Refinishing ASW24

On Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at 12:12:37 PM UTC-4, wrote:
I recall UH years ago telling me sanding German sailplane gel coat is like trying to smooth out a piece of jagged granite with wet toilet paper.

Never forgot that one. LOL
I heard the same thing from the same person over 40 years ago.....I tend to stick to final sanding and polishing.....

On Monday, September 7, 2020 at 5:40:31 PM UTC-4, wrote:
I have been working on the horizontal stab and the two elevators for the past two weeks. I have never seen such difficult gel coat to remove. I am no rookie at gel coat, have done many boats and a bit of glider repair, but this is a beast to remove. It took me six full days to remove the gel coat from the stab. Just today I did one elevator and will do the other tomorrow..
I am bringing it back up with acrylic urethane, so far so good, just a lot of work and a few drinks of rum. Bob
Scales tell the tell of the removed gelcoat. Before weight of the stab with the elevators removed was 11 pounds 13 .8 oz. after removal of the gel the weight was 10 pounds 12.8 oz or a net loss of 1.lb, are you surprised??
The elevators weighed 1.91 and 1.95 respectfully, left and right. after removal of the gel the weights were 1lb 6.9 oz and 1 lb 7.0 oz. I have completed gel removal on the stab and elevators and are now rebuilding the surfaces. Only used two boxes of band-aids on my fingers and drank two bottles of good Cuban rum.

Only used two boxes of band-aids on my fingers and drank two bottles of good Cuban rum.

So, can we assume that the R/B ratio of one bottle of rum to one box of Band-Aids can be used as a measure of performance? Try three bottles of rum and report back with the results. If you end up needing a tourniquet, please let us know.

On Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at 9:14:39 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Only used two boxes of band-aids on my fingers and drank two bottles of good Cuban rum.
So, can we assume that the R/B ratio of one bottle of rum to one box of Band-Aids can be used as a measure of performance? Try three bottles of rum and report back with the results. If you end up needing a tourniquet, please let us know.
Mark, the ratio is consistent with the measure of pain! I liken this ordeal to a couple of other projects that I have tackled in the past, I basically said to myself ,"What the hell did I do this for". The tourniquet suggestion is a great idea, not sure that it would stop the flow, but certainly would prolong the suffering.
On to the next step in this ordeal, will be building back up with filler and primer and on to the final coat or two or three of acrylic urethane then sanding down to 3000 grit and buffing, I might need more rum.

On Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at 6:30:53 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at 9:14:39 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Only used two boxes of band-aids on my fingers and drank two bottles of good Cuban rum.
So, can we assume that the R/B ratio of one bottle of rum to one box of Band-Aids can be used as a measure of performance? Try three bottles of rum and report back with the results. If you end up needing a tourniquet, please let us know.
Mark, the ratio is consistent with the measure of pain! I liken this ordeal to a couple of other projects that I have tackled in the past, I basically said to myself ,"What the hell did I do this for". The tourniquet suggestion is a great idea, not sure that it would stop the flow, but certainly would prolong the suffering.
On to the next step in this ordeal, will be building back up with filler and primer and on to the final coat or two or three of acrylic urethane then sanding down to 3000 grit and buffing, I might need more rum.

If a low number grit does not easily take off the hard finish use a finer grit until it cuts easily then move to a 80 or 65 grit. An electric grinder with adjustable speed is what I have used. In my opinion an orbital is not needed. Use no pressure on the sander let the paper cut.

http://www.craggyaero.com/ventus.htm

Richard
www.craggyaero.com

Rum? Can`t stand it. It`s like drinking liquid rubber. Why not try a good
Scottish single malt whisky. Your working progress will benefit.


At 02:05 09 September 2020, Richard Pfiffner wrote:
On Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at 6:30:53 PM UTC-7,
wro=
te:
On Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at 9:14:39 PM UTC-4,
wro=
te:
Only used two boxes of band-aids on my fingers and drank two bottles
of=
good Cuban rum.
So, can we assume that the R/B ratio of one bottle of rum to one box
of=
Band-Aids can be used as a measure of performance? Try three bottles of
ru=
m and report back with the results. If you end up needing a tourniquet,
ple=
ase let us know.
Mark, the ratio is consistent with the measure of pain! I liken this
orde=
al to a couple of other projects that I have tackled in the past, I
basical=
ly said to myself ,"What the hell did I do this for". The tourniquet
sugges=
tion is a great idea, not sure that it would stop the flow, but certainly
w=
ould prolong the suffering.=20
On to the next step in this ordeal, will be building back up with
filler
=
and primer and on to the final coat or two or three of acrylic urethane
the=
n sanding down to 3000 grit and buffing, I might need more rum.

