Firstly a big thanks to Torgust for a quick answer to my help call and a program that solves the problem (first time). Secondly, welcome back Ivan, and don't worry too much about the language, these norwegian guys are indecently clever in english and not like we brits who like my old dad used to answer when asked "I speak two languages fluently, english and rubbish". I read with some considerable envy about your Easter outing with 'Golf...Lima Kilo' whilst we were treated to some extreme weather in the mountains and around the coast here in the north.
As is obvious from the few pictures below, progress over the holidays has been slow - however the pictures will show the method of construction I refered to earlier:
The first picture shows the current status of the tailplane and the build sequence used. Stage one was to edge join four standard 1/16" balsa sheets to provide one piece large enough to scale and cut the plan view of the tailplane as a flat center core. This is done by taping each two sheets together longitudinally, folding one sheet back on the other along the tape line and running a bead of glue (UHU Hart or aliphatic wood glue) along the tape line, then folding the joined sheets back on a flat surface. Before the glue dries the surface is lightly sanded, not to smooth the surface but to produce some balsa dust which gathers in the joint line and fills any small irregularities. Stage two is to scale the tailplane structure (from the three-view) directly onto the center core, this can be seen partly on the second picture which also shows the partial assembly of the upper half of the structure directly onto the central core. The third stage is as shown on the third picture in which the lightening holes have been cut in the central core between the structural members. The result because of the cross graining of the structure and the central core is a very strong, light and stable framework on which to proceed.
The tailplane and the elevator have been built as one piece and will be separated at a later stage - the T.E. of the elevator is a thin bass wood (which I prefer to spruce) strip since the elevator has a tapered section which ends in a relatively thin trailing edge. The elevator will be sanded to this section later.
Very early days yet but that is the current build status.
Primarily for those of you out there who are new to scratch building, at this stage I will say a few words on tools. To carry out this type of work we don't need many tools but those we do need should be good. Here is a link where most tools needed can be bought at reasonable prices...
Proops Brothers Ltd
Firstly it is of prime importance to have extremely sharp knives - I have always used surgical knives (scalpel) and mostly the 10A and 11 blades since the large majority of modelling knives that are offered by the average model shop are not nearly sharp enough - a good scalpel handel with a very comfortable plastic handle can be bought from Proops. Buy the blades by the hundred and always work with a sharp blade. Secondly a good quality metal ruler at least 50 cms. long is a necessity - here Linex do a very nice one in aluminium alloy (available at most book stores). I have inserted two sketches of two tools which are indispensible for the accurate cutting of balsa strip parts, one is a guillotine (spelling?) with adjustable cutting angles and an adjustable protractor for finding those angles (both available from Proops). A square, Zona razor saw and a couple of 4B pencils complete our meager tool set.
So that's it for this round, see you soon.....
As is obvious from the few pictures below, progress over the holidays has been slow - however the pictures will show the method of construction I refered to earlier:
The first picture shows the current status of the tailplane and the build sequence used. Stage one was to edge join four standard 1/16" balsa sheets to provide one piece large enough to scale and cut the plan view of the tailplane as a flat center core. This is done by taping each two sheets together longitudinally, folding one sheet back on the other along the tape line and running a bead of glue (UHU Hart or aliphatic wood glue) along the tape line, then folding the joined sheets back on a flat surface. Before the glue dries the surface is lightly sanded, not to smooth the surface but to produce some balsa dust which gathers in the joint line and fills any small irregularities. Stage two is to scale the tailplane structure (from the three-view) directly onto the center core, this can be seen partly on the second picture which also shows the partial assembly of the upper half of the structure directly onto the central core. The third stage is as shown on the third picture in which the lightening holes have been cut in the central core between the structural members. The result because of the cross graining of the structure and the central core is a very strong, light and stable framework on which to proceed.
The tailplane and the elevator have been built as one piece and will be separated at a later stage - the T.E. of the elevator is a thin bass wood (which I prefer to spruce) strip since the elevator has a tapered section which ends in a relatively thin trailing edge. The elevator will be sanded to this section later.
Very early days yet but that is the current build status.
Primarily for those of you out there who are new to scratch building, at this stage I will say a few words on tools. To carry out this type of work we don't need many tools but those we do need should be good. Here is a link where most tools needed can be bought at reasonable prices...
Proops Brothers Ltd
Firstly it is of prime importance to have extremely sharp knives - I have always used surgical knives (scalpel) and mostly the 10A and 11 blades since the large majority of modelling knives that are offered by the average model shop are not nearly sharp enough - a good scalpel handel with a very comfortable plastic handle can be bought from Proops. Buy the blades by the hundred and always work with a sharp blade. Secondly a good quality metal ruler at least 50 cms. long is a necessity - here Linex do a very nice one in aluminium alloy (available at most book stores). I have inserted two sketches of two tools which are indispensible for the accurate cutting of balsa strip parts, one is a guillotine (spelling?) with adjustable cutting angles and an adjustable protractor for finding those angles (both available from Proops). A square, Zona razor saw and a couple of 4B pencils complete our meager tool set.
So that's it for this round, see you soon.....
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