Scrape Without Scratching

Scrape Without Scratching

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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.

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Paul Dye
Paul Dye, KITPLANES® Editor at Large, retired as a Lead Flight Director for NASA’s Human Space Flight program, with 50 years of aerospace experience on everything from Cubs to the Space Shuttle. An avid homebuilder, he began flying and working on airplanes as a teen and has experience with a wide range of construction techniques and materials. He flies an RV-8 and SubSonex jet that he built, an RV-3 that he built with his pilot wife, as well as a Dream Tundra and an electric Xenos motorglider they completed. Currently, they are building an F1 Rocket. A commercially licensed pilot, he has logged over 6000 hours in many different types of aircraft and is an A&P, FAA DAR, EAA Tech Counselor and Flight Advisor; he was formerly a member of the Homebuilder’s Council. He consults and collaborates in aerospace operations and flight-testing projects across the country.

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