Rat Plane Pictures

[hilltop170]

I can wrap this up! I am going to the airport and will take some photos tomorrow. Is there a trophy?

Bill-
That's the idea, to get a new catagory set up in the judging at the conventions.

[Bill Hart]

Don't know if this is how to post a photo or not. Haven't done it in a while. So how is this for Rat Category?

[W.J.Langholz]

Bill

You gotta see Bruce's plane................


W.

[n2582d]

Truth be told when I was at the AutoZone to buy something to cut through the 1/8 layer of black goo and bugs on the belly, I actually had my hand on a gallon of WD-40. But I just couldn't bring myself to buy it over the stuff in the purple plastic bottle for half the price.

I bought a gallon of degreaser in a purple jug to clean my car's engine. I can't recall the name of the stuff -- I'll check when I get back home from work next week. Anyway, while it worked great for cleaning an oily engine it also was quite corrosive. If you've got the same stuff Bruce, I'd be careful using it on aluminum. Mine is now used for cleaning the shop floor. I like George's method of testing a cleaner on a sample--preferably something not bolted to the airplane though. Here's some good advice on this subject.

At an IA renewal course a guy from Duncan Aviation was relating how they used to clean their planes with pressure washers. They found that doing this actually increased corrosion because it forced crud and moisture up into seams. They now use solvent on a rag to clean wheel wells, etc.

[GAHorn]

http://www.mechanicsupport.com/aircraft_cleaning.html

That's a good link, Gary. Thanks for posting it.

For those curious about what logic I used to spray Extreme Simple Green onto my left flap: Liquid soap kills insects. I've massacred hundreds of wasps by shooting them with liquid soap or soap-concentrated water. Since Extreme Simple Green advertised itself as "safe for aircraft"...when my free sample arrived I was reading it's label while standing in the hangar and I noticed a mud-dauber had landed at the gap between my left aileron and flap, looking for an entrance to my wing's interior. So I sprayed him with Extreme Simple Green to kill him.

Not only did he escape, but my polished left flap now has a permanent stain and I cannot remove it.

[blueldr]

George,

A permanent stain on your left flap! Maybe you better call Schomp down in Albama and schedule a re-skinning.
I'm worried now whether I'm going to be able to get any sleep until I hear that the problem has been resolved.
On the other hand, you could squirt the whole airplane with that green panther piss and make a seriou play for
"Rat Plane Champeen" of the TIC170A.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

I bought a gallon of degreaser in a purple jug to clean my car's engine. I can't recall the name of the stuff -- I'll check when I get back home from work next week. Anyway, while it worked great for cleaning an oily engine it also was quite corrosive. ............

At an IA renewal course a guy from Duncan Aviation was relating how they used to clean their planes with pressure washers. They found that doing this actually increased corrosion because it forced crud and moisture up into seams. They now use solvent on a rag to clean wheel wells, etc.

Well Gary as I read your first paragraph I was thinking to myself there is no way I'm getting corrosion with all that water I sprayed on it with THE PRESSURE WASHER.

I've also (probably) retired the stuff in the purple jug. Not sure it if was the paint used, the purple jug stuff or the pressure washer or all three most likely. But I not only removed oil and crud, but paint as well. Of course a little missing paint only adds to the Rat Plane theme.

[GAHorn]

Pressure-washers are baaad for airplanes and especially wheel bearings and control-surface bearings, but if WD-40 is used instead of "detergent" then it's not so bad on the airframe.