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Thread: Alternative smoke oil?

  1. #11
    JimRice85's Avatar
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    It also frequently leaves an oily mess on the airplane which needs wiped off.
    Jim Rice
    Wolf River Airport (54M)
    Collierville, TN

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  2. #12

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    Learned alot from this thread. As for the altimeter I do have one but like to keep my eyes outside the cockpit. For wind, I never fly when there is wind above 6 mph. My airplane has such low wing loading it's just no fun when its windy or thermals are out. Early morning or late evening is my type of flying.

    Tony

  3. #13
    And then there's the Pietenpol crowd, who've smoked for years! A couple of them use pump-up jugs (garden bug sprayers) sitting on the seat next to them. I myself have never partaken, just reporting what I've seen for several years at the Brodhead Pietnepol fly-in.

  4. #14

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    The Piet builders are creative folks. I wonder if they do morse code messages with their pumps and smoke.

    Best of luck,

    Wes
    N78PS

  5. #15
    rwanttaja's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WLIU View Post
    The Piet builders are creative folks. I wonder if they do morse code messages with their pumps and smoke.
    "CURSE....YOU....RED....BARON" :-)

    Ron Wanttaja

  6. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by FlyingRon View Post
    It's propylene glycol, but you've got to be very careful not to run the heater to high. If it starts to smell funny, you have it too hot and it's generating bad stuff.
    I believe that the heating element in stage type smoke machines operate well above 500F, while EGT of aerobatic airplanes is more in the range 350-400F. The question then is if it is too cold for proper atomizing of glycols, while smoke oils perform better?

  7. #17

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    My Exhaust Gas Temp gauge reads 1500F 4" down the exhaust stack from the cylinder. A few inches farther down where the smoke oil fittings are I doubt the gas has cooled below 1000F.

    Best of luck,

    Wes
    N78PS

  8. #18

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    Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't some use transmission fluid as a cheaper alternative? I've even hard that used, dirty (free) fluid smokes best.

  9. #19

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    ATF makes nice white smoke but the cost is higher not lower. You also might need to thin it a little with diesel. I will suggest that dirty fluid might clog your nozzles and make wiping the belly down even more annoying.

    Best of luck,

    Wes

  10. #20
    FlyingRon's Avatar
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    Corvus oil wasn't designed for smoke systems. It's a light oil used for both wood preserving and as a release agent (to keep concrete and stuff from sticking to the forms/molds). Some other release agent oils are easier to come by in smaller quantities and those are often used.

    The VansAirForce guys have tons of articles on smoke systems. It's not all that involved if you're in an experimental. My friend made his own tank for a starduster. A small electric pump and a nozzle inserted in the exhause will work. There are some commercial systems that have had field approvals for certificated aircraft.

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