Screw the Screw Glue (on V900)! Can you remove it?

Yoshio

Member
Hey guys,

I ordered the e-Flite V900 but it came with two construction failures.

- First one makes it impossible to attach the Wings properly as you can see here...
IMG-7832.jpg
...the drilling for the thread is way over tolerance and the thread is also glued far away from the center. What comes out when you wanna put the wings on is this:
IMG-7835.jpg

And here you can see the thread from the fuselage interior. My point is: This glue is super hard. How can it be removed smoothly?
IMG-7834.jpg


I know what you wanna say: Send it back! But: It's a never ending story with the retailer's customer service, so let me spare you the story and help me to fix this.

Because in addition to that hassle, I can't even send the freakin plane back, because the screw for the elevator, however, can easily be unscrewed, but it won't come out of the foam channel. Foam in the channel is holding it back I guess. And that is failure no. 2 that makes it impossible to put the plane back into the packaging. Be assured, I didn't screw it too hard and I also don't wanna hurt the plane only to loose my rights of reimbursement.

v900 3.jpg

So, I am really thinking of keeping the plane (still hoping for a descent discount) and fix it it. Ideas very welcomed!
 

Tench745

Master member
If you've got a high-wattage soldering iron you could probably put it on the t-nut from the side you can reach. Let the heat work to soften the glue and gently push the t-nut free.
Alternatively, you could use a piece of sharpened tubing or hole saw to cut out the wood around the t-nut. Then you could make up a wooden plate with a new t-nut and glue it in place wherever it needs to be to locate the wing correctly.

For the tail, a piece of sharpened tubing just slightly wider than the head of the screw could be used to enlarge the hole in the foam to ease removal.
 

Yoshio

Member
If you've got a high-wattage soldering iron you could probably put it on the t-nut from the side you can reach. Let the heat work to soften the glue and gently push the t-nut free.
Alternatively, you could use a piece of sharpened tubing or hole saw to cut out the wood around the t-nut. Then you could make up a wooden plate with a new t-nut and glue it in place wherever it needs to be to locate the wing correctly.

For the tail, a piece of sharpened tubing just slightly wider than the head of the screw could be used to enlarge the hole in the foam to ease removal.
First option sounds awesome. ....soldering iron...didn't think about that. Thanks a lot!
 

eric75

Member
That glue looks like the same industrial hot melt glue they use on cardboard boxes, you might even be able to soften it up (enough to scrape it away with a popsicle stick) with the tip of a glue gun. You can also use a screw in the insert to help leverage it out. It has sharpened prongs in the wood to keep it from rotating in case you haven't worked with these before.

If you can't reach in there, put the heating implement on the other side and wait several seconds for the heat to transfer through the steel. Or put a screw in there and heat it with a pencil flame cigar lighter (outside of your house, don't breath the fumes from the hot zinc, the melting foam or the burning plane).

For the screw on the elevator a strong magnet and a spot of slightly diluted dish soap might be enough wiggle it out. Try rubbing around the hole with a dowel or a pen to compress the foam a little more and expand the opening. You might be able to use a little heat to expand the hole with less viable damage to the painted layer than cutting it.
 

Yoshio

Member
That glue looks like the same industrial hot melt glue they use on cardboard boxes, you might even be able to soften it up (enough to scrape it away with a popsicle stick) with the tip of a glue gun. You can also use a screw in the insert to help leverage it out. It has sharpened prongs in the wood to keep it from rotating in case you haven't worked with these before.

If you can't reach in there, put the heating implement on the other side and wait several seconds for the heat to transfer through the steel. Or put a screw in there and heat it with a pencil flame cigar lighter (outside of your house, don't breath the fumes from the hot zinc, the melting foam or the burning plane).

For the screw on the elevator a strong magnet and a spot of slightly diluted dish soap might be enough wiggle it out. Try rubbing around the hole with a dowel or a pen to compress the foam a little more and expand the opening. You might be able to use a little heat to expand the hole with less viable damage to the painted layer than cutting it.
Wow, this is sounds like the perfect plans for both issues. After research I also think it's epoxy and people recommend to use a glue gun to remove it. Do you have an idea how to reattach it the best way (without using epoxy)? But, I will wait two more days for the customer service's answer since I am a little afraid to mess this up.
 

eric75

Member
If it is easy to reach the other side and you are careful not to let it fall off and get lost, you don't need any retention on the blind nut. Once you know it's in the right place, a little glue or tape is not a bad way to keep it in place then the screw isn't holding it in.
 

Yoshio

Member
I am about to start that operation - heating it with glue gun. I am only concerned that even heating it via a screw put into the thread from the bottom of the plane will hurt the foam significantly. Should I make this compromise?
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
If you are extremely careful you can soften Epoxy using Acetone or finger Nail Polish Remover.
DO NOT let the acetone etc touch the foam or the foam will desolve rapidly!

I use the acetone to soften and remove the epoxy on balsa planes so that broken or damaged parts can be more easily replaced.

Just what works for me!

Have fun!
 

Yoshio

Member
If you are extremely careful you can soften Epoxy using Acetone or finger Nail Polish Remover.
DO NOT let the acetone etc touch the foam or the foam will desolve rapidly!

I use the acetone to soften and remove the epoxy on balsa planes so that broken or damaged parts can be more easily replaced.

Just what works for me!

Have fun!
Yeah, and I could also protect foam parts with aluminium foil.
 

Yoshio

Member
Operation glue gun failed. The heat won't soften the glue enough. And If I increase the heat, the heat-transmitting screw would also affect the foam being very close to thread. Acetone is an option, but also afraid of damaging wood or foam.
IMG-8052.jpg
(Heating screw in thread with glue gun to the limit of foam melting)

IMG-8050.jpg
(I hesitate to work with heat in the fuselage; Acid? Maybe, but also dangerous!)

So now let's see if I can fight the glue mechanically with my Dremel.
IMG-8051.jpg
(With such an allrounder it's up to me, my skills and my creativity to solve the problem)

IMG-8055.jpg
(I will tell you tomorrow what will have happened :)
 

Yoshio

Member
Mission accomplished. Fits now 100%.

I was really taking all advice from you here into consideration and apparently chose the correct combination. My own decision on this mini-adventure, however, was using the Dremel and it worked. Thanks again guys.