Grass sap?

The schoolyard where I fly has the usual eclectic variety of fescue, Bermuda and clovers. Today I noticed my lines were sticky, like they were coated with semi-dried castor. Turns out they picked up sap from one of the grasses. Like I don't have enough to worry about. . .
Acetone did not remove the sap completely; Prepsol did a better job. What do you guys like to use to clean lines?
Thanks for your help.
Derek Moran

OH, So that's why every time I land on grass as soon on the wheels touch down........sap, over she goes

Maybe a non polar type solvent, such as colemans lantern fluid or naptha, or paint thiner like toluene, or maybe something like rubbing alcahol or??????? Good question.-- Paul

>The schoolyard where I fly has the usual eclectic variety of
>fescue, Bermuda and clovers. Today I noticed my lines were
>sticky, like they were coated with semi-dried castor. Turns
>out they picked up sap from one of the grasses. Like I
>don't have enough to worry about. . .
>Acetone did not remove the sap completely; Prepsol did a
>better job. What do you guys like to use to clean lines?
>Thanks for your help.
>Derek Moran

Derek, it sounds as you're flying alone, using a stooge.

Try to avoid draggin' your lines over the grass. A soon as the ship touches the ground lift your arm as high as you can.

If you land away from your toolbox don't carry the plane leting the lines drag. Stick a screwdriver in the grass, put the hanl=dle there and cary the plane as high you can.

I use turpentine (terebentina) to clean my lines. It is suposed to dissolve vegetable resins, including sap.

Thanks Ion. You're correct- I usually fly alone and launch with a stooge. I try never to drag my lines, but sometimes it's unavoidable. I keep a small stake in my pocket to anchor the handle so I can walk the plane back to the launch point with lines tight and above the ground. I ruined a couple sets of lines before I figured this trick out.
Derek

When flying alone, I put the toolbox in the centre, helps me keep from drifting and tangling my feet in the release cable. Another very good reason is I can slip the handle in the corner of the box lid. That keeps the lines well off the ground when moveing the plane and works way better than staking the handle with a screwdriver.

>The schoolyard where I fly has the usual eclectic variety of
>fescue, Bermuda and clovers. Today I noticed my lines were
>sticky, like they were coated with semi-dried castor. Turns
>out they picked up sap from one of the grasses.

>Acetone did not remove the sap completely; Prepsol did a
>better job. What do you guys like to use to clean lines?

Try Brake cleaner. Squirt a little on a paper towel and run it up the lines.

Or, maybe just a little water. Also, do they treat the lawn with fertilizer or chemicals? Are they corrosive?

So Jim,

Water may be the solvent needed correct? The only sap I can think of that is not water soluble is pine pitch, but then, I'm not a botanist either.

All plants are green water pumps, some more than others. Anythime you put something down in grass, it will be subjected to moisture. On a cool humid day, the water will come out as little droplets, a process called guttation. Hot and dry, it will come out as water vapor. Freshly cut grass also has damaged cells which have leaked cell sap. So the stickey problem should be greatest with newly mown lawns. Fertilizers and weed killers would contribute. On thinking about it, I'm surprised that grass sticky isn't more of a problem.

Now there's a chilling thought. On the other hand, it appears this grass gets a minimum of maintenance (I'm sure the school uses every available penny to ejukate the chilren).
Derek

diesel fuel or jp-4 works pretty good

>diesel fuel or jp-4 works pretty good

Wouldn't the diesel fuel be oily? Anything that is the least bit oily will pick up dirt which will get imbedded in the lines. Use something that evaporates very quickly and doesn't leave any residue. Then go over the lines several times until the towel comes out clean. You will be amazed at the amount of black you will see on the towel when you see something like brake cleaner which gets inside the cables and doesn't leave anything behind.

Had a good friend who always dreamed of becoming a Tree Surgeon. He had the skill, brains and talent but could never realise his dream. He couldn't overcome his propensity to get sick at the sight of sap! Sad.

Guys, I am enlightened as usual with the collective knowledge gained here. I have used Brake Kleen exclusively, as it is a 'staple' in my shop, for Automotive purposes. Denatured Alcohol is another I use, pour it from the bottle onto a rag, it's cheap and versatile, dries dry, etc. I then wipe the lines with a Fabric Softener Sheet from the Clothes Dryer, providing an anti-static agent that smells oh-so-nice!
No more stinky lines for me...

I don't think it's what you use, as it's how offen you use it.

My vote goes to water, with maybe a little detergent added.

Bob Hunt (who rarely misspeaks) used rubbing alcohol then switched to lacquer thinner, I believe.

Windy uses alcohol, and always buys the 91% stuff instead of the more common but relatively equal priced 70% stuff. Windy urges that lines be wiped EVERY Flight....this is a good safety deal, too. When he uses solids, he wipes them after the flight, when he runs his lines out, and runs them along a dampened paper towel as he walks to the plane for a flight.

I have taken to putting a drop or two of RAINX into the liter 90% alcohol bottle....

See Ya

It's amazing the things which are regional in nature.

Around here, it seems as if acetone is the favored fluid for cleaning lines.