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The new composite patch kits are a whole different ball game
Three years ago at the regional shop in Phoenix, we'd spend a full day on a simple skin repair with rivets and sealant. Last month, a similar job on a 737's winglet took me under three hours with the new bonded composite patch system. The prep work is way more careful, but the cure time is so much faster. Has anyone else run into issues with the surface prep for these new materials, or is it just our shop's old sanding gear?
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kevin_west1mo ago
Try explaining that to the bean counters who still think our shop runs on elbow grease.
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uma_ellis1mo ago
Honestly, "our shop's old sanding gear" is probably the whole issue right there. Tbh trying to get aerospace composite ready with tools from the rivet age is like using a butter knife for brain surgery. We had the same groaning Dynabrade from the 90s leaving swirl marks until the foreman finally caved and got the new orbital. Ngl it was like going from a horse and buggy to a Tesla.
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