Original Posted By: Max Hegler
Hey,Cool thing happened yesterday. While helping a friend move, I noticed anold prop hanging on his garage wall. On closer inspection it turned out tobe a Fahlin prop and appears completely unused. He then said "you can havethat if my son doesn't want it, he was going to drill some holes in it andmake a really cool ceiling fan". The son said I could have it.The brass leading tipping and edging is perfect and there are no crush marksaround any of the bolt holes. There is absolutely no delamination orcracking anywhere. It Is however, completely covered with what looks likecrappy old varnish or something that was overppainted the entire prop and isdiscolored very, very dark and kinda pooled up into little pools all over.This coating almost has the same texture as miniature alligator skin wherethe stuff has pooled together leaving little crevasse between them. This coating was added by someone later as it goes right on over the decalsand the metal tipping. I did noticed it seemed to get softer in my hot car.I'd like to refinish this prop if not to use, at least to display as it istruly a beaut and Ole Fahlin was a very famous old prop maker. I think hestarted in the twenties and worked until his death in the early ninetieswhen he was in HIS early nineties.I've been reading up on my varnish removal options and am really hesitant touse strippers as I don't want to affect the wood or glue. I've tried Hotsoapy water in the hope it was some sort of preserving wax or grease and itdidn't do anything.My woodworking friend says start with hot soapy water, then try alcohol.Someone suggested acetone. I though of MEK, but have no idea what that'lldo to the wood. I could also obviously sand it down. I'd love to protectthe decals, but I'm going to investigate if any can still be found or madeup.Any suggestions are most appreciated!Douwe________________________________________________________________________________
Pietenpol-List: prop refinishing
RE: Pietenpol-List: prop refinishing
Original Posted By: douweblumberg(at)earthlink.net
Douwe=2CMy wife and I used to refinish furniture and the product we used to save good underlying finishes was called Formby's refinisher. You would just wipe it on and gently rub it until the old crud came off to the level of the finish you want to keep. I believe it also had tung oil in it to protect the final finish=2C or we would use Formby's tung oil as a final finish. Our Round dining room table that is around 160 years old was done that way in 1985 and is still on the tung oil that we finished it with.Max
Douwe=2CMy wife and I used to refinish furniture and the product we used to save good underlying finishes was called Formby's refinisher. You would just wipe it on and gently rub it until the old crud came off to the level of the finish you want to keep. I believe it also had tung oil in it to protect the final finish=2C or we would use Formby's tung oil as a final finish. Our Round dining room table that is around 160 years old was done that way in 1985 and is still on the tung oil that we finished it with.Max
Pietenpol-List: Re: prop refinishing
Original Posted By: "Billy McCaskill"
I scraped the majority of the varnish off a prop a long time ago with broken glassfrom jars of the quart to half gallon sizes. Up near the threaded part theywould break with long curves the fit the prop pretty good. Kinda low tech butworks.--------Jerry Dotson59 Daniel Johnson RdBaker, FL 32531Started building NX510JD July, 2009Ribs and tailfeathers doneusing Lycoming O-235Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ___Subject: Pietenpol-List: Re: prop refinishing
I scraped the majority of the varnish off a prop a long time ago with broken glassfrom jars of the quart to half gallon sizes. Up near the threaded part theywould break with long curves the fit the prop pretty good. Kinda low tech butworks.--------Jerry Dotson59 Daniel Johnson RdBaker, FL 32531Started building NX510JD July, 2009Ribs and tailfeathers doneusing Lycoming O-235Read this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ___Subject: Pietenpol-List: Re: prop refinishing
Original Posted By: jeff wilson
Douwe, you can try denatured alcohol to soften or remove the varnish as some varnishesand shellacs use alcohol as a primary ingredient. You could also trysome naptha, it is gentle enough that I use it to clean up old guitars with fragilelacquer finishes without damaging them. I would not recommend the useof MEK as it will strip everything off right down to bare wood. The MEK willnot hurt the wood, but it will certainly destroy the original finish and any decalsthat are on the prop. Acetone might also be a bit harsh for what you aretrying to accomplish. Whichever solvent you use, make sure to use them outdoorsor with plenty of ventilation available, and obviously not around any possiblesource of combustion.The broken glass scrapers will also work, but I prefer a good steel cabinet scraperas they are much safer to use than broken glass, and can be resharpenedeasily by burnishing the edge with the shaft of a screwdriver or similar tool.Just use a light touch so as not go scrape too deeply and damage the originalfinish or to remove any wood.--------Billy McCaskillUrbana, ILtail section almost done, starting on ribs soonRead this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ______Date: Sun, 8 Aug 2010 12:40:17 -0700 (PDT)
