Matronics Email Lists :: View topic

Matronics Email Lists
Web Forum Interface to the Matronics Email Lists

Get Email Distribution Too! FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register

Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in

Interior Plastics

Matronics Email Lists Forum Index -> TeamGrumman-List

View previous topic :: View next topic

Author Message

cynamonb

Joined: 22 Sep 2013
Posts: 9
Location: Ft Lauderdale, Fl

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 11:37 am Post subject: Interior Plastics

Bought some interior plastics to spiff up the plane a bit. Anyone have any  suggestions on the best way to trim this stuff to fit? It seems thicker  than the stuff I bought years ago for another aircraft.



  

 Bruce  

 [quote][b]

- The Matronics TeamGrumman-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?TeamGrumman-List

_________________
Bruce

n76lima(at)mindspring.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 12:51 pm Post subject: Interior Plastics

From: CYNAMONB(at)AOL.COM

Bought some interior plastics to spiff up the plane a bit. Anyone have any 

suggestions on the best way to trim this stuff to fit? It seems thicker 

than the stuff I bought years ago for another aircraft.

Bruce 



Yes, the new plastic is thicker.  Not sure if that was to help with the cracking of the older style, or a material availability issue.



As for trimming, I cut it with offset aviation snips to about 1/4" from "net trim", and then come back for another pass down to less than 1/16" from net, and then sand the edges smooth.  There are some trim lines that show up in the smooth side of the plastic, though they seem to have some skips.  These make a good first cut reference, but I would not depend on them to be exact.  There are manufacturing tolerances in the plastics and in the airframes.



I'd trim down to 1/4", test fit, trim again and test fit, until you get the desired installation.  For sanding, I have a 3" drum that fits in my cordless drill (bought at a woodworking supply store) and an ~3"x18" long section of milled wood with 2 different grits of self-adhesive sandpaper applied to the opposite sides.  The 3M self-stick paper is from an autobody supply store.  I believe they are 80 and 180 grit, and originally intended for sanding "bondo" to contour.  Cheap, less than $1/sheet, and I've been using the same sheets for years.



I've used all sorts of tools over the years in trimming the plastic, and have settled on the offset aviation snips (available at Lowes if you don't have a buddy building an RV).  You'll want both red and green handled snips, so you can cut "left" and "right" handed curves.



Take your time, give your hands a rest, as they WILL cramp up from all the cutting with the snips, and do a nice job.  I've worked on a few planes that looked like the interior plastic was trimmed with a chainsaw...  Don't be that guy.



--Bob Steward

Birmingham, AL

- The Matronics TeamGrumman-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?TeamGrumman-List

flying-nut(at)cfl.rr.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 2:51 pm Post subject: Interior Plastics

If you have one of those Workmates,       clamp a belt sander upside down and trim to fit.  Light pressure       so the plastic doesn't heat up.

       Linn

       

       On 2/27/2014 2:36 PM, CYNAMONB(at)AOL.COM (CYNAMONB(at)AOL.COM) wrote:

     

     [quote]                                         Bought some interior plastics to spiff up the plane a             bit. Anyone have any suggestions on the best way to trim             this stuff to fit? It seems thicker than the stuff I bought             years ago for another aircraft.

         

          

         Bruce 

               	  Quote: 	
		  

	
       

No virus         found in this message.

         Checked by AVG - www.avg.com

         02/27/14     [b]

- The Matronics TeamGrumman-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?TeamGrumman-List

teamgrumman(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 6:37 pm Post subject: Interior Plastics

I use tin snips to trim the basic part.  Then, I use 40 grit sand paper in a 15 inch long sanding block to fine tune the part.  Rear window moldings don't generally fit very well.  Being twice as thick as necessary makes the problem even worse.  Canopy window moldings fit OK but one is too short and one is too long (front to back).  

Gary

 

 

     On Thursday, February 27, 2014 2:57 PM, Linn Walters <flying-nut(at)cfl.rr.com> wrote:

  

                      If you have one of those Workmates,       clamp a belt sander upside down and trim to fit.  Light pressure       so the plastic doesn't heat up.

       Linn

       

       On 2/27/2014 2:36 PM, CYNAMONB(at)AOL.COM (CYNAMONB(at)AOL.COM) wrote:

     

      	  Quote: 	
		                                            Bought some interior plastics to spiff up the plane a             bit. Anyone have any suggestions on the best way to trim             this stuff to fit? It seems thicker than the stuff I bought             years ago for another aircraft.

         

          

         Bruce 

               	  Quote: 	
		  



	
       No virus         found in this message.

         Checked by AVG - www.avg.com

         02/27/14

     http://www.matro====================


	






  

 

  

 

 [quote][b]

- The Matronics TeamGrumman-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?TeamGrumman-List

teamgrumman(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 6:41 pm Post subject: Interior Plastics

I second Bob's comments.  

I have both the offset and regular tin snips.  Keep all of them handy as one might work where the other one doesn't.  I figure about 8 hrs per part, trim and fit.

Gary

 

 

     On Thursday, February 27, 2014 12:56 PM, "n76lima(at)mindspring.com" <n76lima(at)mindspring.com> wrote:

  

  --> TeamGrumman-List message posted by: <n76lima(at)mindspring.com (n76lima(at)mindspring.com)>



From: CYNAMONB(at)AOL.COM (CYNAMONB(at)AOL.COM)

Bought some interior plastics to spiff up the plane a bit. Anyone have any 

suggestions on the best way to trim this stuff to fit? It seems thicker 

than the stuff I bought years ago for another aircraft.

