REFLECTOR: what kind of foam

[doug.holub at tx.rr.com]

Thanks for the advice, everybody. I've already fixed about 7 leaks with the "paint the soapy water, look for bubbles, suck in the Jeffco" trick, but there is still this very small one that I can't find. So last fall I cut a 6" hole in the top of the strake over one of my 3 fuel chambers (where I suspected the problem was), large enough that I could get my hand in and coat the upper bulhead-strake joint with Jeffco.  I was able to do the same in another of the chambers through the fuel cap opening. As I'm writing this, it occurs to me that maybe I should cut a 6" hole in the third chamber and do the same thing in the third chamber, before I perform the baffelectomy. Thanks, everyone, for possibly saving me from myself.

Doug

---- Alex Balic <velocity_pilot at verizon.net> wrote: 
> PS- I have had a few projects in my plane that started with "I'll just" and
> it is never as simple or as easy as you think- as I am sure you are aware
> also.  Please try the simple fixes first before resorting to complete
> strakeotomy.......
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
> Behalf Of doug.holub at tx.rr.com
> Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 2:40 PM
> To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: what kind of foam
> 
> The air bubbles are coming up through the strakes in the baggage
> compartment, a foot away from the fuel bulkhead. My strakes are 20 years
> old, and I think they may have become a little porous in that time. I didn't
> seal the fuel tanks with Jeffco before I put the baffles in, so the part of
> the strakes underneath the baffles aren't sealed with Jeffco, and I suspect
> that is where the air is getting out. It's not much air-- a balloon deflates
> in about 30 minutes.
> 
> It sounds like a drastic measure to rip out the baffles, but it's really not
> that big of a job. I'll cut out a really big hatch in the top of the strake,
> remove the baffles, seal the tank really, really good, put new baffles in,
> put a flange around the inside of the hatch opening, and then replace the
> lid. It's pretty important that there are no fuel leaks.
> 
> Doug
> ---- Milton Mersky <miltonm at airmail.net> wrote: 
> > 
> > Make a water tight really big hatch on ea. strake. Then go in and find
> your 
> > leak. Use Jeffco to re seal.
> > 
> > milt
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Lawrence J. Epstein, MD" <ljepstein at hotmail.com>
> > To: "'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list'" <reflector at tvbf.org>
> > Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 11:26 AM
> > Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: what kind of foam
> > 
> > 
> > > Before you "rip it all apart", why not cut a generous hole in the top,
> see
> > > if you can "caulk" from the inside and close that up? That is what the
> > > factory suggested to me when I became frustrated.
> > >
> > > Larry Epstein
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
> > > Behalf Of doug.holub at tx.rr.com
> > > Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 11:40 AM
> > > To: reflector at tvbf.org
> > > Subject: REFLECTOR: what kind of foam
> > >
> > > Air is still escaping from my fuel tank, so I'm going to rip out the
> > > baffles, re-seal everything, and put in new baffles.  The baffles are
> made
> > > of 3/8" Clark foam that came with my kit. I know Clark foam is not 
> > > available
> > > anymore. I see AS&S has Divinycell (PVC) foam and styrofoam. Will either
> 
> > > be
> > > ok in the fuel tank?
> > >
> > > Doug Holub
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> > 
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> 
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