Hi Nikita,

It's common. When I built my first one (std bobcat), this was before the spacer even existed. I found that I needed about 1/8" added to each side to make the stab touch the booms at their closest point.

I checked with some other builders (including BVM rep Tony F.) at the time, and they too had needed to add approx 1/8" spacers. In my experience, any of the top pattern guys who actually build their own planes tend to be extremely accurate builders.. Tony comes from that background, so if even he had to use a spacer, then I don't feel bad about using one.

Right now I'm building an XL, and again found that I need about 1/8" on each side, so I shaped the 1/4" spacers so that they are about 1/8" wide at the narrowest point and flare out to their 1/4" width at the front & back of the stab. Shaping the 1/4" spacers is a better way to do it than the completely straight 1/8" spacers I used on the first cat, as it means that less filler is needed to get the correct shape... and less filler = less weight.

Personally, I'd caution against trying to pull the booms together to decrease the amount of spacer needed. Doing that would put stresses all over the place. Get the centre-section to boom fit as good and as straight as you can, then pad the stab as necessary to fit whatever gap that makes naturally.

If putting spacers in was bad, they would not have included them in the kit.

The above is just my non-professional opinion of course - check with a rep, or with Dana or David at BVM if it makes you more comfortable.

BTW, if you have not finished the fuz yet - check the BVM website, as there is a new "addendum" entry posted there today, regarding the positioning of former F2 for the XL kit.

Regs,
Gordon