Has any one tried to remove and replace ribs on the tail? I have some broken ones to replace. I want to use the old ribs as templates to make new ones. How do you take the old Hysol off of the tube? Any help is appreciated.
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Has any one tried to remove and replace ribs on the tail? I have some broken ones to replace. I want to use the old ribs as templates to make new ones. How do you take the old Hysol off of the tube? Any help is appreciated.
Never had to do it yet but have heard that a heat gun will loosen the Hysol sufficiently to remove bonded items like the ribs.
Roger Wilco on the heat gun...I have done this a couple times and it softens the Hysol enough to peel/break it away from the part you want to get at.
Scott,
The good news on the tail is since the structure is steel rather than aluminum - a lot less concerns with damaging the tubing or messing up the temper compared to the wing/spar/ribs - the amount of heat it takes to get the hysol loosened up won't hurt the steel. A person can scrape and sand the remaining gunk off the tubing to get a clean tube for the repair.
Another thing to think about. Depending on how much damage is done to the ribs, it might be easier/quicker/less messy to simply bond a doubler to the existing rib to patch it and leave the original rib in place - that is a legitimate way of making the repair also.
Sincerely,
Dave S
St Paul, MN
I got a chance to relocate a rib this morning. Last night, after bonding and double checking position of the stab ribs I shut down the shop for the night.
This morning I found one of my clothes pin clamps slipped in the night and twisted one end of a rib out of position by 1/4 inch. Being a perfectionist I had to fix the largely cosmetic rib position. It was on the bottom and no one would know. That is… no one but me. So it had to be fixed.
Using a heat gun would cause the powder coating to soften and bubble. Not a good idea.
Instead, I used an Xacto knife to carefully slice the Hysol fillet away from the rib from both sides. Then with the point of the knife I undercut the rib a small amount.
Using the edge of a chisel and some gentle taps with a mallet I popped the rib loose without so much as a hairline crack. I was able clean up the spar with the knife blade and leave no trace the rib was ever out of place. I re-bonded the rib with a dribble of epoxy and all is well.
Not a hard procedure, really, but approach the surgery slowly. Take your time.
John Pitkin
Greenville, Tx
I tried your suggestion of a heat gun, although I didn't use a real heat gun, I substituted my wife's hair dryer (don't tell her). I set it on high and held it on the rib end area, blasting around the Hysol, and slightly flexing the rib just enough to get the Hysol to soften and break loose. It works pretty well.
Thanks again for the help.
I do want to say that I really enjoy this site a lot, a lot of good information and people in the Kitfox community. Some day when I get my Kitfox flying, I hope to meet some of you guys.
There is a big difference between a Heat Gun and a Hair Dryer. Heat guns are used for stripping paint. and they get a little warmer than a Hair Dryer, Heat guns range from about 575° to 1200° Fahrenheit.
They will do a little more than dry hair!
I've been reading some misinformation on heating and loosening hysol glue.
There is no reason to use more heat than it takes to loosen the glue and
a hair dryer on high IS enough. My heat gun is from 600-1500 and is to hot.
If you bubble the paint thats way to hot. Also if your burning the wood, your using to much heat.
It so easy, even a cave man can do it.
scottr used a sucessful method and was all the heat necessary
Ah good answer! You CAN peel the Powder Coat right off!