QuickTalk 22 - Q-TIPS
- Details
- Category: Q-Talk Articles
- Published: Sunday, 30 June 1985 07:11
- Written by Jim Masal
- Hits: 2494
From Ted Fox #2855
For you who suffer from the epoxy rash, here are a couple of things that may do the trick. I developed a rash on my left hand. I can't swear it was from the epoxy because it didn't itch to an unbearable degree. However, a little old lady suggested covering the affected area with the liquid centers of vitamin E capsules. It seemed to be working when I went to a dermatologist for an unrelated item and explained our problem to him. He gave me free samples of CYCLOCORT AMCINONIDE OINTMENT 0.1%. It accelerated the process the vitamin E seemed to have started. After 10 days it was cleared up.
From Jerry Barker #2446
In making taped joints in hard to reach places (such as installing a header tank) much frustration due to distorted BID tapes can be avoided as follows: in cutting the tapes, lay a 12" strip of waxed paper under the BID. Tapes are cut through BOTH materials. The tape remains on the strip of paper and is wet out by applying epoxy from a plastic bottle with a small spout such as a ketchup dispenser in a back and forth pattern.
In a few minutes, the epoxy will spread and completely wet out the tape, which can then be carried and stuck to the joint with almost no distortion. The tape can be smoothed through the paper, which can then be peeled off and discarded. The epoxy bottle may be rinsed with lacquer thinner for future use. This procedure has kept me from tearing out what little hair I have left (have you ever had a BID tape elongate to half its cut width?).
From Jim Masal #457
FINISHING TIPS - Someone once said that every builder has a certain number of hours of "sanding tolerance" within him. When that amount is used up, he says the hell with it, paints and goes flying. So...preserve what you got. I found some ways to stretch mine out a bit.
1. Whenever I did a layup and wound up with some extra epoxy, I mixed in a bunch of micro and spread it around on the airframe wherever I needed fill. It got to looking like a dappled cow after awhile, but it all has to be done SOONER OR LATER.
2. During the winter, or football halftimes, or instead of annoying the wife, I'd go out and sand on a patch of airframe somewhere. Maybe it was only a square foot or so, but it all has to be done SOONER OR LATER.
3. I did not mount my wing or canard to the fuselage until they were both finished top and bottom up to primer. In my tight garage I was able to have both surfaces side by side and at a comfortable height to work on. I would sand and spread micro on one surface and sand on another while that cured. The next day I'd flip them over and do the same. DO NOT; however fill the areas in the center of the wings where the tapes are to join them to the fuselage. It will take several episodes of filling and sanding on each surface until it is satisfactory, and you can save the really precise finish work on the top surfaces until later when everything's together.
While I was at it, I did the sides and belly of the fuselage while I could flip it around to any position at will.
By the time I got to the end, I had forgotten most of the earlier boredom of sanding and only had to spend minimal time on my back or in awkward sanding positions. I didn't need to assemble our local football team to help me flip the whole thing over either.
From Norm Howell #486
The fiberglass cutoff wheel for the Dremel is highly recommended for cutting cured glass. Part #426 comes in a package of 6 (I think) for about 5-6 bucks. They will easily cut laminates up to 6 plies thick without shattering like the #408 wheels do. If you hit a bit of raw glass, the #426 wheel will not grab the cloth and jerk your running Dremel suicidally into whatever you're working on (like the mini metal saws do). ALWAYS USE SAFETY GOGGLES WITH THE DREMEL - one eyed pilots have trouble passing their flight physicals.
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