Fuel proofing amounts to mixing up a batch of 5 minute epoxy and once you have it mixed well, ad an equal amount of denatured alchol mixing it well. Then brush on like a paint. I use a 1" brush. Cover everyting in the engine compartment and all that you can reach in the compartment that the fuel tank will nest in. The alchol will slow down the kick time so you will have time to paint without it kicking off and hardening.

Before doing this though, epoxy some triangle stock in as re-enforcements around the firewall, main bulkhead and around the landing gear mounts. A little thin CA on the fuselage doubler is a good idea. The trouble is that you can't get to a lot of the places that need inspection. On the wings, get a heat gun and work out all the wrinkles you can. Where the covering is stuck to a rib or is puckered on the sheeting, I've use blue masking tape to lift the covering slightly while it is hot. Plan on a couple hours fixing the covering.

Take a long hard look at the hardware supplied. After my experience with my ARF, I would be inclined to replace everything on inital build. This includes hinges, landing gear wires, push rods etc. The horns were not to bad on my plane, and they were re-used on rebuilds after two crashes. I replaced the motor mount as soon as I got a good look at the stock one. It was glass filled and resembled a prezzel. I went with a Dubro Aluminum mount. The stock wheels lasted a couple weeks before they started to come apart. I replaced the lite ply servo trays with 1/16" aircraft ply with doublers under the screws and then re-inforced the tray with 1/4" sq balsa to prevent binding.

If you have the strip ailerons, cut out the linkage and build in individual servos in the wings. There was no bearing tubes and the linkage went very loose in the first few flights. I replaced the CA hinges with Dubro hinges. Just make sure you keep a minimum gap between the fixed and movable surfaces. I use wax for teeth braces on the hinge pin area to prevent epoxy from sealing the hinge. I understand vassiline works also. I like the wax because you can apply it heated to a liquid and it doesn't smear around once it is back to solid. I used an xacto knife heated on an alchol lamp to the point it would just melt the wax and used very small amounts by touching the blade to the hinge. You can get very good controll where the wax sticks that way.

Don't rely on the flying surfaces and engine mounts to be at the right angles. I had to fly my trainer with three popcicle sticks under the trailing edge of the wing and added washers on the motor mount to help straighten out the flying. Even then, it trimmed with a lot of down elevator and right aileron, and would still drop like a rock with the throttle cut and climb like a rocket under full power. After a major crash, wiping out the fuselage, I built a stick style fuselage and use the old wings and tail section. I added 2 inches in length ahead of the wing and 3" behind. I also built in my three popcicle sticks adjustment. I couild have use four or five to really get the incidences correct.

Make sure the push rods are the correct length and will not bind with twisting and movement. I ended up replacing all of mine with golden rods because the wire ends were bad and even after I replaced the ends, the rudder rod would lock on the rear bulkhead.

Don