How to balance a 10 ft. wing.

[Keith Brown]

Hi there, as a second time around novice,I would like some help, as to the best way to balance a wing that has an overall span of 10ft.,The wing has a centre joint.but before I cover the wing,I have found that one wing is just over 2oz. heavier than the other. It would fly round in circles I am sure..ha!  Seriously,would adding extra ballast at the lighter wingtip end to balance the whole wing cause problems when turning? would there be a pendulem effect turning 'about' the extra ballast?I have saved about 1/2 oz from one wing to get the weight down,but have no alternative but to add extra weight. any ideas anybody out there.... thanks Keith.

[Andy Green]

Hi Keith

Top marks for checking the lateral balance of your wings, most don't and wonder why the model can't be trimmed.

I use weight at the tip of the light wing and have never had and (noticable) problem.

I understand your concerns about having the wings 'dynamically' balanced but that is something you will never get right.

My guess is things started to go wrong with different densities of wood during the build so weighing and matching wood should help (next time) , but it's not something I've ever done.

Andy

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Keith Brown]

Thank you to Andy and Eric,there was no alternative but to add extra weight. So,I have hammered flat a coil of soldering wire .This being the heaviest material at hand,and was able to slip it into the last wingtip compartment. The lateral balance has now been acheived.As I said before I am a second time around novice.the last glider I covered was with tissue and dope..with which I used to get quite high..without even a launch..ha ha.. 21st Century .....now its Solarfilm,another learning curve.And guess what...things were going too well ...I have burnt a hole in a large section of wing covering!!!! It looked like an old Bry-Nylon shirt from the 70's..stuck on my wifes ironing board ! Repairing already..before its maiden flight.....Now, the best way to patch a 3/4 inch wide hole...I shall find out this morning.   

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Keith Brown]

Hi Eric,yes I did consider all sorts of alternatives,including £1 coins from my wifes purse,but she would not let me 'throw' her money away,I'n any case', she went on ,'If you lose the glider,I won't get 'my' money back!'...ha ha...seriously,the space I had available at the wing tip was very small,and I could 'mould' the solder with a claw hammer !!....a bit drastic and violent,to the shape that would fit between the tip spars.As for the patch...yes turn the iron down a bit.Lesson learnt there...perhaps today if I am not dragged out of the door again,continue to finish the covering,I hope it rains  so we have to stay in .Regards.....Keith. 

[Terence Lynock]

Stuff I have found useful and it is quiete cheap is Lead Came which is strip lead with a sticky back adhesive used for Leading windows etc, it comes in spools from hobby shops etc and is also in different widths, I have a load of 6mm wide which can be chopped off to length and just stuck on where needed,

                                 regards,          Terry

[Keith Brown]

Hi Terry,you are right. Why did I not think of that ?..the thing is,I have some of that stuff left over from another hobby!!! It would have been so much easier to use.Its funny ,when you rack your brains for ideas.I will bare that idea in mind for the future, thanks

[Peter Wood]

I bought lead flashing, from a building supplyer, an inch square weighs about an 1/2 an ounce.

Peter

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]