Wing removal

[Ron Cribbs]

All,
I am wanting to send a friend an old TF Flite Streak that I am not using. I would like to remove the wing to save on shipping and to save the wing from clumsy handling.

I do not believe it is epoxied in place although it is hard to tell as it has a stupid amount of dope or urethane on it. I have considered a thin rope saw and cutting around the outline, or I have a craftsman cutting tool.

I just wanted to hear what you all have done to remove a wing.

Thanks,

Ron

[ChrisSarnowski]

Hi Ron,

There was a topic covering the tool you need.

http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php/topic,36904.0.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/power-tools/oscillating-tools/variable-speed-oscillating-multifunction-power-tool-61219.html

-Chris

[Randy Cuberly]

The only way I've ever removed a wing other than on a take-apart is straignt in at about 60 MPH!!!

Seriously, if you're determined your cutting tool that you mentioned should do the trick but it's probably not going to be pretty!

I would make cuts on the bottom part of the fuselage so that part stays with the wing and then you would only have to cut around the wing on the top.  That would lessen the trauma to the wing some, I would think!

Or put it in a big box and ship it on Greyhound...they typically take a little longer but do a great job!

Randy Cuberly

[Mike Griffin]

Ron I tried to do this once and ended up destroying the wing.  This is something than is incredibly hard to do and maintain the integrity of the wing and keeping the fuselage intact.  Randy brought up a good point, if you decided to just crate it and ship it, Greyhound is the best way to go.  I know this is not an answer to your question but I tried it once and will never do it again.

Mike

[Keith Miller]

Hi -
The tool Chris shows is probably the best.  I've used it to separate parts, but only in repair mode.  I agree with Randy and Mike - best to ship it whole.

[Ron Cribbs]

Thanks guys,

I decided to use the tools shown in the photo. The craftsman created the slot and then I used a hacksaw blade to slowly cut around the opening. Voila!

Thanks for the help!

Ron

[Phil Krankowski]

Finishing with the hacksaw is a good idea.

Phil

[Dan McEntee]

  Sorry I'm a little late into this question. I did the same thing with a Skyray .35 that had a cockeyed wing. I used a long knife blade to make the initial slot, then used a Zona razor saw blade that I pulled out of the crimped metal back bone they use for the handle. Made for a very thin and very flexible tool. I held it with a small pair of vice grips. When I was finished, I was able to put the balde back in the back bone it came from. There is a wood working saw called a flush cut saw that is very similar to what I cobbled together from a Zona saw.
  Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[Mike Griffin]

Glad to hear you got it out OK.  You are a better plastic surgeon than I am.  Lol

Mike

[RknRusty]

Yay Ron!
Thanks for helping him out, guys, because now he can ship that old Flite Streak to me! I'm going to put a bladder fed OS 25fp on it and burn up the sky. That might just be my next pattern practice plane since I demolished my beautiful new profile pattern plane. But not before it got me a trophy. That's what I get for trying to show off.
Rusty

[goozgog]

Glad it worked for you Ron!

   Hey Rusty, I'm sure you have your own
technique to reassemble it, but just so
you know, I cut 1/2" wide strips of cross
grain balsa and wedged them into the gap
to hold the wing straight. I think I got away
with using 3/32.Then I mixed up a slurry of
micro balloons and 2 hr. epoxy and made a
generous fillet.    I masked the area where
I wanted the epoxy to be.
Cleaned up with some methyl hydrate.
   If it was really shaky I might run a strip of
1 oz glass around the root as a fillet but just
the epoxy seems strong enough.

Cheers! 

[RknRusty]

Sounds like a good plan. Thanks Keith.
Rusty

[Phil Krankowski]

A few drops of CA get all those pieces in and lined up.  Verify.  Then go crazy with epoxy.  Having the wedges and wing glued in at a couple places allows safe handling without fear if parts slipping.  If it is not perfect then a drop of ca is easy to cut.

(I know Rusty, you have done this before.)

Phil