How do you clean the plane after flying?

I soak a rag dripping with denatured alcohol and wipe the big parts down. My wings are Mono or Ultracoted, not tissue. Then I cover the venturi and exhaust and spray all over the engine with brake parts cleaner, most of which dries instantly, and I wipe any that remains. Then I dry wipe the wings and fuse with a clean rag. On humid days, the alcohol leaves water streaks which I remove with another clean rag sprayed with Windex. Sometimes I have to dry wipe it again. The castor never comes off completely. If I need a part of the wing or fuse to be completely castor free I will use acetone, but that's bad for the color, so I go carefully with that. If you use brake parts cleaner on the engine, always use after run oil in the exhaust, venturi and behind the drive plate. I use 10w Singer sewing machine oil. It's perfectly clear and free of unwanted solids.

Thanks! I appreciate the help.


John

I wipe it down with a t-shirt rag and leave it alone. I don't intensively clean except when the airplane starts getting really gross. Then I am using Windex, or similar.

The downside is if you have to handle the airplane your hands will smell like stale castor, and the airplane will attract dust. Otherwise, it is fine.

If you wipe the plane down with windex before transporting, and have the planes sit on plastic in the vehicle you can reduce that "Glow Powered Model Aviator" smell that the vehicle interior tends to pick up.

Phil

pkrankow wrote:

If you wipe the plane down with windex before transporting, and have the planes sit on plastic in the vehicle you can reduce that "Glow Powered Model Aviator" smell that the vehicle interior tends to pick up.

Phil

REDUCE IT? I'm working with a prominent fragrance company to duplicate it. The women's version will be called Casther.

flyjsh wrote:

pkrankow wrote:

If you wipe the plane down with windex before transporting, and have the planes sit on plastic in the vehicle you can reduce that "Glow Powered Model Aviator" smell that the vehicle interior tends to pick up.

Phil

REDUCE IT? I'm working with a prominent fragrance company to duplicate it. The women's version will be called Casther.

It is a pretty unique scent. The synthetic lubricant has a different smell than castor does, and blend is also quite a bit different.

Phil

flyjsh wrote:

pkrankow wrote:

If you wipe the plane down with windex before transporting, and have the planes sit on plastic in the vehicle you can reduce that "Glow Powered Model Aviator" smell that the vehicle interior tends to pick up.

Phil

REDUCE IT? I'm working with a prominent fragrance company to duplicate it. The women's version will be called Casther.

Good idea and the name is outstanding. I bet you'll be doing this...
I want it. But I don't know whether to put it on my Babe or put it on myself on off modeling days.

RknRusty wrote:I want it. But I don't know whether to put it on my Babe or put it on myself on off modeling days.

Just have her put a little dab right behind her ear.

I find that a quick wipe with your shirt sleeves and followed by an underarm sweep to finish.

I recommend long sleeved cotton shirts - man made fibres don't do a very good job.

Has anyone tried just throwing it in the dishwasher yet?

MrGoodwreck wrote:Has anyone tried just throwing it in the dishwasher yet?

This is a suitable means to clean varnish off of some engine parts, particularly alloy parts.

Phil

Just do it when your wife is away.

pkrankow wrote:

MrGoodwreck wrote:Has anyone tried just throwing it in the dishwasher yet?

This is a suitable means to clean varnish off of some engine parts, particularly alloy parts.

Phil

To think all of these years,

I have just been using the crockpot.

Be careful with aluminium parts in the dishwasher. I have tried this (not with a cox engine) with a carburator and the aluminium was discoloured (looked stained grey and not shiny aluminium) after the procedure.

I don't know exactly why, maybe the dish-liquid was to agressive.

If you try this method, make sure that you remove all the plastic dishholders before using (they might discolour too and you will get stress with your better half )

Another possibility to clean aluminium parts with a good result is ultrasonic cleaning. You can use a cleaner which is normally used for glasses or jewelry (not to expensive) there are special aluminium cleaner additives available.

It was probably aluminum oxide. If you clean all the way down to the aluminum it immediately oxidizes, probably exacerbated by oxidizers in the soap. If you ever thoroughly clean aluminum, you have to arrest the oxidation very quickly before it gets too deep. It stops and creates a protective layer, unlike rust on iron, but it's ugly, and of course bad on bearings.

RknRusty wrote:It was probably aluminum oxide. If you clean all the way down to the aluminum it immediately oxidizes, probably exacerbated by oxidizers in the soap. If you ever thoroughly clean aluminum, you have to arrest the oxidation very quickly before it gets too deep. It stops and creates a protective layer, unlike rust on iron, but it's ugly, and of course bad on bearings.

Thanks Rusty, I read about it and I think so too.