After the ailerons are positioned and we are happy with the fit we need to cut the aileron so that it matches the wing tips. Because of angle involved this step can look a little intimidating at first, but if you take your time and plan your cuts it's really a fairly easy task.

The instructions call for using masking tape to hold the ailerons in place at the torque rods on the inside of the wing, but I just don't think that that masking tape will really hold the aileron in place. So I used two craft sticks (a.k.a. Popsickle sticks) and two clamps to hold the aileron at this position (picture #1). The instructions also call to pin some scrap balsa to the frame on the outside end of the ailerons, but I chose to use clamps here too (picture #2). I just felt that using the clamps held the ailerons better than with what they called for in the intructions.

Once we have the aileron secured in place we need to determine where we need to cut the ailerons. Do this by placing a straight edge along the bottom edge of the wing and draw a line across the aileron along the straight edge (picture #3, #4, and #5). We'll use a razor saw to cut the aileron off. When I am making cuts like this I prefer to make the cut so that it leaves a little excess, and then sand the part so that it fits. Trust me, it's a lot easier to sand off extra than it is to try and add wood because you cut too much off! Pictures #6 and #7 show using a razor saw to cut off the aileron. Because of the thickness of the aileron you may have to make the cut from several different angles to be able to cut all the way through. Take you time as you make this cut so you don't get off track and cut off too much. Once you have the cut finished take a sanding block and sand the aileron to match the angle of the wing tip (picture #8, #9, and #10). You'll also need to turn over the wing and match sand the aileron to match the “curve” of the outside of the wingtip (picture #11 and #12). Don't try to get this completely smooth and don't sand off too much here, we are only rough sanding it so that it is “close”.

Pictures
1. Clamping the aileron into it's neutral position so we can cut the aileron tip.
2. Using craft sticks and clamps to secure the aileron.
3. Marking the line to cut the aileron tips
4. Marked line to cut.
5. Marked line to cut.
6. Cutting the aileron tips to match the angle of the wing tip.
7. Because of the thickness of the aileron you may have to cut from several directions to cut through it.
8. Sanding the aileron tips to match the wing tip.
9. Tips sanded to match
10. Sanded aileron tip
11. Turn the wing over and sand the outside edge to match too.
12. Aileron sanded to match the wing tip edge.

Until next time

Ken