the course paper will chew up the ca and balsa at about even rates. it sounds bad but it works good.