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Building Tips and technical articles. => Building techniques => Topic started by: RknRusty on January 01, 2017, 06:34:21 PM

Title: Lots of charcoal on the ribs, best way to clean it?
Post by: RknRusty on January 01, 2017, 06:34:21 PM
My new Twister wing build is finally gathering momentum, but I don't want to botch the fitment by cleaning the excess charcoal with sandpaper. What's the best way to clean off the charcoal without removing wood? Or what about areas I'm going to CA, can the charcoal be ignored there? I'll be using thin CA in some places and 5 second Locktite CA in others.

For the outside edges, I just stacked the ribs and sanded them clean with 320 paper on a soft block. But the spar notches are harder to clean without removing enough wood to loosen the spar fit. I don't want to have to shim them after I lay the spars in place.
Rusty
Title: Re: Lots of charcoal on the ribs, best way to clean it?
Post by: wwwarbird on January 01, 2017, 06:59:52 PM

 As far assembly goes you can ignore the "charcoal", it won't hurt a thing.
Title: Re: Lots of charcoal on the ribs, best way to clean it?
Post by: RknRusty on January 01, 2017, 07:15:44 PM
As far assembly goes you can ignore the "charcoal", it won't hurt a thing.
I was worried about contaminating glue joints. Maybe it's not the problem I thought it was.
Title: Re: Lots of charcoal on the ribs, best way to clean it?
Post by: wwwarbird on January 01, 2017, 08:19:39 PM
I was worried about contaminating glue joints. Maybe it's not the problem I thought it was.

 Nope, no problem.
Title: Re: Lots of charcoal on the ribs, best way to clean it?
Post by: john e. holliday on January 01, 2017, 08:50:40 PM
I remember when laser cutting started some of the guys said the burnt edges would weaken the glue joint, especially CA type glues.  I immediately proved them all wrong with the plane I was building at the time.   Now if you are doing transparent finishes a light sanding will take care of it.  But in ribs with cap strips,  just glue the cap srips in place.
Title: Re: Lots of charcoal on the ribs, best way to clean it?
Post by: RknRusty on January 01, 2017, 10:12:02 PM
Alright, case closed. I shall proceed with no worries. Thanks, guys.
Rusty