Experimenter is a magazine created by EAA for people who build airplanes. We will report on amateur-built aircraft as well as ultralights and other light aircraft.
Issue link: http://experimenter.epubxp.com/i/254584
36 Vol.3 No.2 / Februar y 2014 HINTS FOR HOMEBUILDERS THIS IS A PROCESS that requires more patience than skill. Access to the inside of a fuel tank is obtained by either removing the rear baf e as in the case of some tanks, or the skin that exposes the entire fuel cell for proper removal of all old sealant. The process starts with carefully removing the rivets that attach the access skin or baffle. If you are careful you can reinstall using the same diameter rivets or go oversize where necessary when reinstalling parts. After removing the skin, you need to ventilate the area while applying the stripper to the sealant. A fan and open area are best. Apply stripper and MEK wearing a mask de- signed to filter organic compounds, as well as rubber gloves, a long sleeve shirt, and most of all eye protection/face shield. It is best to apply these stripper products in temps above 60 degrees F. as the chemical process works better above this threshold. Remove any loose sealant using a paint scraper and bristle brush until the majority of the sealant is re- moved. For any hard to reach places, I use a rotary tool (Dre- mel) with a combination of small wire brush attachments to finish the removal. You can also remove any remaining seal- ant using a drill with wire brush attachments, being careful to apply as little pressure as needed to remove it. After all sealant is removed, wash all areas of the tank with denatured alcohol and let it dry thoroughly. I recom- mend the Pro-Seal that has a two-hour working window. This product can be applied to a larger area and has less risk of setting up prematurely. You can use the half-hour cartridge in a pneumatic applicator or caulking gun if the working time to apply sealant permits. You do not want to get in a hurry at this point as a leak or seep will be your outcome. I have added some pictures of my RV-1 to illustrate the steps in the process. Good luck and happy flying. Fuel Tank or Fuel Cell Repair/Resealing Get all the old sealant out! BY JERRY FISCHER, E A A 771431 1. Initial progress ... we have access to the tank. Photography courtesy of Jerry Fischer E A A E X P _ F e b 1 4 . i n d d 3 6 EAAEXP_Feb14.indd 36 2 / 3 / 1 4 3 : 1 8 P M 2/3/14 3:18 PM