edge finishing technique

[aarvig]

I have just finished a wonderful evening of edge finishing. Several hours total invested in the horizontal stabilizer alone. All this work has me wondering what technique does everyone use for edge finishing?

[Phil]

I run a mill file down the edge to smooth it out.

Then (usually) I'll swipe each side of the edge with one of these. (But it's really not necessary - just habit.)

http://www.averytools.com/pc-74-43-r...burr-tool.aspx

Then I put a 1" Scotchbrite wheel on a die grinder and run it down the edge. I like to try and get a groove worn into the wheel and let the aluminum ride inside the groove.

Usually you can crank up the PSI and wear a groove pretty quickly, then back off to a lower PSI and the groove will hold up without wearing too quickly.

End result is a smooth edge and the effort involved is pretty minimal. Assuming you're dealing with mainly straight edges, you can have the entire part deburred in less than 2 minutes.

Give it a shot and see how it works for you... You'll find your own method though; everyone does. This is just the one that works best and quickest for me.

Phil

[SvingenB]

On preformed stamped parts I usually only use a file, swipe it down several times to get it smooth, then angle it and swipe it down to take the edge. On the -4 there are lots of edges that has to be cut manually, then I start with a vixen file. I use the multiburr tool on larger holes.

I used the scotchbrite wheel a lot earlier, but seem to use it less and less,I find that files/vixen works faster and with a better finish.

[N200PF]

Same here Aaron!

The good old vixen file followed up by the course Scotchbrite wheel on either the floor or air grinder followed up by the fine Scotchbrite wheel on the floor grinder. The edges will be like mirrors!

...of course these are all STRAIGHT edges and we all know that the really fun pieces are the crazy ones with all the corners and insets. (I just had a wing rib flashback!) For those corners and hard to reach areas I use a set of Jewelers files followed up by 120 sandpaper which is followed by 320 sandpaper. I still use the file and Scotchbrite wheels where ever I can on the crazy pieces.

I put a course Scotchbrite wheel and a fine Scotchbrite wheel on my floor grinder and also use the little 1 inch and two inch wheels on air grinder.

Here is the regular or "Course" Schotchbrite Wheel:

http://www.averytools.com/pc-76-43-6...ing-wheel.aspx

Here is the light or "Fine" Scotchbrite wheel:

http://www.averytools.com/pc-349-43-...de-softer.aspx

...and here are all the little ones:

http://www.averytools.com/pc-351-43-...heel--kit.aspx

Have fun!!!

- Peter

[bruceh]

Definitely start with the file across all of the edges, then once that is smooth come back and knock off both of the sharp edges on the sides.

I put the small scotchbrite wheel in the drill press and then run the edges through to polish them off. Using the drill press gives you 2 free hands to hold on to the material and there is no problem doing long pieces since there is plenty of room to work around the drill press spindle.

The 7A medium 1" X 1" wheels will groove up pretty quickly. I've gone through 4 of these so far with the tail and wing kit. I can pick up replacements for $5 at Marshall's Hardware in San Diego.

[L.Adamson]

The 2" blue scotchbrite wheels, that twist to lock in a plastic mandrel attached to an angled air die grinder. I used a lot of these in the course of the project. Not too much hand "filing".

L.Adamson ---- RV6A