Soldering two Wires together

Well this is a little off topic but I'd figure I would share it today. It will be back to airplane theme tomorrow.

In this post I will show you how I join two wires together. First I gathered the right tools. The right tools are as follows: two clamps,wire stripper(or exacto blade) wire of some sort, solder, soldering iron and an old rag. I also included a DVD I used to learn how to do soldering. The Dvd can be bought at http://www.modeltrain.com/

Supplies used and DVD that taught me how to do it.

First I cut  two small pieces of wire and stripped about a 1/2 inch off of one end of each. I then proceed to heat up the wire with the soldering iron from the bottom as shown in the picture below. After waiting a few seconds for the wire to heat up, I place the tip of the solder on the tip of the wire and it ran down the side of wire and covered about the entire stripped part of the wire. If you put solder on too soon no solder will melt and you should wait a few more seconds. Also, if you get too much solder on, it will show with bumps and clumps of solder on your wire. I did this to both wires.  

Solder being added to a wire with soldering iron

In the picture below I placed the two wires close together.

Two wires with solder on the ends and a clamp

After applying solder to both wires. I heated the wire up and BOOM two joined wires.

 


Electrical Tape to prevent shorting.

I heated up the two wire up and placed them close together with the ends that had solder on them. Once the heat was applied the solder ran between the two wires and formed a joint. I took the heat off and the solder solified.
I used some electrical tape to prevent shorting if I were to use this in anything.





Easy Way to Clean Leading Edges on Airplanes

Here is a different way to clean airplane leading edges then the old soap and water. Try using hydrogen peroxide next time on the leading edges because it is a fast and easy way to keep your plane looking sharp.


Items needed:
Mircofiber /rag
Hydrogen peroxide
Spray bottle


1. First put some hydrogen peroxide into the spray bottle and spray product liberally onto the section you want to clean.

Unclean Leading Edge

2. Allow the hydrogen peroxide to do its magic for about minute or two. Then wipe it off completely with your rag.

Clean Leading Edge

3. A perfectly clean leading edge.

You can use this on fabric and metal leading edges. Don't use it on windshields or plastics.

How to clean wax around Rivet heads

If you are waxing metal skinned airplanes with rivets then you should know an easy way to clean around rivets!


Items needed:


(1) brush
(1) Scissors
(1) Rivets in need of cleaning

Brush

Finished brush

Step One
First, cut the brush down a little bit to make the brush more stiff but do not cut it too short because it can scratch the paint. You must use soft bristles or it will damage paint!

Rivets in need of cleaning

Simply use the brush, being careful not to press too hard and damaging the paint, gently brush away the wax. Simple as that!

Cleaned Rivets

Waxing Aircraft Fabric

Another important aspect in keeping an aircraft clean is waxing it. With fabric you have to be careful. Here is how I do it!

Things needed:
(1) Mircofiber
(1) Wax of your choosing
(1) Wax applicator

Step 1
Wash the fabric with soap and water. I just use hot water and some Dawn soap. I also dry the aircraft with microfiber to reduce water spots.

Step 2

Difference between wax and not waxed sufaces

Make sure that the fabric is cool and dry. Also its helps to be in a place that has some shade like a hangar or garage.I use Meguiars GoldClass Carnauba Plus wax and it does a really good job.To apply wax you just get a little wax on your wax applicator and rub in a circular motion on the cleaned fabric. Allow the wax to haze.

Wax is hazing

Step 3
After the wax hazes begin to remove it with microfiber by rubbing the fabric with a circular motion until the fabric shines. I usually flip the microfiber over and use a clean side for the final swipe.

How to Polish Aircraft Propellers

Another important part of aircraft care is keeping the propeller shiny.


Items you need:


(2) Clean rags
(1) Aluminum Polish

 First and foremost follow the directions on the polish package. This is how I do it.
Step one: Get a small amount of the polish on a clean rag and rub it on to the aluminum. You do not need a lot. Apply light pressure and cover the whole area you want to polish. Allow it to haze.  The polish I have been using turns a slight black hue. The picture below shows the haze on the aluminum.

Polish haze on aluminum

Step 2: After the polish has hazed on the surface, start to wipe it off with a clean rag until it shines. The final wipe should be done with a clean rag. Repeat steps 1-2 until it shines like you desire.

Cleaning Airplane Windshields

I want to start this blog off with simple airplane projects that can be done fairly quickly and easily. This week is dedicated aircraft and aircraft related things.




Things needed:
(1) Clean Microfiber
(1) Can of Davies Clear to Land/Similar Product


Step One:
Spray a thin layer of cleaner on to the the windscreen and allow to settle for a few seconds. Side note: I do half of a windshield at a time to do a better job.

Sprayed Windscreen

Step Two: Take a clean side of the microfiber and make vertical strokes on the windscreen in order to prevent visible scratches. Never do circular or horizontal motions because they are visible. Vertical scratches are less visible to the human eye.

Cleaned Windshield

Step Three: On the final swipe use another clean and dry side of the microfiber. Repeat steps 1-3 until all the bugs are gone. Be careful not scratch the windscreen.


You can also spray on protectant to make it easier to clean the next time and prevent scratches. It is applied in the same way as the cleaner.