RE: Slop in elevator half.
Can you tell if the balsa structure is still intact where the torque rod is secured in the loose elevator? If the exterior is still firm then the wire torque rod had opened up / compressed the soft balsa around the rod.
Protect the surrounding area with wax paper as explained earlier to protect the covering. Open up the hinge line so that you have as good of access to the leading edge of the elevator as possible. Use warmed 30-min epoxy (a small glass custard dish in a hot water bath works fine) and a toothpick to drip the epoxy into the rod hole and fill the hole. Maybe a bent really tiny bit of wire can be used to push the epoxy as far into the hole as possible.
Once the hole is filled secure both elevator halves so that they are true to the stab and let dry. Maybe hang the plane from it's nose so that the epoxy doesn't drain out.
Then re-center the servo and re-adjust the elevator throws.
HTH
BTW - The World Models ARFs have this problem with their single servo aileron approach. Fix it before ya fly 'em - been there done that ...