Oily Repairs

Gang --

The U-Key 40 went in inverted with little damage, except the left stab broken nearly flush with fuse. I had planned on just butt gluing with 90 minute epoxy until I discovered the oil.

Now I am not so sure. Any suggestions without building a new stab? Cleaning techniques?

Actually, this is my own darned fault, as we were on vacation and I didn't clean the plane after the "incident".

Go to Wal-Mart? Ours here carries it, and get some carpet cleaning agent called KR-2 or K-R2 I forget how the dash is arrainged in it. Shake the can up and spray it onto the oily area. After it dries well, then wip off as much of the powder as you can get off. This should clean up the wood enough to let epoxy hold. Still, though, I think without using a spar or something to brace the two halves, I would just as soon replace the Stab. You can try making some modifications to the Stab/elevator to see how that effects the flight performance! Good repairing!!

>Gang --
>
>The U-Key 40 went in inverted
>with little damage, except the
>left stab broken nearly flush
>with fuse. I had planned
>on just butt gluing with
>90 minute epoxy until I
>discovered the oil.
>
>Now I am not so sure.
>Any suggestions without building a
>new stab? Cleaning techniques?
>
>Actually, this is my own darned
>fault, as we were on
>vacation and I didn't clean
>the plane after the "incident".
>
>
>Larry Fulwider

Larry,

Jim's right on the mark except the exact name is K2R. It'll likely take several applications to soak out all the oil. Spray/let dry/brush off/spray/let dry/brush off until the oil is clearly all gone.

Like Jim, a new stab is probably the best way to go although a good alternative is to imbed dowels into both halves of the stab to act as spars. Drill the holes enough oversize to allow any misalignment to be accomadated and then fill the holes with epoxy before inserting the dowels. The excess will be forced out but leave enough in the holes to make a good bond with the new "spars". Use the excess to glue the butt joint. Be sure to align it carefully. This should result in a stronger joint than you had prior to the repair.

Thanks Ted,

Couldn't remember the exact way the KR2 name was displayed on the can. (Senior moment?) I'm with you about using a spar during the re-attachment it will make the repair stronger than the original wood.

>Gang --
>
>The U-Key 40 went in inverted
>with little damage, .>Larry Fulwider

Larry,

A very good flyer, Gordon Delaney of Salt Lake City would commiserate with you. He won classic with his absolutely beautiful Collosus (sp?), a Jim Tichy design from the late '50s. This ship was also in the front row for Open appearance judging, so you'll know we're talking first class beautiful here. I don't know if you knew what happened to him at the nats but...if it wasn't so upsetting, it would be funny.

Gordie's a semi-unrepentent smoker. Knows he should quite but hadn't...until, possibly, after this event. He was flying a practice flight one calm morning before the day's official flying and thought it would be cool...or maybe just a good idea...to smoke a cigarette while doing so to give him a good read on the wind direction, if any. Sort of a '50s Jimmy Dean version of Bob Gieseke's pipe, if you will.

Well, things went along fine until during his inverted flight the smoke started to get in his eyes and he thought he should get rid of it. He cool-ly slipped the cig from his lips, looked aside, flipped it casually to the rear, and returned his attention to his beautiful front row ship just as it made a power-on inverted landing! Oi vey, talk about distressed!

The only good news as a result is that he'll probably cut off his hand before he smokes another one of those things...and, if he doesn't, neat wife and stunt goddess Sandy will do it for him.

Now, was that anything like what happened to your Ukey????

Ted --

Absolutely not! Cigs were not a factor. I have been succesful in keeping all my sexual, tobacco, and drug problems at least 70 feet and two hours away from the center of the circle, which is a good guideline for all.

Well, something akin to that happened to me flying inverted during practice for a contest in Tifton GA. Tom Dixon was trying get my attention and move me over because I wasn't in the center of a poorly marked circle. When I looked back up from listening to Tom my old Magnum (New at the time) was about 1 inch from a power on inverted landing. Being startled, I hit the down elevator causing the rudder to drag on the ground somewhat. It also nicked the tip of my prop. At least it wasn't a full on power job. I did though manage to make a power on rather rough landing at the bottom of an hourglass with the Intrepid. I'm still getting the little damages here and there sorted out on it. I will probably end up refinishing the fuselage before next year though.

i also have a ukey 40/os40la,if(when) i knock the stab off i would replace the whole assy. using thicker balsa or liteply and a more dependable hinge.the plane needs tail weight anyway,..jerry

Joe actually made the first run of Ukeys with lite ply stabs but they warped badly so he went to balsa. I've glued half a Ukey stab back on before with 5 minute epoxy. That will work. Glued the elevator back together too. Several times. It finally got really ugly & I replaced it. Changing out the whole works only takes an hour or so, but if I can glue it I don't have to replace the hinges
If you can't find K2R (I've never been able to around here & I've been looking for 4 years), you might be able to find AFTA spot remover. It's a liquid that I've found in spray cans, daubers & plunger squirt-bottles. It does a pretty good job of removing oil no matter what container it comes in. It usually takes several applications. It won't eat Rustoleum either. The elevator on the old black Ukey has a piece of fiberglass pasted in the middle to hold it together now. Still flys fine.

Our neighhood Ace Hardware carries K2R.

An ancient "trick" is plain ordinary corn starch from the local "general store". It works GREAT mixed with clear dope as a filler coat too! Thanks to the great Bob Palmer, via GMA for the tip (on the filler coat bit, the other I got elsewhere)!

Success! I have found the elusive K2R at the new BiMart store. I hope it's a long time before I get to try it out.
Nils