Fuelproofing an ARTF

[david james 1]

I am a big fan of Chris Foss and have got or had a Wot4 a Wotswot and a Xtrawot.

 

Being a confirmed IC man, I find that after a lot of flying, they all succumb to fuel/oil seeping under the film covering.

 

I am thinking of replacing the Wots wot and would like suggestions as to the best way of preventing this before I let fuel touch it.

 

TIA  David

[Don Fry]

David, you have a problem. ARTF airframes tend to need glue to stuff like undercarriages, sometimes firewalls. The covering was done by a very skilled young lady in minutes. Precut bits of film, an iron. Job done. You might check every overlap, but there is no balsaloc in the the process, when she did it.

 

So when the film started to lift, it’s lifting off a, now, oil contaminated airframe. 

So pull film off. Cut hinges off. Get the oil out, (talc?), seal in with epoxy?

 

Cover, using balsaloc, other seals exist, replace hinges. Lot of work.

 

I’ve done in the past, solvent cleaner, duck tape, and fly. Ugly as sin. It does. 
 

Forgive cynicism, ARTF airframes are designed to look great when made. They have a lifespan. Well done that they survived to tatty.

[Ron Gray]

I've got a Wots Wot XL which since I 'built' it has been powered by a Laser 160v, a 240v and now a 180 and is now 3 - 4 years old. There are no signs of film lifting but the first thing I did after assembling it was to give it copious amounts of fuel proofer around the firewall, inside and out and all film seams were gone over with a covering iron and were then sealed with Clearcoat.