JIMARRINGTON

I am trying to recover a 60 size U-Can-Do that has served me well for a few years but am having trouble getting the covering to stick to the balsa areas that have had contact to glow fuel. Do any of you guys have some tips or tricks to help me get that covering to stick?

I also made a few modifications to the tail by rounding off the rudder and the elevators. I am going to change it to an open cockpit, paint it blue with yellow tailfeathers and yellow wings with pre WW II roundels. Gonna call it a PT-Do!

Thanks
Jim

waterloged

Hi Jim I am a gunsmith and deal with oil soaked gunstocks all the time. I use a product called "old fashioned whiting" from "Brownells" in Montazuma Iowa, or brownells.com 1-800-741-0015 you use the powder and some acetone, toluene type paint thinner or methanole mix, you brush it on and let it dry then you might have to do it a second time and the one pound size should do what you need. It really works best with acetone. You can buy right from Brownells with out a FFl so that should help you.
Jim S

JIMARRINGTON

Acetone? That is the stuff in laquer thinner isn't it? Also in fingernail polish remover. Hmph. May have to go raid the wife's drawer to see what I can find.

Thanks for the info and keep the tips coming.

Jim

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

You can buy the Acetone at any hardware store and it's very cheap. After your done with that you can brush on some thinned Balsarite, Balsaright?? You get the idea. The stuff helps act as A bonding agent for the covering. Most good Hobby Shops have it. {Unless you are in Calif.}

Gringo Flyer

My Feedback: (18)

Several folks in our club here have had good luck with talcum powder. Just cover the stained area with it and leave it on for several days or even weeks. It seems to draw out and soak up all the oil.

DavidAgar

My Feedback: (108)

I have recently discovered, on the advice of another RCU member, put the effected parts in some cheap kitty litter and let it sit for a couple of days. It worked great. You can also use K2R spot remover. Good Luck, Dave

TFF

I have also used the monocote iron turned up and put a paper towel down between it and the structure; the oil will boil out and the towl will soak it up.

Tom

ChuckW

Several guys in our club swear by K2R. The local Ace hardware stores carry it.

Bad_Daddy

K2R was always THE magic, back in the days when electric flight was only in its infancy and nearly every model had oil-soaked issues.
If you could find some CarbonTetrachloride, that would work nicely also, but it's pretty hard to find these days.
Baking soda will also absorb the oils from balsa.

maayan

use an iron and a towel- as suggested.
works great and fast.
just needs to be done in a well ventilated place.[8D]

mscic-RCU

My Feedback: (6)

Soak wood with rubbing alcohol, cover with talcum powder. When finished, you might use Sig stick it or Coverite balsarite to help covering stick.

AERORICH73

Hi fellows: Thought I would pass on the method I found some time ago which has successfully worked very well for me. Spread a layer of corn meal, 1/4", over the soaked area, and then with an eye dropper start soaking the corn meal with acetone until is full. Let the corn meal dry, and after dumping it off, check to see how much oil is left. You may have to do this several times depending just how much oil is in the wood. Once satisfied with the oil removal, apply a coat of Balsarite, or Stick-it to the wood, and then install the covering when the surface is dry. The can of Balsarite does say that applying several coats over oil covered balsa, covering will stick. I rather remove the oil as much as possible in hopes of regaining some strength in the wood. This oil removal method also makes it possible to install 1/64th, or 1/32 Birch 3 ply over an area that needs strenghtening due to the crash damage.

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calvino

Why not use paint thinner to remove the grease. It is not the cheapest but it will hopefully disolve the oil the same way that the acetone... would.

Ricky Blade

for what its worth i also was told to use K2R carpet cleaner fom Ace Hardware. ricky