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edward7048

Well Known Member
would like to know how to remove wrinkles from wing skins. I have
heard that dry ice would work. Any comments?
 
Wrinkles?!

Why would the skins be wrinkled? Are we talking about wrinkled skins on a completed wing? That can't be good.
 
Last edited:
edward7048 said:
would like to know how to remove wrinkles from wing skins. I have
heard that dry ice would work. Any comments?
Click to expand...

Edward,
Recommend that you post some pix if possible. Try to arrange the wings and lighting/background in a way that the wrinkles will be visible in the reflections (assuming you haven't painted or primed yet).

Without having seen them, though, it's hard to imagine that they could have been assembled and "wrinkled" in a way that would leave them unusable. I was as careful as I know how to be and the wing surfaces are still not as uniform as I wish.

My guess would be that yours are fine. Bear in mind that; 1) the reflections accentuate even very minor variations in the surfaces, and 2) most of us are our own most severe critics.

Lastly, take a look at the Blue -12 that was featured in the AOPA article (if my memory is accurate). The inflight photo shows how uneven the wing surfaces are on that one also.

Hope this is helpful.

Best,
Dave.
(RV-12 wings hanging from the ceiling, tailfeathers on the wall, tailcone on my bar in the basement, fuse kit slowly taking shape)
 
Edward, I don't know how they could be wrinlkled unless you are seeing them when the 12 is in the sun at which time they will wrinkle on the top of leading edge skins from the sun's heat. Soon as you start moving or place the 12 in the shade they go away.
Dick Seiders 120093
 
That may be "common"

When I checked out in the red prototype the instructor told me to notice hoe oilcannned the wings were-- it was early morning on WA and cold. He told me that Van's had built the wings in the summer (or maybe vice versa-- and they were oil-canned until they warmed up. Sure enough, after being in the sun for a couple of hours they looked normal. I built mine in a heated hangar but I'm wondering what's going to happen this winter.

Wayne 120241/143WM 7.5 hours
 
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