Blue plastic on skins

g_e_young · Post by **g_e_young** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 5:22 pm

Hi All,

I'm wondering how people deal with the blue plastic on the skins. Do people tear it off when they start building with that skin, or do you somehow -carefully- cut the blue plastic off just in the area of the holes? Or do you just leave it on and drill, dimple and rivet right into it (which seems a bit odd since you'd then have blue plastic embedded between the rivet and the skin).

When I built my RV-6 10 years ago, there was no plastic coating on the skins!

Thx,

grant-

Snap · Post by **Snap** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 6:38 pm

I have seen it all. many people get a soldering iron and carefully melt plastic off (in stripes to oncover the holes). Takes awhile but it does give the skin protection from marks and scratches during building.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 8:45 pm

Cool idea, but you might think there is an easier way....

I definitely scratched my -6 skins so I'm going to try to leave them on somehow for teh -8 project.

g-

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 9:46 pm

I am ripping it all off! I figure the plane will be painted in the end anyways, sooooo...

CJ

mhflyit · Post by **mhflyit** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 11:24 pm

Van says take it off when the parts arrive. Most of the sratching happens around the holes or the edges where you'll be drilling, filing and sanding.

Use towels or some other soft material when placing and moving parts on the bench.

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 11:30 pm

Hi,
I am one of the ones using the soldering iron technique. I did take all of the plastic off the elevators and found that they got scratched up more than I would like. So I went back to the soldering iron.
If you decide to use the soldering iron technique, I highly suggest you go down to Radio Shack and purchase their butane powered soldering iron. It is perfect for this application. My corded iron wasn't getting hot enough. So, I had to go real slooooowwwww. The butane iron heats up real hot AND there is no power cord to keep getting in the way. The iron is only about $20 - $30.

Tony

Snap · Post by **Snap** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 6:23 am

I think I will be leaving it on. Just to give it that little bit of extra help in protection. not everyone has the huge sized area to work in/on and if you have a smll space you will tend to knock it more.

But....saying that, if i had a larger area. i might take it off and get a big, big table.

Here's to wishing for things.

Stan · Post by **Stan** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 4:33 pm

Trim the blue plastic with a soldering iron and a straight edge after drilling to the sub frame. This is a great way to prevent scratching on the underside of your skins as you install and remove them during the fitting process.The plastic needs to be removed before you dimple to allow you to debur and remove the aluminum chips around the holes left over while drilling. You don't want to smash ALUMINUM SWARF into the skin with dimple sets and dies. I remove a 1 inch strip divided evenly along the the rivet rows on the outside of the surfaces and remove all the plastic on the underside of the skins .A good practice is to prime the dimpled holes on the outside before you install your rivets . Most corosion forms under and around rivets - not in wide open accesable areas.You will find the plastic much easier to remove if it is in small pieces rather than in one 2 by 10 foot section.Remember to remove all the plastic on your fuel tank skins. This process is time consuming but your tail group ,wings etc.will be sitting around collecting dust for some time while you go about scuffing your fuselage side skins with your belt buckle leaning over to install parts under and around the floor.DONT PRESS HARD WITH YOUR IRON - THE OBJECT IS TO MELT THE PLASTIC - NOT CUT IT WITH THE IRON TIP.WE DONT WANT TO SCRATCH THE THIN ALLUMINUM CLAD ON THE SKIN SURFACE.THIS IS THE CLAD IN ALCLAD THAT SLOWS THE COROSION AF THE ALLOY

Snap · Post by **Snap** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 7:38 pm

I like that idea of priming around the holes before rivets are put in. doesn't sound that time consuming either. Good idea

Snap · Post by **Snap** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 7:46 pm

I have found a photo of the soldered skin type.
Thanks Kathleen. There are other good shots here to ..

Nice work I may add

http://www.rv7.us/pics/040324%2097%20e.JPG

Thermos · Post by **Thermos** » Sat Nov 06, 2004 8:08 pm

I used the soldering iron technique, but rounded/smoothed the tip with a file and some scotchbrite first. Helps minimize the possibility of scratching the alclad.

Dave

Post by **Spike** » Sat Nov 06, 2004 9:02 pm

Thats exactly what I did Dave. However, I have found so far that that plastic sure makes me a bit impatient. Hmm, time to do something to this part. Darn it, I need get out the iron, plug it in, heat it up, and then melt the plastic. *sncker* Ive found myself sometimes just ripping it off.

-- John

Thermos · Post by **Thermos** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 5:43 pm

Yup. I know that frustration!

The longer the plastic stays on, the harder it seems to be to melt and remove. My cheapo Radio Shack 25-watt iron may get upgraded to something a little more powerful.

Dave

Don · Post by **Don** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 8:54 pm

By all means leave it on and melt it off rivet rows with a soldering iron, tip polished nicely with scotchbrite so no scratches, like the previous replys advise. It provides perfect protection during construction, and you'll find it easy to peel off when you're ready, even after 5 years like I took.

You might even go a little loony like me and decide to polish rather than paint. You'll REALLY appreciate it then.