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  #11  
Old 12-05-2019, 01:18 PM
rapid_ascent rapid_ascent is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Dublin, CA
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I bought a roll of 220 grit cloth backed sandpaper. I find that I can quickly sand the edges and you can fold or roll it around things to sand all of the shapes needed. I also bought a bag of small sanding drums off of ebay that I use in my dremel tool to sand the small circular shapes. I do use a scotchbrite wheel too, but usually only as the very last step as a quick pass.

You'll get very quick at sanding edges, then checking for burrs.
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  #12  
Old 12-05-2019, 02:50 PM
David Paule David Paule is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Boulder, CO
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I generally use files, including a set of small shaped ones, for deburring. A deburring tool with a swivel blade is good for holes. SOmetimes 220 or 320 grit is handy, too.

I like to remove all traces of the sheared edge, leaving good aluminum. After I'd been doing that for a while, I checked my good old Cessna 180 and it has the as-sheared edges. Surprising but there it is.

I don't own a Scotchbrite disk on a grinder, never felt I needed it.

Dave
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  #13  
Old 12-05-2019, 04:02 PM
Navy76 Navy76 is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Corvallis, OR
Posts: 36
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The best investment I've made in any tool was a 3" Vixen file with a wooden block on the back, $10 at the Yardstore.



It fits perfectly in your hand and you can deburr any straight edge section easily and quickly, just a few strokes and you are done. I usually pull the file lengthwise (parallel with the direction of the edge) down the edge until it is smooth then tilt the file 45 degrees (still parallel with the edge) to either side to pickup any burr left behind. Fastest method I have found for edges and you don't have to worry about a scotch brite wheel grabbing a thin skin edge and putting a kink in it.

For the areas around the corners and flanges where the palm block doesn't reach, get some good quality 220 grit, cloth-backed sandpaper (I like Klingspor shop rolls) and rip a piece about 3/4" wide and 6" long. Put one end over the burr on the flange. Grab that end with one hand while putting light pressure on the sandpaper over the burr with a finger or thumb of the other hand and pull the sand paper through. It will only remove material where you apply pressure so, in this case, pretty much only the burr is affected. Usually, one pull and the burr is gone. Once the paper is worn a little it becomes super flexible and able to get into the tightest bends. Just hold the part in one hand using the tip of your thumb to feel for burrs. When you find one, put the sandpaper over it, press lightly on the burr (through the paper) with your thumb and pull the paper through. It is very fast. You can work your way around a flange corner on a rib in 3 or 4 quick pulls.

I have tried many different methods and these are the two I always seem go back to. I do have a scotch brite wheel on a bench grinder but generally only use it for small, stout parts but even then I touch up the corners with the sandpaper strip. I literally have an entire drawer of 1" scotch brite wheels for a pneumatic drill or cut off grinder that I never use. Live an learn, I guess.

Whatever you choose, I wish you the best of luck with your build.
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  #14  
Old 12-05-2019, 07:15 PM
AeroDog AeroDog is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: New London, NC (near Charlotte), Boulder, CO
Posts: 271
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Outrider View Post
. snip

That brought the question to mind: Just how picky do I need to be about deburring and polishing every single edge? I imagine on the plane, just like the tool box, there are a lot of hard to reach places, like the inside of the tabs on wing ribs, etc.

So, do I need to prepare to spend the majority of my build time hunting down and polishing imperfections in hard to reach corners with a jewelers loupe, or is there a happy medium there somewhere, and where would that be exactly?
I think a lot of RV builders suffer from OCD: Obsessive Compulsive Deburring. Van's says if it won't cut you, it's OK. I agree. The edges don't have to be polished.
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  #15  
Old 12-05-2019, 09:26 PM
Outrider Outrider is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Texas
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Draker View Post
I do 90% of my deburring on my Scotchbrite wheel. The inside areas of flanges and relief holes are tricky, and for these I use hand tools. I don't go for a mirror finish either, or sand them down, but I do make sure I can run my finger down each edge and not feel any nicks or deformities.

Also, don't use a Scotchbrite wheel on large skins or you'll get this: http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...d.php?t=156306
Those insides of flanges are what I’m most concerned about. I decided I wanted to build this second box like it was an actual airplane part. When I got home I was brainstorming about how to deburr the inside the corner relief holes. I tried a round file—that was too big. Then I got the idea use my “Shaviv” style tool to knock down the big stuff, but it still left chatter marks, so then I wrapped some sand paper around the shank of a #40 drill bit and went through each of the holes polishing them up. That did the trick!

I think it’s going to come down to building a mental tool box of creative solutions like that and things should speed up once I’ve got a good number of them stored away.

I am really appreciating all the creative ideas you veterans are offering.

Last edited by Outrider : 12-05-2019 at 09:32 PM.
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  #16  
Old 12-05-2019, 09:40 PM
bruceh's Avatar
bruceh bruceh is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Ramona, CA
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The easy way to deburr the edges of skins is to just use a flat file along the edges. A couple of swipes and the jaggedness is gone. Then I quickly ran the edges along a small 1" diameter scotchbrite wheel that was chucked in my drill press. The scotchbrite wheel will get some deep ridges in there eventually and I think I went through at least 3 or 4 of these for the entire build. It polishes the edges very nicely.

Deburring the match drilled holes is tedious, but necessary. I used the simple deburring tool and just a single twist is all that is necessary to trim off any burrs from the match drilling.

The flanges on ribs are probably the most difficult and time consuming to deburr. Lots and lots of little nooks and crannies to smooth out. Emory cloth works fine here.

You don't need to over do anything, just make it smooth enough prior to riveting to eliminate any stress risers.
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  #17  
Old 12-05-2019, 10:19 PM
JDA_BTR JDA_BTR is offline
 
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Location: Baton Rouge, LA
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Anybody work in a jet factory? I had a tour of the Boeing plant recently, and the old GD plant in Fort Worth a long time ago. I wish I had asked how they debur their wing ribs and such. I doubt they are using cloth backed sanding material or dremels! I also doubt I have the $$$ to replicate their process.
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  #18  
Old 12-06-2019, 01:19 AM
Pittsartist Pittsartist is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 160
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Outrider View Post
You guys are helping me fill up my shopping cart over at one of our favorite suppliers.

Which grade of Scotchbrite wheel do you recommend? 7A, 7s or other?
This is what I use, not cheap unfortunately, but it's saved me a LOT of time and does a very nice job.

http://www.cleavelandtool.com/3M-Lig.../#.XeoOB-j7SUk
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  #19  
Old 12-06-2019, 02:18 AM
Rich Pulman Rich Pulman is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: CYQA Canada
Posts: 44
Default More training required

One of the first tasks on the -8 HS is to take the sharp edges off the rear spar reinforcement bars. Since everybody says the 3M wheel is fantastic for this type of chore, I gave it a ?whirl?. Result... a bar full of tool marks from the wheel. Arrrgh! Haven?t used it since. What?s the trick to using that d@rn wheel without making more work for yourself?????
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  #20  
Old 12-06-2019, 03:55 AM
leok leok is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Clarkston, MI
Posts: 375
Default Gentle application

Most of the time when people have a bad experience with a power tool, it is because they try to force the tool into the work (or vice versa).

Make sure the work is held firmly, but engage the tool with gentleness at first until you feel the wheel start to bite. Also a new wheel will have sharp edges that are prone to grab. Use a heavy piece of scrap to break the edges before using the wheel on a real part.

I also prefer a 2" wheel on a small air angle grinder. There is little rotating mass, so if it does grab there is little energy to deform the part. It also gets into much tighter spots and is less unwieldy than moving large parts to a stationary grinder.

Good luck
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