Hysol 101

[jiott]

I also used cut down Solo cups.
For measuring I use aluminum measuring spoons and the wood tongue depressors.

Jim

[skbenson]

How in the world do you clean the syringes you bought from Kitfox. By the time I am done applying the denatured alcohol won't clean it out. Also what kind of scale do you use? Thanks for any help.
Regards, Stan

[Esser]

Hi Stan,

For reusing the syringes, I push out as much of the excess left over product I can. At that point I take out the plunger and clean that with methyl hydrate. I then let what ever is left in the bottom of the syringe cure. Once it is cured I stick a wood screw in the nozzle and give it a good whack against the work bench. All the cured Hysol in the bottom just pops out.

As for the scale, I just went to harbor freight/ princess auto and bought a cheap mail scale that had a digital read out.

I make my batches about 40 grams for small batches and about 75 grams for when I have a lot of stuff to epoxy.

[skbenson]

Thank you. I'll give that a try.

[Dorsal]

Esser, I use the same approach to mixing but use one cup. Add one part, tare the scale, then add the second. I like your approach of cutting a bunch of cups in half, quite convenient.

[Chewie]

Stupid question for all the true beginners out there, like myself: What's this for?

[Dave S]

Hi Mark,

Well.....good question.....for those of us who have either built a Kitfox or are at some stage of construction it's apparent, but not necessarily so to a person who is considering or has not see the construction manual...so here goes....

Hysol is one type of structural epoxy adhesive....there are others but this is the one which is currently used on the Kitfox build.

So what do we do with it???? It is used to bond the wing ribs to the wing spars, also to bond the intercostals or ribs to the tail structure as well as many applications in construction where rivets and structural bonding is superior in strength to riveting alone....for instance....when affixing the lift strut brackets to the wing spars (many rivets and hysol). There are other parts of the process where hysol is used; but, you get the idea.

Now...what is this mixing and handling all about? Hysol, like other epoxy products is a two part product which has to be mixed in correct proportions to get its maximum strength.

Then there is the issue the two parts are somewhat the consistency and stickiness of something between "gorilla snot" (contact cement) and "smurf poop" (blue RTV).

That's the short read as to how & why we come up with clever and convenient ways of dealing with this stuff.

I can see your point...I have friends flying ultralights and trikes, etc, and when their machines were built no Hysol was involved...but lots of bolts, rivets and pins.

Cheers,

Dave S
KF 7 Trigear (Flying)
912ULS Warp Drive

St Paul, MN

[cap01]

do you mean what is hysol ? two part industrial adhesive that pretty much the whole airplane is stuck together with .
hows the flyin going ? weather up north not very good for getting out to head down there , maybe tomorrow .

[grdev]

Is Hysol used to glue leading edge to spar? If so how much does it take to do the job? Is this stuff safe to use in a basement work shop, I mean with the fumes and stuff? Is the Dow Corning RTV just used for the fuel Tanks?

Thanks
Gil

[Esser]

There is a smell to the Hysol but it's not over powering and doesn't have fumes. You more smell it when you are right over top of it. I used it in my basement all last winter with no issues. You do use it for the leading edge and yes the rtv is for the tanks.