Blue protective wrap

jlfernan · #1 03-05-2006, 04:26 PM

I'm just finishing up my HS and was wondering how long I can leave the blue film that came on the skins on for?

OneTwoSierra · #2 03-05-2006, 04:40 PM

I left mine on until just before I got it inspected. Its good protection during storeage and transport. I removed the blue film around the rivet lines of course.

jlfernan · #3 03-05-2006, 04:45 PM

I was just concerned cause I thought I read somewhere that moisture can form underneath and cause corrosion.

rv9aviator · #4 03-05-2006, 07:15 PM

My wing kit was two years old when I bought it from an individual and it had corrosion in a lot of places on the edges of the skins. I would remove it as soon as possible. It is also a real (*&$^&#* to remove when left on for a long period. If you are going to paint the plane the little scuffs and scratches will get sanded out anyway. Just my opinion based on my own experience.

dbrown · #5 03-17-2006, 09:02 AM

I left mine on for a long time on the tail section but removed it as soon as possible on the wings. Van's recommends removing the film as soon as possible because of the possibility of corrosion. I think it depends on your local environment.

To remove that stubborn blue plastic that has been on a long time, use a heat gun to heat the plastic. It comes right off.

RScott · #6 03-17-2006, 05:59 PM

Brought my wing kit home in Feb. Started raining just as I left Van's. As soon as I got home, 33 miles away,I unloaded, & opened up the 2 crates. One had moisture & the other did not. Left them open in my dry pole barn. Finally got around to the wing kit a year later. Parts in the box that got wet had a little corrosion under the plastic, parts in the dry box did not.

N62XS · #7 03-17-2006, 06:10 PM

Everyone I know has had corrosion under the edges. Remove it and wear some shades!

rkochcyxh · #8 06-27-2006, 02:40 PM

How long can I leave the blue protective wrap on the skins before it becomes next to impossible to remove? Once we left it on a skylight outside and we had to order a new window because the sun baked it on. I realize that my HS and so on will not see the sun for awhile, but at the same time my shop does not have airconditioning and the temp inside the shop will be close to 100 degress?
Thanks guys.
HS finished, VS finished and starting on rudder tonight
Russel Koch RV9A

mdredmond · #9 06-27-2006, 02:52 PM

I dunno, but if you're going to paint then you'll end up scotch-briting the whole plane anyway. I'd take the blue stuff off now.

cjensen · #10 06-27-2006, 02:59 PM

I just learned for myself first hand last night. I've had my wings for six months now, and I am just getting to deburring and dimpling the skins. I'm not removing the blue from the rivet lines, but removing it entirely. It came off, but it left behind adhesive that was not difficult to remove with alcohol, but I feel like if it were on there another six months, it would be a royal PITA to take off. It did come off in sections in some areas, but that may be due to the holes in the plastic from pre-punching-though it is the first time it has done that (empennage and fuel tanks plastic came off without any problem). I plan to get the blue off the rest of my skins within the next week or so. The flaps and ailerons are still in the house, and the plastic is still soft.

IMHO, I don't see the need to leave the blue on, and remove just the rivet lines. If your airplane is going to be painted, the first thing the painter (or you) is going to do, is scuff the surface with a scotchbrite pad anyway...