Removing Excess Cyano

[John Roberts 9]

Is there an easy way to remove excess cyano that has dried and hardened?

 

I am building an Airspeed Courier and in a couple of areas (where I have joined some 1/32nd balsa sheet) some cyano has run onto the surface of the balsa along the line of the join. Once hardened it is incredibly hard to sand it away without damaging the thin & fragile balsa sheet.

 

Even tiny amounts of thin cyano seem to travel miles when applied so I now tend to use the thicker variety for general building (except when I specifically want the glue to wick into inaccessible areas).

 

Thanks for any suggestions you can offer

 

Cheers

[Steve W-O]

I have just used gorilla glue for the first time.

 

Mixed feeling on it, but for joining sheets edge to edge, laminating balsa sides to ply doublers, rib capping strips, skins from spar to leading edge, it is going to be used in future.

 

There are areas where CA and epoxy will still be my choice, but the gorilla is easy to sand off in places like you mention.

[CARPERFECT]

You can buy superglue remover. Google it ? There are lots of it out there

Edited By CARPERFECT on 15/01/2012 10:35:45

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Super glue can be removed with acetone - BUT...beware, your model is in real danger of coming to bits!

 

I think all adhesives have their pluses and minuses and often the very thing that offers a particular adhedsive an advavtage can also be its downfall. CA, especially the thing stuff, travels very well nto tight spots via capillary action - brilliant, very useful. The downsaide is, as you say, its difficult to keep it in one place. The only real solution is apply very sparingly (most folk use far tto much) and apply via a very fine "needle-like" tube.

 

Once its in place - there isn't an awful lot you can safely do.

 

Gorilla glue is good - but be aware, use about 1/3 the amount you think you need! It expands like noone's business! But it does sand well though - good job sometimes!

 

BEB

Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 15/01/2012 11:49:21

[Alan Cantwell]

still nothing better than aliphatic glue for sheet joining, but must admit, not tried the gorrila stuff, who knows?

[John Roberts 9]

Thanks for the suggestions

 

I wasn't sure whether super glue remover or acetone might have some unpleasant effect on the balsa? I might try applying just a tiny bit using a cotton wool bud. Hopefully this will allow me to slowly work my way along the margins of the join line & remove the excess cyano but without any solvent seeping into the join itself.

 

I will also invest in some aliphatic glue which sounds like very useful stuff.

 

Cheers.

[cymaz]

cyno wipe or canopy wipe from westonuk.co.uk

[Alan Cantwell]

if you can, get the yellow apliphatic

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

I like Aliphatic glues. All the advantages of PVA - but they sand a lot better.

 

John be very careful with the acetone. Its not a powerful solvent where CA is concerned. With small amounts the most likely thing to happen is....nothing! So you're tempted to use more and a bit of "wiping", then i bit more - its at this point that you find out that acetone can do CA's capillary trick as well and your model turns itself into a kit again!

 

BEB

[Steve W-O]

Posted by Alan 4 on 15/01/2012 16:11:23:

if you can, get the yellow apliphatic

 

 

 

 

What's a trade name for it?

 

I see it is sold for models, but confused with liquid gold, there must be a better way to buy it.

[Alan Cantwell]

dont know, but i will try to find mine, and let you know, i think it was by deluxe materials, but dont hold me to it

[John Roberts 9]

Thanks for the words of warning BEB - I will be careful.

 

Cheers

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Balsa cement is brilliant (I suppose this shouldn't come as a surprise!) for pre-joining balsa sheeting - best done on a sheet of glass. You should still be able to find it if you look around.

 

Apply a small amount aalong the joint surfaces, place them together, slide the joint a little either way and it grabs almost instantly. Any excess will sand off beautifully. Although modern glues have revolutionised building, there is still a place for traditional materials in some places!

Edited By Martin Harris on 15/01/2012 19:07:31

[John Roberts 9]

Balsa cement - brilliant stuff. Worth buying a tube just for that lovely smell (although maybe I shouldn't admit to that !)

 

I hadn't realised it was still available these days but will keep an eye out for it now,

 

Cheers.