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Any thoughts, dos or don'ts on rolling larger aluminum pieces for storage... flat space for storage is quickly becoming scarce! Thanks!
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Rolling the wing skins, etc are a great way to save space and protect the material! It is easier with a helper and a large flat table or floor. Lay down a pad of some sort (the packing cardboard from Zenith works well) roll (not too tight) and then tape around the roll with a long term tape that will be easy to remove (do not use duct tape). I used a wide blue painters tape, then boxed the roll in a U-haul packing box and put smaller rolls inside the larger rolls of aluminum. Mark the tape on each roll with the respective part number and it will be easy to retrieve the correct roll when you are ready to use it. HTH - good luck with your project!
Dave
Thanks Dave!... I really couldn't think of any reason not to roll them besides maybe some ' memory '. Thanks for taking the time to respond!
... (do not use duct tape).
David, is that ever the truth about duct tape! I bought my 750 STOL kit from a builder who did some initial work, but never completed it. He had built the wings' internal structure and riveted the bottom skins, but had not riveted the top skins. He taped the top skins in-place with duct tape and stored them. When I purchased the kit, it was easy to transport the wings with the skins safely secured with the tape, but when I got home, it was a nightmare getting the tape to release. Worse yet, as I peeled it off, it left a layer of adhesive on the skins and I had to go back with solvent and remove it. I wonder now if mildly heating the duct tape would have resulted in more adhesive pulling off with the tape?
John
N750A
I roll .025 and .016 sheets by myself all the time. Wear gloves and long sleeve shirt to protect from cuts. I like to tape a cardboard protector on the end that will be inside. That minimizes scratching from the corners.
Before rolling, add five or six strips of tape to the end with the sticky side up. When you get to the end, just roll over the tape and 99 times out of 100 the tape will hold. I just say 99 times, because I did have one time when it did not hold.
I like using clear packing tape. Also a good idea to double over a bit of the end to create a pull tab when removing the tape.
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