Author Topic: treating oil soaked balsa (Read 2919 times)

Gordon Tarbell · « **on:** July 05, 2006, 06:58:54 PM »

A friend of mine and I are in the process of recovering an older sig chipmunk. What are some of the better ways of drying out some oil soaked areas? Would brake clean or electrical contact cleaner dry up the oil or should some other product be used. Thanks in advance to the guys (brain trust) on this site!

Bill Little · « **Reply #1 on:** July 05, 2006, 08:14:00 PM »

Quote from: gordon on July 05, 2006, 06:58:54 PM

A friend of mine and I are in the process of recovering an older sig chipmunk. What are some of the better ways of drying out some oil soaked areas? Would brake clean or electrical contact cleaner dry up the oil or should some other product be used. Thanks in advance to the guys (brain trust) on this site!

Hi Gordon!

There has been much discussion of this problem and several methods that will work.

K2R spray spot remover found at grocery or hardware stores is good.

Also, talcum powder suspended in lacquer thinner, acetone, naptha, etc will get into the grain and wick the oil out. Just mix it and brush it on. It dries quickly, and let it sit for a bit to wick out the oil, Repeat as necessary regardless of the "product" used.

Bill <><

Tom Dugan · « **Reply #2 on:** July 05, 2006, 08:18:56 PM »

Have heard K2R does the best. If you can't find it locally, try Richard Oliver at www.rojett.com . Ive seen it for sale there for $4.95 a can, he also has case prices.

Good Luck

Bill Little · « **Reply #3 on:** July 06, 2006, 11:47:16 AM »

For some reason, unbeknown to me, I have had marginally better success with a talc slurry (although it does take a while) in getting the really oil soaked areas "free" of oil. (??) I use Naphtha and baby talc, and the naphtha seems to penetrate the wood floating out the oil.

K2R does work, too.

Bill <><

Gordon Tarbell · « **Reply #4 on:** July 06, 2006, 07:30:55 PM »

Thanks guys, I think I will try the K2R and talc . We are going to recover the airframe with monocoat as that is what was on it . I will let you know how it turns out.

Bill Little · « **Reply #5 on:** July 06, 2006, 10:18:00 PM »

Quote from: gordon on July 06, 2006, 07:30:55 PM

Thanks guys, I think I will try the K2R and talc . We are going to recover the airframe with monocoat as that is what was on it . I will let you know how it turns out.

One other thing. I once sprayed the wood with CA kicker and then applied thin CA. Sealed everything up real nice on the nose of an old Smoothie. Can get heavy though, and it isn't fuel proof.

Bill <><

Dick Fowler · « **Reply #6 on:** July 11, 2006, 05:18:04 AM »

Quote from: Bill Little on July 06, 2006, 11:47:16 AM

For some reason, unbeknown to me, I have had marginally better success with a talc slurry (although it does take a while) in getting the really oil soaked areas "free" of oil. (??) I use Naphtha and baby talc, and the naphtha seems to penetrate the wood floating out the oil.

K2R does work, too.

Bill <><

Bill... have you ever tried diatomaceous earth (DE) instead of talc? It is more absorbant than talc, and is readily available at pool supply stores (it's used in certain types of pool filters). It was called 'Fuller's earth" in the old days when our grandparents used it to remove oil stains from the wallpaper. The stuff is light, white and fluffy. I use this mixed with naphtha for airplanes, oil spots on clothes, oil in concrete... just about anyplace that I need to draw the oil from within the item.

I understand that naphtha and DE are the active ingredients in K2R. I heard the naphtha was one of the reasons that K2R is getting harder to find.

Bob Zambelli · « **Reply #7 on:** July 11, 2006, 06:35:08 AM »

D/E and talc are definitely the way to go to dry up oil soaked wood.

Instead of naptha, I use plain old Home Depot denatured alcohol - works like a charm. Seems like the D/A really thins out the castor oil.

It's pretty reasonable to expect to repeat the process a few time, as the slurry will only wick out a given amount per application. You'll know when it's ready, as the wood will have a dry appearance.

Bob Z.

Bill Little · « **Reply #8 on:** July 15, 2006, 09:02:24 PM »

Quote from: Dick Fowler on July 11, 2006, 05:18:04 AM

Bill... have you ever tried diatomaceous earth (DE) instead of talc? It is more absorbant than talc, and is readily available at pool supply stores (it's used in certain types of pool filters). It was called 'Fuller's earth" in the old days when our grandparents used it to remove oil stains from the wallpaper. The stuff is light, white and fluffy. I use this mixed with naphtha for airplanes, oil spots on clothes, oil in concrete... just about anyplace that I need to draw the oil from within the item.

I understand that naphtha and DE are the active ingredients in K2R. I heard the naphtha was one of the reasons that K2R is getting harder to find.

Hi Dick!

I should try that. I know exactly what you are referring to, but when your mind is in one mode, sometimes you don't always think about options. I had the talk and Naptha on hand.

Thanks!
Bill <><

L0U CRANE · « **Reply #9 on:** July 17, 2006, 04:52:03 PM »

Hey, Bill, and all...

I use corn starch and high% rubbing alcohol. Far as I know, neither are toxic if used at all sensibly. Mix to a slurry about like mushroom soup in the can and brush on with an acid/or epoxy brush.

The corn starch seems to absorb better than talc. By high % rubbing alcohol, I mean the 91% or even 99% isopropyl available in the larger chain drug stores. Common rubbing alcohol is 70% isopropyl, the rest water. The 99% dries almost too fast, so the 91% seems about the best shot.

The isopropyl soaks down into the oil and the corn starch seems to pull it to the surface nicely. Several treatments usually needed, but the stuff is cheap.

Neville Legg · « **Reply #10 on:** June 27, 2009, 11:16:52 AM »

I've had great success using paper kitchen towels and a solar film iron! Just iron the the towels on the oily area a few times, 'til no more oil stains appear, then a quick wipe over with thinner or alcohol.

Cheers Neville.

Larry Renger · « **Reply #11 on:** June 27, 2009, 10:47:26 PM »

After the K2R "dries" I hit the area with a heat-gun, and a lot more oil wicks out of the surface. Multiple applications over several days seem to be required. I de-oiled one plane, then let it sit for about a year, and it was oily all over again, though didn't require much treatment the second ro-round! So, time and repetition are manditory.

AND, if you don't live in Kahlifawnia, and can get Balsarite, it will go over mildly oily surfaces and allow Moneykote to stick! I don't know if SIG Stix-it has the same capability.

Author Topic: treating oil soaked balsa (Read 2919 times)

Gordon Tarbell

treating oil soaked balsa

Bill Little

Re: treating oil soaked balsa

Tom Dugan

Re: treating oil soaked balsa

Bill Little

Re: treating oil soaked balsa

Gordon Tarbell

Re: treating oil soaked balsa

Bill Little

Re: treating oil soaked balsa

Dick Fowler

Re: treating oil soaked balsa

Bob Zambelli

Re: treating oil soaked balsa

Bill Little

Re: treating oil soaked balsa

L0U CRANE

Re: treating oil soaked balsa

Neville Legg

Re: treating oil soaked balsa

Larry Renger

Re: treating oil soaked balsa