There are lots of times when you can use a nice scraper in the shop. They are great for removing sticky labels, cleaning up paint, or even removing laser-splattered prepunched holes in thick aluminum stock. The problem with using any blade on aluminum, however, is that the sharp corners of a single-edge razor blade will leave scratches. But not if you take a few seconds to round them off on your grinding wheel. Use real light pressure and just a few touches. Now your blade will be effective and not leave marks in your work! We like to use the little clamp handles you can buy at Harbor Freight to hold the blades, by the way. They’re cheap and much easier to use than a bare blade.
In Case You Missed it
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Dave Martin - 0
As Light Sport Aircraft become more popular, so too will the desire to learn more about maintaining one of the most common engines used in these designs, the Rotax four-strokes. Columnist Dave Martin goes back to school to learn about routine Rotax maintenance as well as safe operation of the popular engine.
Ly-Con O-Ring Trick
When you join two halves of a flat aviation engine together, they often weep between the starter and the alternator. Not only is this unsightly, its wasteful and makes completing an overhaul more cumbersome than need be. Enter Ly-Con, whose groovy O-ring process promises to stop leaks before they start.
How They Build Them in South Africa
During my recent visit to Sling Aircraft in Johannesburg, South Africa, to fly the...
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Dave Martin - 0
Columnist Dave Martin introduces us to the new Eagle SLSA, whose high-wing configuration and yoke controls may immediately fit many pilots comfort zone.