Douwe, you can try denatured alcohol to soften or remove the varnish as some varnishesand shellacs use alcohol as a primary ingredient. You could also trysome naptha, it is gentle enough that I use it to clean up old guitars with fragilelacquer finishes without damaging them. I would not recommend the useof MEK as it will strip everything off right down to bare wood. The MEK willnot hurt the wood, but it will certainly destroy the original finish and any decalsthat are on the prop. Acetone might also be a bit harsh for what you aretrying to accomplish. Whichever solvent you use, make sure to use them outdoorsor with plenty of ventilation available, and obviously not around any possiblesource of combustion.The broken glass scrapers will also work, but I prefer a good steel cabinet scraperas they are much safer to use than broken glass, and can be resharpenedeasily by burnishing the edge with the shaft of a screwdriver or similar tool.Just use a light touch so as not go scrape too deeply and damage the originalfinish or to remove any wood.--------Billy McCaskillUrbana, ILtail section almost done, starting on ribs soonRead this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ______Date: Sun, 8 Aug 2010 12:40:17 -0700 (PDT)
RE: Pietenpol-List: Spring Loaded Tail Wheel
Original Posted By: owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
Jeff,I am assuming that you have the tailwheel skid as part of your plans? Ithink most of us are just 'winging' it from there! If you check outwww.westcoastpiet.com , you will see allsorts of stuff. I attached a few pics.Gary Boothe Cool, Ca. Pietenpol WW Corvair Conversion, mounted Tail done, Fuselage on gear (20 ribs down.) _____
Jeff,I am assuming that you have the tailwheel skid as part of your plans? Ithink most of us are just 'winging' it from there! If you check outwww.westcoastpiet.com , you will see allsorts of stuff. I attached a few pics.Gary Boothe Cool, Ca. Pietenpol WW Corvair Conversion, mounted Tail done, Fuselage on gear (20 ribs down.) _____
RE: Pietenpol-List: Spring Loaded Tail Wheel
Original Posted By: owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
BTW.the spring is from John Deere.Gary Boothe Cool, Ca. Pietenpol WW Corvair Conversion, mounted Tail done, Fuselage on gear (20 ribs down.) _____
BTW.the spring is from John Deere.Gary Boothe Cool, Ca. Pietenpol WW Corvair Conversion, mounted Tail done, Fuselage on gear (20 ribs down.) _____
Pietenpol-List: Re: prop refinishing
Original Posted By: "Jerry Dotson"
Hey=2CCool thing happened yesterday. While helping a friend move=2CI noticed an old prop hanging on his garage wall. On closer inspection it turnedout to be a Fahlin prop and appears completely unused. He then said =93youcan have that if my son doesn=92t want it=2C he was going to drill some holesin it and make a really cool ceiling fan=94. The son said I could have it=85The brass leading tipping and edging is perfect and there areno crush marks around any of the bolt holes. There is absolutely no delaminationor cracking anywhere. It Is however=2C completely covered with what looks like crappyold varnish or something that was overppainted the entire prop and is discoloredvery=2C very dark and kinda pooled up into little pools all over. This coating almosthas the same texture as miniature alligator skin where the stuff has pooled togetherleaving little crevasse between them. This coating was added by someone later as it goes right on overthe decals and the metal tipping. I did noticed it seemed to get softer in my hotcar.I=92d like to refinish this prop if not to use=2C at leastto display as it is truly a beaut and Ole Fahlin was a very famous old prop maker. I think he started in the twenties and worked until his death in the early ninetieswhen he was in HIS early nineties.I=92ve been reading up on my varnish removal options andam really hesitant to use strippers as I don=92t want to affect the wood orglue. I=92ve tried Hot soapy water in the hope it was some sort of preservingwax or grease and it didn=92t do anything.My woodworking friend says start with hot soapy water=2C thentry alcohol. Someone suggested acetone. I though of MEK=2C but have no ideawhat that=92ll do to the wood. I could also obviously sand it down. I=92dlove to protect the decals=2C but I=92m going to investigate if any can stillbe found or made up.Any suggestions are most appreciated!Douwe ________________________________________________________________________________Subject: Pietenpol-List: Re: prop refinishing
Hey=2CCool thing happened yesterday. While helping a friend move=2CI noticed an old prop hanging on his garage wall. On closer inspection it turnedout to be a Fahlin prop and appears completely unused. He then said =93youcan have that if my son doesn=92t want it=2C he was going to drill some holesin it and make a really cool ceiling fan=94. The son said I could have it=85The brass leading tipping and edging is perfect and there areno crush marks around any of the bolt holes. There is absolutely no delaminationor cracking anywhere. It Is however=2C completely covered with what looks like crappyold varnish or something that was overppainted the entire prop and is discoloredvery=2C very dark and kinda pooled up into little pools all over. This coating almosthas the same texture as miniature alligator skin where the stuff has pooled togetherleaving little crevasse between them. This coating was added by someone later as it goes right on overthe decals and the metal tipping. I did noticed it seemed to get softer in my hotcar.I=92d like to refinish this prop if not to use=2C at leastto display as it is truly a beaut and Ole Fahlin was a very famous old prop maker. I think he started in the twenties and worked until his death in the early ninetieswhen he was in HIS early nineties.I=92ve been reading up on my varnish removal options andam really hesitant to use strippers as I don=92t want to affect the wood orglue. I=92ve tried Hot soapy water in the hope it was some sort of preservingwax or grease and it didn=92t do anything.My woodworking friend says start with hot soapy water=2C thentry alcohol. Someone suggested acetone. I though of MEK=2C but have no ideawhat that=92ll do to the wood. I could also obviously sand it down. I=92dlove to protect the decals=2C but I=92m going to investigate if any can stillbe found or made up.Any suggestions are most appreciated!Douwe ________________________________________________________________________________Subject: Pietenpol-List: Re: prop refinishing