Brian Sweeting 1 Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 Well I've been building this model since Christmas and it has been quite enjoyable. I have, however, learnt a few things which still haven't quite sunk in. Firstly always read the instructions several times because they are not foolproof and with copy and paste not always accurate or up to date. You need to be able to figure out what you will need to modify at least two months before you find that you need to do it. One of the last things to be fitted was the battery isolating switch which is mounted at the back of the front bulkhead. Easy to fit but very tricky cutting the hole in the bulkhead near the fuse floor to get the cables through. This also applies to the aileron wires which need to pass through it as well. Did I mention that that super thin CA glue travels a long way while you're not looking. Ask me how I know, well five minutes over the bathroom basin with wet cotton buds separating my forefinger from the fuselage does highlight these problems. Getting my thumb off the nosecone some weeks eralier seem to have been ignored by my brain. I think that weights are a better method of holding things down are better than spring clips unless you really know the materials you are working with. Building the wings and glueing down the balsa skin to the ribs looked a prime place to use spring clips to hold it all in place for the glue(PVA) to set overnight. Unfortunately some of the ribs crushed down under the localised spring pressure which made a serious dent in the wing appearance. That iron on covering is another source of fun as well, just how many times can one person forget to take off the backing film? ANswers on a postcard please. Anyway, it's almost there so head down and carry on. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 Good result Brian. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 Nice work Brian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edgar Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 That looks very neat Brian. I had a very similar experience with my kit except I didn't use much cyano. I also wished I had drilled the bulkhead before I fitted it, and used a bit less pressure when fitting my wing sheeting so I didn't crush the ribs. Mine is also almost finished (needs aileron hinging and pushrod installation) but work is currently suspended due to some family issues. I'll post a picture when things settle down at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Sweeting 1 Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 One thing I forgot to mention was the subject of the aileron hinging. The plans called for Sellotape Diamond which is no longer available and reading various threads on the forum didn't really help with finding an alternative. However on a trip to B&Q I came across a clear UV and waterproof tape under the brand name of T-Rex, not cheap but I do want the things to stay on the wings. The tape is quite tenacious but seems to to the job required, time will, of course, tell the tale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edgar Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 Yes I also tried to find Sellotape Diamond, the closest I could find was Sellotape Super Clear, I have hinged one aileron but I'm not happy with it, the hinge line looks so obvious in clear tape. I will try again when I get a chance and try to get a smaller gap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyGnome Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 Looking good Brian. Don't worry about glue - after 50+ years of building, I still get all sorts of glue everywhere.......... sometimes even where I intended! GG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Sweeting 1 Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 12 hours ago, edgar said: Yes I also tried to find Sellotape Diamond, the closest I could find was Sellotape Super Clear, I have hinged one aileron but I'm not happy with it, the hinge line looks so obvious in clear tape. I will try again when I get a chance and try to get a smaller gap. I'm no expert but found some advice from the web worked quite well for me. Lay the aileron flat on the top surface of the wing, now tape the edges that will form the lower hinge. After that, put the aileron back to inline with the wing and apply the top hinge tape. I put small holding pieces of tape at each end of the aileron to hold it in place prior to laying the main strip along the join. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edgar Posted March 22, 2021 Share Posted March 22, 2021 Thanks Barry, that's pretty well what I did. I did however put card spacers between the wing and the control surface to ensure there was clearance to allow free movement. I think I've just got a bit too much clearance and its an easy fix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Skilbeck Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 Blenderm surgical tape by 3M is good for hinging. Glider is looking good, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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