leading edge of the elevators to accept the joiner wire.
CAUTION!!!: You must use extreme care
when cutting hinge slots with an Xacto knife, to
avoid cutting yourself! If the balsa part breaks
while you are pushing on the knife, the blade could
go into your hand before you know it! A good
precaution is to wear leather gloves and always cut
away from your hand while performing the follow-
ing steps.
2. Cut the hinge slots on the accurate centerlines
11. Roughen the joiner wire with coarse sandpaper, then
clean the wire thoroughly with alcohol to remove any oily
residue.
12. Trial fit the joiner wire into the elevators, then glue
which you previously drew, using an Xacto knife or a
slotting fork and slotting hook. The recommended procedure
for cutting hinge slots with an Xacto knife is given below.
A. Begin by carefully cutting a very shallow slit in the
trailing edge at the hinge location. This first cut is to es-
tablish your cut in the right place, so concentrate on
staying on the centerline and don't cut too deep!
B. Make three or four more cuts in the same line,
going slightly deeper each time. As you make these
additional cuts, work on going straight into the wood.
Continue this process while' 'wiggling'' the knife handle
back and forth until the blade has reached the proper
depth for the hinge.
C. Trial fit the hinge into the slot. If the hinge is
difficult to push in, re-insert the knife and move it back
and forth in the slot a few times to enlarge the slot
it in using 5-minute or 30-minute epoxy. Work plenty of
epoxy into the holes with a toothpick, then lay the elevator
leading edges along a straightedge to insure perfect align-
ment.
by folding them back and forth several times.
3. IMPORTANT! Condition or "break-in" the hinges
4. Insert the hinges into the slots and trial fit the rudder
and elevators in place on the fin and stab. Do not glue the
hinges until after you have covered the model.
INSTALL THE HINGES (Do not glue)
NOTE: One-piece molded polypropylene hinges are sup-
plied in this kit. If you choose to use these hinges or the
"pinned"-type hinges, you may cut the hinge slots at this
time. However, if you choose to use the one-piece hinges that
are paper covered for CA glue installation, you may wait until
after covering before cutting the hinge slots.
1. Lay the rudder and elevators on the plan and mark
the hinge locations. Place the rudder against the fin TE and
transfer the marks over to the fin. Place the elevators against
the stab TE and transfer the marks over to the stab. Note:
Heavy duty hinges should be used on the rudder if you are
building a taildragger.
WING
NOTE: The following instructions explain how to build the
wing on a flat surface, directly on the plans. An alternate
method is to use a Great Planes Wing Jig (available from your
local hobby dealer). Many expert modelers prefer to use a
wing jig for high performance airplanes, as it helps to insure
a straight, warp-free wing, especially if you do not have a
workbench or building board that is perfectly flat. If you
choose to use the Wing Jig, please read the instructions that
are included with the jig before beginning.
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