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HiPlanesDrifter

Member
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I am still relatively new to this thing called "RV building", and currently am deep in the throes of a major deburring session, deburring all the parts in my kit's tailcone aft fuselage - all at the same time. Can you say "monotony"???

I really don't mind deburring the long, straight edges of most parts, such as skin edges, etc. However, when it comes to hours of non-stop nook and cranny deburring, I think I would more enjoy slowly pulling one of my fingernails off with a pair of needle-nose pliers.

So I have three questions:

1. Prior to deburring the nooks and crannies, you can clearly see and feel their edge rawness, primarily on one side of the part. Is its removal really necessary, and if so, is it to prevent stress cracking, or simply to prevent the part from damaging other parts, wiring, human skin, etc.?

2. How much deburring is good enough? After a 3 hour session tonight deburring the nooks and crannies on only a small stack of parts using a tiny, fine needle file, I fear I may be spending way too much time trying to build that "swiss watch". Sure, this effort may reduce the risk of stress cracking, but it brings the risk to absolute zero if I never get the project done and never fly the darn thing!

Perhaps the best unit of measure may be how long it should take to properly deburr an "average" single nook or cranny. Are we talking a few seconds or a few minutes. With the million or so crannies in an RV (okay, maybe thousands), that difference may mean a year in total project build time. No kidding.

3. What tool or technique provides good nook and cranny deburring with relatively good speed?

Thanks in advance for your opinions...
 
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Rolled up 400 grit sandpaper works well in a tight spot. Roll up a small square of 400 grit to the size of a cigarette, and it will conform to the radius as you draw it back and forth in the slot you are de-burring. It only takes a couple of passes to clean it up. It's quite a lot faster and gives a cleaner result than using a file. I then finish by wiping the edge of a Scotchbrite maroon pad through it. Seems to work for me anyway :)

I remove all burrs and machining marks on all edges. It doesn't take long to get a perfectly smooth finish with no markings or burrs whatsoever, so that is what I aim for. I estimate 10-15 seconds per one of the slots you have pictured.

Have fun - deburring sucks !

Hugh
 
hmmmmm

Perhaps you all need to invest back into some old music catalogs and a good sound system in your shop.

For me, some good headphones and a re-download of Aerosmith and Zepplin's Greatest to my latest digital device.

Pick your own poison... it should be part of the tool kit. :D
 
enielsen said:
Perhaps you all need to invest back into some old music catalogs and a good sound system in your shop.

For me, some good headphones and a re-download of Aerosmith and Zepplin's Greatest to my latest digital device.

Pick your own poison... it should be part of the tool kit. :D
Click to expand...

I used an old CD player, but it and the CDs didn't last long in the workshop.

Last year I switched to an iPod bluetoothed to a cheap (lo-fi ears) soundbar high on the wall.

Much more convenient and out of the way of dust, etc. and I can blast out the whole hangar if I want. :)
 
Scotchbrite

Get yourself into the Scotchbrite attachments (red is coarse and blue is fine)and use a small 90 degree hand grinder..in short time, you will be able to whip through a rib in no time flat.I like the 2"and 3" disks and they also make several other different shapes that work well. Use cotton gloves with the rubber grip nubs on them and go to town. No need to be anything more than knocking the burr off. I focus on the area of stress, mostly down the radius of the flange bends and edges that the skin will mate too. I never even get out a file, or use a bench mounted wheel. The hand held die grinder is the bomb...But per other comments, you may need to turn the music up, or use earbuds if your compressor is loud!
 
I also use a sharp small blade. Learned that when I was a factory rat pulling injection molded car parts. Everyone there was a knife wielding high speed trimming machine.
 
I used a 1/4" twist drill, held and spun between my fingers for hard-to-reach holes, and a swiveling deburring tool for other such as the notches on the bulkhead. Between these two items, I was able to deburr everything I couldn't do with the standard deburring tool.
 
Go to NAPA and get a roll of emery cloth. It is 320 grit. The whole roll cost me less than $25 and I have gone through the wings and empennage with it and the roll is still half full. http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx/Emery-Cloth/_/R-WLD7771526_0312357672 I cut about a 5 inch piece and then use a shoe shiner method to get in between all of those flanges. Expect to use at least two pieces on a wing rib or one full piece on a smaller part. Replace the 5 inch piece often. Here is the aftermath of going through the flap ribs.

GsJ1gIfl.jpg
 
It's a very good idea to clean up all the edges, especially those inside corners, to the point that you can't see any edge roughness with a 10x magnifying glass.

Dave
 
Deburring

Aluminum is quite notch sensitive so it is worth the time you spend to debur all the edges, including the relief holes inside the flanges. But you don't want to spend a lifetime doing it.

I have had good luck using the following:
1. Swivel edge deburring tool to remove the edge created by the shearing punch
http://www.cleavelandtool.com/3pc-Aluminum-Deburr-Handle/productinfo/DBS33/#.VMu63JV0xaQ
2. 3M Mini Mandrel for use with Scotchbrite. Make the Scotchbrite longer than shown in the picture so you can use the tip down into the relief hole. I usually mount this in the drill press
http://www.cleavelandtool.com/3M-Mini-Mandrel/productinfo/3MM300/#.VMu6upV0xaQ
3. For really finicky work Cratex 777 kit and use the points in a Dremel tool
http://www.cratex.com/cratex-rubberized-abrasive-introductory-kit-no-777/

And patience.
 
Maroon Scotchbrite

Maroon Scotchbrite pads are also very handy for dragging between notches and around tight corners. Can be found in auto parts stores and many big box home stores. I cut up little squares of the pad and use them all over.
 
Wow! All excellent suggestions and tidbits. So far, I have run with Helicooper's suggestion of using the cloth backed 320 grit, 1x5in strips, and working the nooks and crannies in what he termed "shoe shine" fashion. Its almost most like "flossing" the crannies, except you work the cloth sandpaper back and forth while holding it taught at both ends. All I can say so far is this method works great! Provides a nice, smooth, rounded edge, even in the very closest and tightest crannies. The cloth automatically curves and conforms to the curves of the crannies. And its very quick too, removing at least some of the monotony.

Thanks all for your excellent suggestions!
 
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