Care and Feeding of the new baby

[Terry B]

Hi all!

We're proud parents of a beautiful new (to us) old 1941 BC 12. I want to take very good care of her, and keep her neat and pretty.

Can you pass along some hints tips and tricks for cleaning, care, and maintaining the fabric, paint, and windscreen?

Thanks much!

[flyguy]

Re: Care and Feeding of the new baby

Terry, Where is your new plane based? I'm over the hill in Los Banos so you are hereby invited over for lunch. I have owned 3 BC12's so I might have some suggestions.
Darryl

[Terry B]

Re: Care and Feeding of the new baby

Thanks very much!

She's at Reid Hillview. I am finishing up my license at Amelia Reid, and can fly out your way once I wrap it up. ( Or maybe plan an x-country to Los Banos...) I'd love to take you up on your offer!

BTW, if you are curious, its n790KK, you can google that and find some great photos.

T

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Care and Feeding of the new baby

For the transparencies, DON'T EVER, that means NEVER let a line boy (or girl) wipe your windscreen! NEVER NEVER NEVER! (They must store their rags in sand boxes) NEVER use paper towels to wipe your windscreen!
NEVER use anything with Ammonia on your windscreen (NO WINDEX!).
Always wipe the plastic in an up and down motion, NEVER across (microscopic scratches will flash in the sunlight and your eyes will flash much worse with horizontal scratches than vertical).
When you clean the "glass" the best way is with a flood of water to cause the dirt, bird droppings and anything else, to float off (for the most part). Use a CLEAN COTTON cloth to wipe the "glass". If you drop the cloth on the ground, get another and wash that one. The best window rags around are old, worn out, cotton diapers. Baby butts are great for making cotton soft over time.
You also want to avoid getting fuel on or around your "glass". Polycarbonate or Plexiglas (can't remember which off the top of my head) will craze when exposed so I just keep it away from all "glass".
It should be obvious that you should also keep all solvents (and their fumes) away and if there is snow or ice on there, what the heck are you going flying for, clean the wings and let it melt. DON'T SCRAPE IT!!!
Hank

As you might guess, I am in the process of putting all new "glass" in my 41, so I'm a little sensitive about "glass" care.

[Terry B]

Re: Care and Feeding of the new baby

Good tips Hank, thank you!

[Richard Boyer]

Re: Care and Feeding of the new baby

Walmart sells two products that I have found are amazing for your windscreen.

The first is "Sprayway Glass Cleaner". In big letters on the front of the can it says "NO AMMONIA". This stuff foams up on your windshield and gets the bugs off quick. I spray one side, walk over spray the other; put the can down and wipe the first side etc. I have been using it for years and it is unbelievable.

Second, they sell these "rags" that are "microfiber". Softer than the baby bottom rags Hank uses!!!
BUT, If I drop one on the floor, it goes in the trash.

The sprayway is in a no frills blue and white can.....

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Care and Feeding of the new baby

I can attest to the micro-fiber rags. They will do things that a few years ago were impossible. I use them with water alone mostly, no need for anything to cut oil or greasy smears. Magic on your eye glasses with just your breath for moister. In addition to the ones in my shop I have one in my desk at work and one in my truck. I do wash mine but I made the mistake of using one to sweep up around my drill press one day two years ago. WRONG! The aluminum cuttings are still in that rag, you can not get them all out. I use it on steel only now rather then throw it out, I am too tight to part with it.
Larry

[Len Petterson]

Re: Care and Feeding of the new baby

Keep her inside out of the sun use Soap and water to keep her clean and a good plexiglass cleaner wax with a approved wax only NO SILICON, Tail high so the moister can run out at the landing gear look for the drainhole under the strutmount make shure it is clear and the low point then Kidd sitt onthe floor. Have fun and fly often will keep you and new kidd happy. Happynes is 50 hr a year in air!

[Pearson]

Re: Care and Feeding of the new baby

Terry,

Amen to Len! Keep that plane out of the sun's harmful UV rays.

Everyone is "right on" about cleaning the windshield. I have some special towels made just for cleaning aircraft windshields. They were surprisingly inexpensive. I will try to post the name of them here soon.

My two cents on how to baby your bird is to always fuel it yourself. Linepeople will let the weight of the hose pull the nozzle sideways creating a strain on the neck of you fuel tank. You do NOT want to have to remove a fuel tank from a Taylorcraft, ANY fuel tank.

Other than that, get a copy of the "service manual" and follow the preventive maintenance listed there, especially the lubrication stuff. Also spend some time searching and exploring the old postings on this forum. There is a HUGE volume of information here.

If you post something about an STC for upgrading to a C-85 everyone will know you were to lazy to use the search feature. Believe me, every question you could possibly conjure up has been asked, AND ANSWERED, here on this forum.

You will find everyone here very caring and helpful. There are very few flames and everyone just wants to help each other out. There is a gallery section that has pictures of every part on your plane. I have been on it a few times, but I can't describe how to get there. I am sure someone will chime in here and help.

Welcome!

[tawadc95]

Re: Care and Feeding of the new baby

Terry,
Don't use a hose on any tube and fabric plane,just to many places for moisture to run inside and hide.
Use a damp towel and a dry one.
Keep it clean enough for that to be all you need and plenty of wax too. I keep enough wax on mine that a car dust buster cleans it up quite easily a couple times a week

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Care and Feeding of the new baby

Just a hint on wax. It will REALLY make a mess of repairs if you don't get it all off. The WORST thing is any wax with silicone in it. Almost as bad as the line boys back pocket rag. NEVER put silicone (or anything with silicone in it) on your finish.
The silver lining to the wax question? Use Carnuba wax. Soap (REAL soap) won't touch it and the more you use it the better it looks. GREAT stuff ( but hard as a rock and a PAIN to polish out if you do a big area and let it get dry). Need to remove it? Wash with DETERGENT (like liquid dish wash detergent) and it will flow off like water. If you want to keep the wax on, DON'T wash with synthetic detergent. Need to do a repair, it is easy to remove.
Hank