Re: Anybody out there using....

From: Ron Williams <roncan_at_verizon.net>
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:54:38 -0500

Hi -

My first use of a cautery was similarly disastrous - burnt up frame.
One of the old timers straightened me out and thereafter I cut
leaving 1/8" - 3/16" of excess film. I attached the flap to the frame
with a brush dipped in my mouth for Coca Cola flavored saliva and it
wrapped itself around the spar. If it didn't want to behave I used
straight Coke. That also worked on Mylar on Penny Planes and such.

I made my own cautery based on an old eye surgeon's cautery with one
AA cell and slightly heavier NiChrome wire than what was on the
medical device. Never had a fire again.

Ron


>> ...a cautery iron/tool for cutting film? I need some guidance.
>>
>
>>For several years I've tried to work with my SO/WS kids using some
>>of Tim G's super-duper double-edges razor blades to cut the film on
>>the flight surfaces. I cannot get across to them the need for just
>>a little glue for the covering. And, as a result, they get this
>>globbed up mess that frequently results in the blade pulling and
>>tearing the film. So, I decided to buy one of Tim G's cautery
>>tools to see if that might offer an improvement for them. I tried
>>it on one of my own models first and I'm glad I did. When I
>>touched the tool to the film, it cut the film great!, but almost
>>simultaneously the balsa edging burst into flame, died out when I
>>removed the cautery tool, and then I got to watch the balsa
>>framework disappear in a traveling ember. In its own way, it was
>>mesmerizing.
>>
>
>How do you use it to cut the film without touching the framework to
>get the clean edge of film on the framework?
>Jim Howell
>
>
Received on Tue Jan 26 2010 - 18:55:09 CET