chucksaw812

I started a 1/5 scale 81" Topflite Cessna 182 kit about 20 or more years ago. Possibly 23 or 24 years ago..Because of health reasons I put building on hold. It's been a long time and I was thinking about finishing it. It's pretty much totally built except for covering.Nothing is covered.It has been in a somewhat humid basement for almost a quarter of a century. Do you think the glue joints, (super glue and epoxy), would still be sound? Is it any different than a completely built and covered model of that age?
If the balsa isn't covered would it absorb moisture and deteriorate? Will the glue joints/epoxy still be good?
Thanks

carlgrover

the only way to tell would be to tug/pull/check the glue joints. I would also assemble the entire model and look very carefully to see if any of it is warped. If it looks good, feels good, and doesn't appear to be falling apart in your hands, have at it.


carl

52larry52

My Feedback: (1)

In addition to the tug/pull checks suggested by carlgrover I would go over as many glue joints as possible with another shot of CA or epoxy. I know that a lot of that model is sheeted and those glue joints inside the sheeting can't be reglued but do as many as you can, sort of like wise flyers today do with ARF's. The TF Cessna 182 is a fine flying scale model and well worth finishing and flying. If you haven't been flying for those last 20 or so years, please don't start with the Cessna, get "warmed up" with a large trainer and some mentor help. Good luck.

chucksaw812

That's a very good point. Warpage..I didn't think about that ..I bet the wing is warped..
thanks for bringing that up!

chucksaw812

That's an excellent idea!..ill,do that...thank you very much!

DGrant

My Feedback: (4)

At this point it sounds like said above that you'll have to evaluate what you have, and what's needed to finish. I've had a few planes over the years that didn't get completed right away(one too me over 10yrs off and on..). I found using a large trash bag, and just putting the plane/wood covered up in one of those bags seems to keep it indefinitely... I stored a plane untouched for 8yrs in a heavy duty trash bag, and it came out like the day I put it in there.

buzzard bait

I can't even count anymore the number of planes older than yours that I have refurbished and flown, with good results. The only exception is a couple of planes that were badly oil soaked around the firewall. One of those I kept going after the whole front fell off by slathering with baking soda wetted with alcohol, so draw out some of the oil, and then using plenty of epoxy.

Usually any glue joint on a kit-built plane is better than most glue joints on ARFs, and any balsa, no matter how old, is fine, and much better than lite ply.

I would not hesitate to go ahead and finish your plane.

Jim

J330

My Feedback: (3)

Buzzard Bait, you are the man. I agree 100%.

I can't count the estate sales I've restored abandoned kits without any issues whatsoever. FL is very humid. Unless weight was put on the tail feathers, wing, or fuselage to bend it over time, i\it's likely just the way you left it. Put it out in the sun for a day and let sunlight (UV) kill any organisms in the wood. It will also dry the wood. Glue doesn't decay. Balsa Wood is very porous and will dry out.
Again, I've done this dozens of times without a care in the world. Be positive. You'll love finishing it.

By the way, warps are EASILY repaired by getting a spray bottle from Home Depot and fill it with water, spray the warped area, correct it into the position you want it in, and in a day or two, it's fixed. It would be a pain IF it was covered. So that is a very easy repair to make. I see worse warps from inexperienced Monokote "experts" getting too aggressive with the process and rushing the job.

chucksaw812

Thank you,...I was hoping the kit wouldn't be a loss.. The wing is probably warped though. It's been sitting in the rafters of the basement all these years..I may have to get a wing kit for it..

chucksaw812

That's a good idea about putting it in the sun and another good idea about spraying the warped areas. Thank you for the advice!

52larry52

My Feedback: (1)

A lot has changed in the model aviation world since you started that kit 20 yrs. ago and I'am not sure you can even buy a "wing kit" for most planes anymore. It seems to me that most kit manufactures, the few that are left , don't offer them. I'am not sure about Top Flite. I would do my best to save/repair that wing if I were you. BTY, wings from the newer T.F. Cessna 182 ARF will not fit as the fuselage on the ARF is 1/2 " wider. No interchange between things like the cowl. or ft. and rear canopy either for the same reason.

buzzard bait

Your wing may not be warped at all, depending on how it was stored. But if it is, then yes, J330 has the right idea. If it is warped, you may need to set up a counter twist, after spraying with water, to get the warp out. Take your time and work at it till it will sit by itself with no warp. Even if you have to mess with the counter twist a few times it will be much easier than building a new wing.

A nice easy way to check for warps is to get two perfectly straight sticks and rubber band them onto the wings close to the ends with the sticks parallel to the ribs. That exaggerates any twist in the wing and you can just stand back and view it from either end of the wing. If the wing is warped the sticks will not be parallel to each other viewing from the end.

I hope you find out there is no warp. It's quite possible!

Jim