nekked_man_2000

I have several sets of "scale" plans that show building the wing, and then cutting the ailerons out after the wing is assembled. So far, I haven't figured out a good way to cut through the ribs, keep everything straight, then remove the material necessary for adding a leading edge to the ailerons. So what I'm asking is can someone show me their technique for this. Pictures and words preferable, but I'll take any advice. I've build quite a few planes, but all use strip ailerons.

Austin

foodstick

I would cut the ribs before framing, then frame up the wing with the aileron leading edge and other parts in place..Especially if its a flat bottom wing..real easy.

If you don't have one of those hobby razor saws you need one! If you build it like the plans..The razor saw will make the after cut simple. Just get a good line and cut so that you will be able to sand down to it perfect.

if your guide lines are straight. and you don't put tons of pressure on the razor saw it will be simple. Once you use those saws its hard to be without one.

I was so tired when I posted this last night ..I didn't even understand it this morning, So I did some editing

Chad Veich

My Feedback: (60)

This is a great way to make sure your ailerons, or whatever surface, will fit precisely when finished. Especially on a wing that has wash out built into it. Trying to build an aileron seperate from the wing that needs to be twisted to match the wash out can be an exercise in frustration.

Once your wing is built an sanded the first step is to mark out the material that needs to be removed. Notice that there are three lines marked out. The center line represents the finished size of the aileron. The other lines represent the material that will need to be removed to make way for the balsa caps. The leading edge of the aileron and the trailing edge of the wing get 1/4" balsa on this particular airplane in order to carry the hinges. The end caps are simply 1/8" balsa.



Next step is to remove some of the sheeting between the outer two lines. Better to cut these out a bit undersize and then sand them back to your lines once the surface is seperated from the wing. Remove the sheeting first and then use a razor saw to cut through the ribs and any other internal structure to free the aileron.



Here it is after the aileron has been cut free. Next step is to sand back to our lines to prepare for the balsa caps.



Here is the wing sanded back and ready for the balsa caps.



Here is the aileron after being sanded and the balsa caps added.



The wing after being capped.



The finished item after shaping the leading edge of the aileron and hinging it.



Easy and accurate!

Lnewqban

Thank you, Chad Veich; great tip!

I had never seen something so neat done.

blikseme300

My Feedback: (118)

Chad,

Very well done!

I would just add this tip to the mix. How to find where the gaps are?: just shine light through the wing. I use a small Maglite and press a pin through the cut-line.

Bliksem

eagledancer

heres another tip, when you have one side sheeted push a pin through the balsa between the ribs at the cut line will make it much easier to find the correct spot

nekked_man_2000

VERY NICE. Lots of good stuff here. Thank you all. My thoughts would have complicated things. The one plane I've started this way I built the ailerons seperate like a little wing.

Austin

prgonzalez

Here is another way...

Picture 1 shows the framing of the wing with false wing TE and Aileron LE. These will be the base of the gap filler wood or real wing TE and aileron LE.

Picture 2 shows the wing with half sheeting. You can cover the gap or leave the gap without sheeting.

Picture 3 shows wing with complete sheeting. Here it is easy to make the separation of aileron from the main wing.

Picure 4 shows wing and aileron completed. (Sorry, I don't have any intermediate photos but you get the idea)

BMatthews

I've only done a couple of models with inset surfaces like these but I used pinholes as described already to landmark the lower sheeting for the cuts before adding the tops sheeting. Use lots of holes or at least close spaced groups of holes for this so there's no mistaking the holes used for landmarking with the ones from the general construction pinholes.

dreadnaut

My Feedback: (5)

My current project had laser cut ribs with knockouts for the hinge line strips. I used a band saw with angle jigs to cut the hinge blocks to the exact taper. Unfortunately I got in a hurry and did not get pictures of that part of the process. Once I glued in the hinge blocks, I used a pin to mark the bottom sheeting, then glued the top sheeting. Then I could use an x-acto knife to cut out the aileron.