Bruce 



Yes, the new plastic is thicker.  Not sure if that was to help with the cracking of the older style, or a material availability issue.



As for trimming, I cut it with offset aviation snips to about 1/4" from "net trim", and then come back for another pass down to less than 1/16" from net, and then sand the edges smooth.  There are some trim lines that show up in the smooth side of the plastic, though they seem to have some skips.  These make a good first cut reference, but I would not depend on them to be exact.  There are  manufacturing tolerances in the plastics and in the airframes.



I'd trim down to 1/4", test fit, trim again and test fit, until you get the desired installation.  For sanding, I have a 3" drum that fits in my cordless drill (bought at a woodworking supply store) and an ~3"x18" long section of milled wood with 2 different grits of self-adhesive sandpaper applied to the opposite sides.  The 3M self-stick paper is from an autobody supply store.  I believe they are 80 and 180 grit, and originally intended for sanding "bondo" to contour.  Cheap, less than $1/sheet, and I've been using the same sheets for years.



I've used all sorts of tools over the years in trimming the plastic, and have settled on the offset aviation snips (available at Lowes if you don't have a buddy building an RV).  You'll want both red and green handled snips, so you can cut "left" and "right" handed curves.



Take your time, give your hands a  rest, as they WILL cramp up from all the cutting with the snips, and do a nice job.  I've worked on a few planes that looked like the interior plastic was trimmed with a chainsaw...  Don't be that guy.



--Bob          - The TeamGrumman-List Email Forum -

ator?TeamGrumman-List" target="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator               - MATRONICS WEB FORUMS -http://forums.matronics.com<                     -Mats.com/contribution" target="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/contribution==============

  

 

  

 

 [quote][b]

- The Matronics TeamGrumman-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?TeamGrumman-List

cynamonb

Joined: 22 Sep 2013
Posts: 9
Location: Ft Lauderdale, Fl

Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2014 4:59 am Post subject: Interior Plastics

Thanks Gary. I'll just take my time until I get it right. I did a Cherokee Six interior about 20 years ago and was able to refurbish most of the plastic. Only had to replace a few pieces. They were thinner and fairly easy to trim. The panel overlay was a Piper part $$$ and required little or no trimming.





Bruce Cynamon

Peterson Industries

305-691-7943

Sent from Samsung tablet





-------- Original message --------

From Gary L Vogt <teamgrumman(at)yahoo.com> 

Date: 02/27/2014  9:41 PM  (GMT-05:00) 

To teamgrumman-list(at)matronics.com 

Subject Re: TeamGrumman-List: Interior Plastics 

 



I second Bob's comments.  

I have both the offset and regular tin snips.  Keep all of them handy as one might work where the other one doesn't.  I figure about 8 hrs per part, trim and fit.

Gary

 

 

     On Thursday, February 27, 2014 12:56 PM, "n76lima(at)mindspring.com" <n76lima(at)mindspring.com> wrote:

  

  --> TeamGrumman-List message posted by: <n76lima(at)mindspring.com (n76lima(at)mindspring.com)>



From: CYNAMONB(at)AOL.COM (CYNAMONB(at)AOL.COM)

Bought some interior plastics to spiff up the plane a bit. Anyone have any 

suggestions on the best way to trim this stuff to fit? It seems thicker 

than the stuff I bought years ago for another aircraft.

Bruce 



Yes, the new plastic is thicker.  Not sure if that was to help with the cracking of the older style, or a material availability issue.



As for trimming, I cut it with offset aviation snips to about 1/4" from "net trim", and then come back for another pass down to less than 1/16" from net, and then sand the edges smooth.  There are some trim lines that show up in the smooth side of the plastic, though they seem to have some skips.  These make a good first cut reference, but I would not depend on them to be exact.  There are  manufacturing tolerances in the plastics and in the airframes.



I'd trim down to 1/4", test fit, trim again and test fit, until you get the desired installation.  For sanding, I have a 3" drum that fits in my cordless drill (bought at a woodworking supply store) and an ~3"x18" long section of milled wood with 2 different grits of self-adhesive sandpaper applied to the opposite sides.  The 3M self-stick paper is from an autobody supply store.  I believe they are 80 and 180 grit, and originally intended for sanding "bondo" to contour.  Cheap, less than $1/sheet, and I've been using the same sheets for years.



I've used all sorts of tools over the years in trimming the plastic, and have settled on the offset aviation snips (available at Lowes if you don't have a buddy building an RV).  You'll want both red and green handled snips, so you can cut "left" and "right" handed curves.



Take your time, give your hands a  rest, as they WILL cramp up from all the cutting with the snips, and do a nice job.  I've worked on a few planes that looked like the interior plastic was trimmed with a chainsaw...  Don't be that guy.



--Bob          - The TeamGrumman-List Email Forum -

ator?TeamGrumman-List" target="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator               - MATRONICS WEB FORUMS -http://forums.matronics.com<                     -Mats.com/contribution" target="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/contribution==============

  

 

  

 

 [quote][b]

- The Matronics TeamGrumman-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?TeamGrumman-List

_________________
Bruce

Display posts from previous:

	Matronics Email Lists Forum Index -> TeamGrumman-List	All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Page 1 of 1

Jump to:

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum