As I write this it is January 1, 2012. Hope all of you had a good Christmas and Holiday Season with a good start for 2012. The beginning of the new year brought us 60 degree weather unlike the last year that brought ice and snow storms with severe weather warnings.
2011 was a reasonably good year for the remote control hobby, no major injuries that I know of, and we received something we’ve been needing for years, we got a major revision to the weight change rules.
Here in Oklahoma we’ve been lucky enough to have two building seasons what with almost four months of over 100 degrees in the summer and minus degrees last winter. What do you do with that kind of weather but stay inside and build. That’s what I’ve been doing. I just finished a kit that was considered “Ole school”. The kit was a 33 year old Stinson SR9 Royal giant scale 86 inch. When I say ole school, I mean you get a large cardboard box. Inside it is a pile of ribs, some straight stock and blocks of various sizes and shapes. In all, there were 56 blocks. As ole school, at this point you get out your chain saw and start carving and sanding and if you’re lucky you’ll come up with something that looks like the picture on the box.
Interesting how the kits have changed over 30 years. This kit was supposed to be covered with silk and dope. These days if you mention silk and dope, a lot of people will look at you funny and have no idea what you are talking about. I guess this type of covering is becoming a lost art with most people flying ARFs (almost ready to fly) or ARCs ( almost ready to cover) or the foamie Ready to Fly.
When I used to scratch build, I used a calculator and ruler and algebra. Now the builders can put the information into a program, push a few buttons, hit print and get their plans for building. I guess that’s what’s happening now, leaving us “ole dinosaurs” in our shops more time to create our works of art.
Seriously, if you scratch build or use the many ARFs, or ARCs for creating your aircraft you will be using many materials that have or will require chemicals to complete. In my shop I probably have the same array of chemicals as you do for building an RC aircraft. Are you concerned about the fumes and odors that these chemicals emit? All glues, paints, solvents, epoxies, and even heat activated coverings have odors that we should be aware not to mention the various types of CA glues and their debonders. Be sure you read the Caution statements and instructions on the containers of whatever chemical you are using.
Before you select an area in which to build your project, check to make sure you have a well ventilated area. Even sanding balsa wood leaves a very fine dust that can irritate the sinuses. Epoxy and various resins can cause skin irritations in some people. Polyester resins have a very strong odor that lasts for several hours especially when being activated. Sanding the resins even give off odors that can irritate the eyes and sinuses resulting in a massive headache for some people.
CA glue is an irritant to both the eyes and nose and can cause mild burns on the skin. The eyes can also be burned. Try an experiment. Use a dremel tool on CA glue and watch the white smoke that is caused. You can see why it gets into the air and can irritate many exposed areas. Even the glues in the heat activated coverings can cause headaches. Most solvents are highly volatile and care should be taken when using them.
Most of them have strong odors and vary in drying time. These can cause a burning sensation if they come in contact with the skin. It might be wise to wear rubber gloves when using these chemicals.
All paints have their irritants too, even the water based Latex type can cause headaches. Using a respirator is advisable, especially if you use automotive paint. Automotive paints are dangerous to your lungs, The paint tends to stick to the membranes in your lungs and nose. Long term this may result in a lung condition known as COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). I have it. I am guilty of not always using a paint mask and am now paying the price. If you smell the paint when using the respirator, it is too loose or has a bad filter. You should solve the problem before going on. Conventional airbrushes and paint guns put out a lot of fumes and odors as well as overspray. I like to use low pressure high volume guns. They put out a lot less overspray and fumes than other types of guns. These low pressure high volume guns take a little getting used to but they are well worth the investment.
Using any of the above mentioned products for projects around the house or your hobby building projects have some hazard. Protection of some kind against the irritants is always advisable. Always have a well ventilated area, outside is best. Use a mask, dustmask or a special mask for the job you’re doing. A dustmask or paint mask isn’t always all that’s required. Your eyes also need protection. Wear goggles or at least glasses. If you use rags during your project and they have solvent or paint or sawdust on them, put them in a bucket marked “flammable”. Set the bucket outside when finished so it can air out and the chemicals can dissipate so it won’t be a possible ignition source. You don’t need a fire caused after all that work.
Let your eyes and nose be your guide as to whether or not you need some protection from any of the chemicals you are using. Read the labels and warnings of the products, especially the paint.
Have a safe time with your building projects and a great flying season for 2012.
Charlie with his new Stinson SR-9... built from a very OLD Royal kit. Charlie says they had TWO building seasons in Oklahoma in 2011
