Removing water repelent from fiberglass lay-up?

I had about a third of the inside of the horizontal stab get a through
dose of water repellent for leather. The stuff has a very low
viscosity and I think will soak right into the resin preventing a good
bond. No it's not silicon.

Any good way of removing this stuff without destroying the stab in the
process. There are a not of nooks and crannies that you just can't
reach.


Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

In article ,
Roger wrote:

I had about a third of the inside of the horizontal stab get a through
dose of water repellent for leather. The stuff has a very low
viscosity and I think will soak right into the resin preventing a good
bond. No it's not silicon.

Any good way of removing this stuff without destroying the stab in the
process. There are a not of nooks and crannies that you just can't
reach.


Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

I would start by soaking a cloth with the repellant and seeing what will
remove it from the cloth.

First thing that comes to mind is good old hot water and soap, after
that I would slowly move up the solvent ladder, taking care to use
non-oily solvents (i.e. no turps, mineral spirits). The first would be
alcohol.

Yours
Vern

On Thu, 02 Dec 2004 00:59:32 GMT, Vernon Klukas
wrote:

In article ,
Roger wrote:

I had about a third of the inside of the horizontal stab get a through
dose of water repellent for leather. The stuff has a very low
viscosity and I think will soak right into the resin preventing a good
bond. No it's not silicon.

Any good way of removing this stuff without destroying the stab in the
process. There are a not of nooks and crannies that you just can't
reach.


Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

I would start by soaking a cloth with the repellant and seeing what will
remove it from the cloth.

I like the idea of using the cloth.

I'm also making some test lay-ups using pieces a 2 layer laminate I
made up some time ago so it's fully cured like the stab shell.

I'm going to use one lightly coated, one with a good dose and a
control with none. Then I'm going to try an acetone wash on another
that has received a good dose. IOW Trying them in various states of
clean up and using different methods.

As it's a hydrocarbon it appears the critical areas that are open (top
of the shear web and ribs *should* be relatively easy to clean. Those
areas that are difficult to reach were also some what sheltered. I
may have to open up the edges of the ribs and shear web a little in
the areas of the reinforcements, which is where the other bonding must
take place.

First thing that comes to mind is good old hot water and soap, after

Water is one of the things they recommend staying away from until all
the laminates are done. It causes any exposed glass to deteriorate.
Although a wash and dry shouldn't hurt anything as long as the water
is removed soon.

that I would slowly move up the solvent ladder, taking care to use
non-oily solvents (i.e. no turps, mineral spirits). The first would be
alcohol.

Alcohol should be a good one as it also removes water.

Hexane has been recommended, but I'm not sure how readily obtainable
it may be. I'm going to try the one drug store than carries reagents
for a local company.

Yours
Vern

Thanks,

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com