❏
8. Stand approximately ten feet behind the model and see
if the stab aligns horizontally with the wing. If they align, go to
the next step. If the stab and wing do not align, first try placing
a few ounces of weight on the high side of the stab. If that
doesn’t do it, remove the stab from the fuselage and lightly
sand the slots in the fuselage to get the stab to align with the
wing. Reinsert the stab and check the alignment. Continue to
make small adjustments until alignment is achieved.
❏
9. Remove the stab from the fuselage. Use a sharp #11
hobby knife or follow the
“Expert Tip” below to cut the
covering from the stab along the lines. Use care to cut only
into the covering and not into the wood. Cutting into the
balsa will weaken the structure.
❏
10. Peel the covering from the stab. Remove any ink with one
of your paper towel squares dampened with denatured alcohol.
Finally! Time to glue in the stab…
❏
11. Thoroughly coat all joining areas of the stabilizer and
fuselage with 30-minute epoxy. Slide the stab into position. Use
more paper towel squares and denatured alcohol to wipe off
excess epoxy. Reinsert the T-pin through the back of the
fuselage and the stab. Use the pin-and-string to center the stab
the same as before. Position any weight used to align the stab
with the wing. Do not disturb the model until the epoxy has fully
hardened. Note: Be certain the spacing of the slot in the top of
the fuselage for the fin remains the same so the fin can be glued
into position next.
❏
1. After the epoxy on the stabilizer has hardened, test fit
the fin. Make sure it sits all the way down into the fuselage
and is fully contacting the stab. The same as was done with
the stabilizer, mark both sides of the fin around the top of
the fuselage, then cut and peel off the covering.
❏
2. Glue the fin into position with 30-minute epoxy. Use a
Builder’s Triangle to make sure the fin is perpendicular to the
Mount the Fin
To avoid cutting into the balsa, use a soldering iron
instead of a hobby knife to cut the covering. The tip of the
soldering iron doesn’t have to be sharp, but a fine tip does
work best. Allow the iron to heat fully. Use a straightedge
to guide the soldering iron at a rate that will just melt the
covering and not burn into the wood. The hotter the
soldering iron, the faster it must travel to melt a fine cut.
HOW TO CUT COVERING FROM BALSA
13
Summary of Contents for Giant Big Stir
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