If a low number grit does not easily take off the hard finish use a finer
g=
rit until it cuts easily then move to a 80 or 65 grit. An electric
grinder=
with adjustable speed is what I have used. In my opinion an orbital is
no=
t needed. Use no pressure on the sander let the paper cut.

http://www.craggyaero.com/ventus.htm

Richard
www.craggyaero.com

On Monday, September 7, 2020 at 5:40:31 PM UTC-4, wrote:
I have been working on the horizontal stab and the two elevators for the past two weeks. I have never seen such difficult gel coat to remove. I am no rookie at gel coat, have done many boats and a bit of glider repair, but this is a beast to remove. It took me six full days to remove the gel coat from the stab. Just today I did one elevator and will do the other tomorrow..
I am bringing it back up with acrylic urethane, so far so good, just a lot of work and a few drinks of rum. Bob

After countless hours of removing gel coat and filling , priming, sanding, sanding, sanding and then painting only to sand down, repaint and sand to 3000, I have finished! The scotch did not budge the gel coat, my fingers need rest, and my spray gun is finally clean again. I spent the last day buffing and doing a bit of sanding and buffing again. Now comes the fun part, putting it back together so my wife can have her ASW24 back.

How about posting some pictures, Bob.Â* Of the '24, not you... :-D

Dan

On 9/20/2020 2:09 PM, wrote:
On Monday, September 7, 2020 at 5:40:31 PM UTC-4, wrote:
I have been working on the horizontal stab and the two elevators for the past two weeks. I have never seen such difficult gel coat to remove. I am no rookie at gel coat, have done many boats and a bit of glider repair, but this is a beast to remove. It took me six full days to remove the gel coat from the stab. Just today I did one elevator and will do the other tomorrow.
I am bringing it back up with acrylic urethane, so far so good, just a lot of work and a few drinks of rum. Bob
After countless hours of removing gel coat and filling , priming, sanding, sanding, sanding and then painting only to sand down, repaint and sand to 3000, I have finished! The scotch did not budge the gel coat, my fingers need rest, and my spray gun is finally clean again. I spent the last day buffing and doing a bit of sanding and buffing again. Now comes the fun part, putting it back together so my wife can have her ASW24 back.

--
Dan, 5J

On Sunday, September 20, 2020 at 4:18:06 PM UTC-4, Dan Marotta wrote:
How about posting some pictures, Bob. Of the '24, not you... :-D

Dan
On 9/20/2020 2:09 PM, wrote:
On Monday, September 7, 2020 at 5:40:31 PM UTC-4, wrote:
I have been working on the horizontal stab and the two elevators for the past two weeks. I have never seen such difficult gel coat to remove. I am no rookie at gel coat, have done many boats and a bit of glider repair, but this is a beast to remove. It took me six full days to remove the gel coat from the stab. Just today I did one elevator and will do the other tomorrow.
I am bringing it back up with acrylic urethane, so far so good, just a lot of work and a few drinks of rum. Bob
After countless hours of removing gel coat and filling , priming, sanding, sanding, sanding and then painting only to sand down, repaint and sand to 3000, I have finished! The scotch did not budge the gel coat, my fingers need rest, and my spray gun is finally clean again. I spent the last day buffing and doing a bit of sanding and buffing again. Now comes the fun part, putting it back together so my wife can have her ASW24 back.
--
Dan, 5J

Dan, let me see what I can do, Eileen is nagging me to death about not being able to fly her 24. Just today she told me that I should re surface the entire glider, I need more rum. Bob

I humbly stand corrected! Clearly the `Juice of the Caribbean Gods`is far
superior to a rotten old Scottish Malt Whisky. Sounds like you`ve achieved
the impossible. Well done. I presume the glider is now up for sale.



At 22:20 20 September 2020, wrote:
On Sunday, September 20, 2020 at 4:18:06 PM UTC-4, Dan Marotta wrote:
How about posting some pictures, Bob. Of the '24, not you... :-D=20
=20
Dan
On 9/20/2020 2:09 PM, wrote:=20
On Monday, September 7, 2020 at 5:40:31 PM UTC-4,

=
wrote:=20
I have been working on the horizontal stab and the two elevators for
t=
he past two weeks. I have never seen such difficult gel coat to remove. I
a=
m no rookie at gel coat, have done many boats and a bit of glider repair,
b=
ut this is a beast to remove. It took me six full days to remove the gel
co=
at from the stab. Just today I did one elevator and will do the other
tomor=
row.=20
I am bringing it back up with acrylic urethane, so far so good, just
a=
lot of work and a few drinks of rum. Bob=20
After countless hours of removing gel coat and filling , priming,
sandi=
ng, sanding, sanding and then painting only to sand down, repaint and
sand
=
to 3000, I have finished! The scotch did not budge the gel coat, my
fingers=
need rest, and my spray gun is finally clean again. I spent the last day
b=
uffing and doing a bit of sanding and buffing again. Now comes the fun
part=
, putting it back together so my wife can have her ASW24 back.
--=20
Dan, 5J

Dan, let me see what I can do, Eileen is nagging me to death about not
bein=
g able to fly her 24. Just today she told me that I should re surface the
e=
ntire glider, I need more rum. Bob