sean mercer

My Feedback: (2)

what are you guys using to cut the ailerons out of a foam wing with and how do you do it acuratly. I have a summit 60 pattern plane. wing is not sheeted yet.

daren

My Feedback: (4)

you sheet the wings first. leave them in the shell. mark the ailerons out on the shell with a pen then cut them out with a band saw or use a fine tooth hand saw. but the band saw is the way to go. then sand the edges and glue on your leading and trailing edges.

TRP

My Feedback: (1)

I have used a hack saw blade with some success. No matter what you do - it's critical to make sure your cuts are square and true.

Good luck.
TRP

Ed Smith

Lets just slow down a bit here. The way I am reading these posts the wing refered to does not have a wood trailing edge. Just cutting the ailerons from the sheeted wing will leave bare foam edges. What are the hinges glued to? I would hope not just in to the bare foam. The cut-out in the wing and the leading edge of the aileron should be faced with atleast 1/4 thick wood. This means removing more material and then cluing some back on. Getting this all smooth and tidy is a real chore.

I do this. I lay out the position of the aileron on the foam core. I glue in a balsa insert thick enough to give me material either side of the hinge line. Sand the insert to conform with the core. Sheet over the whole lot.

Or

Cut out the aileron from the finished wing and replace it with a solid balsa one sanded to shape.

Ed S

Mike James

One method, quite popular is to sheet the wing and mark the ailerons on the sheeting, then cut them out. Then, the leading edge of the ailerons and the trailing edge of the wing are both trimmed and fitted with balsa, for hinge support. Next, the ailerons are tack-glued back onto the wing and sanded for a perfect fit. Finally, remove the aileron again and shape it's leading edge.

A few years ago, I came up with a method that yields more precision. Sheet the wing, mark the aileron positions AND the position of the balsa hinging pieces. Then, BEFORE cutting out the ailerons, glue in the balsa pieces for the aileron leading edges and wing trailing edges, and sand flush with the wing. (Glue both these pieces to the foam parts, but NOT to each other!) When you then finally cut out the ailerons, all you have to do is shape the aileron leading edge.
If my words don't make it clear here, check the article on my web site, at http://www.nextcraft.com/foamwingsandparts.html

sean mercer

My Feedback: (2)

thanks guys! big help.