I have an ARF that I need to trim some covering off to install the tail etc. It says to trim it carefully to make sure you don't cut the wood underneath. I've read that this is nearly impossible to do. Are there any tricks to cutting the covering without slicing up the balsa, or is it the standard "use a new blade and go slow" technique?
Thanks, Steve
I have heard of people using a small soldering iron to cut the covering. I've never tried it but I did pick up a soldering iron the other day that has an xacto #11 blade as an optional tip!
On Fri, 01 Jul 2005 20:56:05 GMT, "Jim Slaughter" wrote in :
I'm not sure that I've used the "burn through" technique myself, but it was very strongly recommended in one of the Model Aviation columns in the most recent issue.
Apparently it does not take much of a cut in the surface of the balsa to set up the conditions needed for a catastrophic failure.
Marty
I've used the soldering iron with the #11 blade that Jim described with great success. It works just like it's suppose to, trims the covering away without cutting the wood. Only I would suggest using the dullest #11 blade you have. You don't have to press hard.
Trial fit tailplane, rudder or whatever to fuselage and mark cut line with felt tip pen. Use the tip of a sharp blade to prick and "lift" the skin (covering) clear of the balsa. Hold blade flat to wood, penetrate between skin and balsa [or in many ARF = Paulownia] and slide along inside the marked line. Fold material and back at180 degrees to the piece to be removed and peel back. Pull slowly so the piece being removed lifts all gum with it and does not tear the wood. A 1/48 scratch across the grain of say the Tailplane is the same as a scratch across glass - weakens the surface and leads to failure of say the tailplane under stress. In need, to repair a deep scratch, cut a 2 - 3" "trench " across the cut and epoxy in a piece of thin dowel or a sliver off an ice cream stick or carbon fibre tow..
Regards Alan
I use a soldering iron with a sharp point. Not a blade, but a tip that is used for very fine soldering. Let it get hot, use a straightedge and go slowly along the straightedge with the iron. Don't apply much pressure. It will score the covering. May not go through it in all places. However, it peels off easily. Try on some scrap first.
John VB
Steve wrote:
Sounds like a sodlering iron with a fine tip or a blade should work well. I'll be working on it this week hopefully.
Thanks for the info...
Steve
I have been cutting the cover off of ARF's now for 10 years, I do sometimes cut in to deep, but I always rub Baking Soda into the scared areas and leach thin CA into the cuts and cracks. This will set up and be stronger than the balsa itself. It will not break at these points.
Flying Fokker wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:
I was thinking the same. Sounds too much like common sense.
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