How to repair EPP/EPS planes

[Burkeomatic]

Oh crap, you just crashed one of your favorite EPP planes and you don't know what to do. You google, and you see people suggesting all types of things, from hot glue, to foam tac, E-6000 to bubble gum and paper clips. Well, I have tried most of those, and the one thing that always works for me and leaves a like new result is white gorilla glue. 

Here is why, white gorilla glue expands and fills in those little chips of foam that may have disappeared, makes a strong bond, as the glue itself is nearly as strong as EPP, and it is available at your favorite local retailer. The other glues above don't do that, and can leave you with unsightly chips that are glaringly obvious. 





You can see I started my main repair here, but there is a nice little chip missing on the front. 





Be sure to collect all of the little foam pieces you can from the crash. I know you might be salty and upset, but now is the time to take a breath and gather everything. Don't leave your favorite driver at the field like I did.


Clean up the area, and remove any excess paint and/or vinyl. In my case I had just applied vinyl graphics to the plane. 

Now take your parts, and on one side, put a somewhat generous coating of white gorilla glue. Not so much it oozes everywhere, but not so little there isn't enough to expand into the voids that may be there. Squeeze your parts together tightly and wipe off the excess. 



This step is important. While applying pressure to your parts, put masking tape, or packing tape I suppose, over the entirety of the crack on the outside. This does two things. 

First, it acts as a mold, and as the glue expands, it will take the shape of the tape. 

Second, the glue expands, and we don't want it to push the parts apart and warp or disfigure the plane. This ensures your plane stays straight and true and doesn't warp or get crooked. 




After about 30 minutes, pull the tape off and admire your repair. The glue near the tape may be still a little tacky, but good as new. You should probably wait a little longer for full cure, but you can technically fly it, but chances are you can wait to the next day, which is advisable. 

[Burkeomatic]

Here she is all fixed up, just need to chase down that electrical gremlin.

[barrett]

looks great will start using that more often i do have it on hand

[ratcheeroo]

Great job . that will help when I fix when Sabre 920

[Burkeomatic]

It works great on EPS/EPO as well, if not more so, because you almost always lose some material when there is breakage on those planes. EPP usually breaks clean, and there aren't a whole lot of parts. When EPO/EPS breaks it tends to more disintegrate, and all of those little balls it is made of shoot everywhere so there is almost always a void that needs filled.

[barrett]

Along with the GG use a popsicle stick soaked in water cut a gap cross cut it to the crack and put the stick in the gaps after you glue them will make the repair stronger then original