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Ballerina by EarlyBird


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Yes I was going to but R1 had not been glued in so I double checked by looking at your instructions, and then I remembered why R1 had not been glued in.

Join the wings before gluing R1 then there are no gaps. It's a magic method, as I said before.

Thanks

Steve

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Another sunny morning with light winds. smiley

Dry fit R1 into second wing.

dscn0433.jpg

Test assemble just to check the fit and assembly method. There is nothing worse than applying the glue then finding out that the parts do not fit.

dscn0432.jpg

Looks good except TE does not line up. Fortunately this area of wing is fully sheeted so with a bit of sanding no one will know, especially at fifty feet I have been told. smiley

I now need to make a list of what needs doing before the wings are joined.

1 paper tubes for servo wires

2 wing servo mounts

Please add to the list.

Cheers beer

Steve

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You have to be joking! laughlaugh

Unless it was when you were a novice builder too.

Just tried to fit the tubes and the holes in the ribs are too small. The servo plug just goes through. As I will be using extension leads I will fit them before sheeting the wing centre section.

There's always a way.smiley

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Nope! Just trying to build too fast!!

Two things. I don't make the tube up.I roll paper round a dowel, insert the dowel with paper down the holes and then release the paper so it unrolls to fit the tubes. Then I apply glue to hold it in place.

The paper tube only need to be one paper thicknes with a slight overlap. 1/2" (12mm) holes are normally big enough

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Odd that when I was gluing the ribs in I thought the holes looked small. It would have been easy to open them out before building the wing. No problem I will go with plan B and fit extension leads before sheeting the wing.

BTW you have not pulled me up for removing the wing from the board. Well I had to because I forgot to do something.

Looking at the plug in the rib there are two slots cut into the rib these are for the wing joiner to slot into. I did not cut these slots before fitting to the wing, even though they are shown on the plan. It was when I came to fit the wings together that I realised crying.

So for anyone following along enlarge the holes in the ribs and cut the slots in the inboard R2 rib these are two lessons to be learned. smiley

Cheers beer

Steve

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Wings are joined and I have to show you the results.

dscn0437.jpg

dscn0438.jpg

What! No gaps.

party Party time. Yes a result.

And what did I do?

Followed the tried and tested Peter Miller method.

This is the best and easiest of the four wing joints I have done so far. Yes this is my fourth build, two kits and one other plan pack.

Amazing.

Cheers beer

Steve

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Wing LE sheet which was wet and shaped on the wing a couple of days ago. Completely dry and it has kept it's shape.

dscn0439.jpg

and on the wing

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Doing this makes the LE sheeting easy because it will fit the profile with very little effort.

So now to glue it in place.

Cheers beer

Steve

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LE sheet done and trimmed.

dscn0444.jpg

Nice joint! and servo extension lead installed so I don't forget this time.

dscn0443.jpg

But I had to use tape on the LE and it was not as easy. I think this could be due to me completely drying the sheet out whereas on the first wing the sheet was damp. Anyway I have decided not to stress about it frown

because it is fine.

More sheeting tomorrow when I get back from flying. smileyyes

Cheers beer

Steve

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After flying my new Phoenix 2000 V2 this morning yes

On to the wing sheeting, as promised yesterday.

Place the sheet on the wing and mark the end of the curve. Use your favourite toffee pot to mark the curves and the left hand straight line.

dscn0445.jpg

Cut the straight lines.

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Then the curves with a sharp knife just inside the lines so they can be sanded to fit.

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Place on the wing and mark the cut line to remove the overlap.

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Cut just leaving the pencil line showing. Test fit on the wing.

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I assure you it is a good fit when pressed into place.

Form a hinge with tape open up an apply glue

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Place on a flat surface and remove excess glue and weight down using plastic above and below.

dscn0451.jpg

Leave to dry and while waiting check that there is nothing else to do on the wing before this section is covered.

Ah yes scrap blocks at the TE mounting plate. Nearly blush

Cheers beer

Steve

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Fitted scrap blocks, while I remember smiley

dscn0454.jpg

Sheeting has dried so removed the tape hinge from the under side and lightly sanded the top side before fitting.

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Dry fit to wing and make any adjustments.

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Looks good to me.

Too late to glue in place tonight, I will only bodge it up as I usually do when I am tired.

Back tomorrow for more fun smiley

Cheers beer

Steve

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You flatter me Peterblush

I have a theory that if I make everything as perfect as I can then the better the plane will fly.

I have been accused in the past of being too much of a perfectionist, not that I have ever thought that I was. I simply like to make a good job, which leads to job satisfaction, which is a result in it's self.

With the Ballerina I hope I can do your excellent design justice.

Cheers beer

Steve

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You are so right! The better a model is built the better it should fly and the stronger it will be.

There is nothing wrong at all with being a perfectionist.

I must admit that when I do strive for a perfect finish I am extremely proud of the result.

Many years ago I scratched a living making desktop models of aircraft (mainly sailplanes) for people and I even had an agent in the USA.

Everyone of those had to be perfect and it was a strain. I did one or two models for my self.

bulldog 005.jpg

This is my Springfield Bulldog hand carved in limewood.

b-17 1.jpg

My control line B-17

andpitts dunlop.jpg

My best, 1/12th scale Dunlop Pitts. static scale. Built as per the full size with a fuselage frame soldered up from brass tube, wings and tail built up and tissue covefred etc and all detail as per the full size including fibreglass spats and cowl etc.

So I can do it when I set my mind to it

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