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prkaye

Well Known Member
I've seen in a lot of builder photos that they have managed to take the blue stuff off the skins just along the lines where the rivets go. I've heard tha people use a soldering-iron for htis, but when I tried that on my toolbox project, the soldering iron ended up leaving a little line (scratch, or alcad melted away?).
What is the preferred method for getting strips of the blue stuff off like this?
 
Try grinding your soldering tip down smooth and round, works great

Joe
 
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removing the blue stuff

I used a soldering iron - made sure the tip is nice and smooth and used virtually no pressure, other than the weight of the iron - to make the 'cuts'. There is a barely noticeable line from the iron - but you can't even feel it, and it will be obliterated when I prepare the surface for painting (someday...)
 
Soldering Iron Tips

I had a similar problem until I figured out the right iron and tip combination. I used a weller 200/260 watt iron (big one) with what they call a "cutting tip". It came with the iron. I polished that with a scotchbrite finishing wheel. It leaves a very fine line on the aluminum, nothing that won't polish out or be totally obliterated when taking off the sheen for painting. Use a long straight-edge and you have a very professional looking strip for riveting.

Cheers

Michael Wynn
RV 8
San Ramon
 
I don't know if I can explain this and don't have any pictures handy. I took a #10 (I think) solid wire, bent it into an "H" shape (180 degree bends at the bottom, 90's in the middle) and squeezed the bottom ends into little edges. In my 100 watt Weller, it made a nice double line about 1" wide. It took maybe 15 minutes to make and saved lots of time. No scratches, either as I polished the ends.

Bob Kelly
 
Buy a 4.99 soldering stick from Harbor Freight and round the tip and smooth. Every once in a while take some scotcbrite to the tip to dress it up. Works great. Much easier to handle than a full soldering iron.
 
videobobk said:
I don't know if I can explain this and don't have any pictures handy. I took a #10 (I think) solid wire, bent it into an "H" shape (180 degree bends at the bottom, 90's in the middle) and squeezed the bottom ends into little edges. In my 100 watt Weller, it made a nice double line about 1" wide. It took maybe 15 minutes to make and saved lots of time. No scratches, either as I polished the ends.

Bob Kelly
Click to expand...
Now this is a great idea. I never thought of that and it would have saved me a bunch of time.
 
Go slow

When using the soldering iron method, use light pressure and go slowly. If not, it won't melt sufficiently and you end up pulling more plastic off than you intended. Make sure the iron is good and hot as well.

When you're ready to start soldering wires together, get a new tip and keep it clean. Don't use your plastic melting tip to solder wires unless you clean it really really well first. Vice-versa also, don't use your wire soldering tips for melting plastic.

I like the H shape tip above, never considered that, sounds like a time saver.
 
Another hot tip

Applying a hot soldering iron to aluminum skin may not do any damage, but I'm not a metallurgist so I don't want to take any chances...

In addition to rounding the tip off and using the lowest wattage iron for the job, I try to avoid letting the tip come in contact with the skin. It takes a little finesse, but if you gently pull the vinyl up slightly as you go along, you can melt along your sharpie line with the tip about 1/8 " away from the skin. I admit it's a little tedious because you have to work your way along alternate sides of the swath. It probably takes more time and effort, but you will have no lines or discoloration, just a slightly ragged edge on the vinyl which you can smooth back down. I make it wide enough so the mushroom rivet set can fit without touching the vinyl. It serves the purpose, and you won't have to worry about damaging the skin with the soldering iron. I find the fumes from the melting vinyl pretty noxious, so I always wear a mask and have plenty of ventilation.
 
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