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Old 03-10-2008 | 11:28 AM
  #5  
mmattockx
 
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Calgary, AB, CANADA
Default RE: Joining wings


ORIGINAL: flyinsolo11

Hey guys,

I am building a Sig Komander and have the wings all sheeted and set to go. The manual says that when joining the wings, to just Sig bond them.

Wouldn't that be a VERY weak point on the aircraft? I would think that when pulling some hard load factor, they would just fold on me. So I was thinking, should I Epoxy it at the joint, and then run a band of epoxy around the seam as if I was taping the joint?

These are foam wings with balsa sheeting.

Thanks for the help!
You can join them with any foam safe glue. Yes, it is a weak joint. You MUST fiberglass the center of the wing with foam/balsa construction because all of the strength and stresses are in the balsa skin. I would use about a 6" wide strip of 4oz fiberglass at a minimum. You can also laminate several layers of lighter glass, like 2oz. The pylon racers usually use about 3 layers of 2oz cloth, starting with a 6" wide strip, then a 4" wide strip, then a 2" wide strip. You can use laminating epoxy if you have it, it is the best choice but takes 24hrs. to set. You can also thin some 30 minute epoxy down and use that, this is usually what I do. Whatever you use, make sure you fully wet out the cloth, then soak up the excess resin with toilet paper or paper towel to keep the weight down to a minimum. You don't need to use one strip of cloth to do top and bottom surfaces, either. One over the top and one over the bottom is easier to keep smooth around the LE area. The best way to cut the cloth is with the fibers at a 45 degree bias, but straight is really OK for anything but the most severe usage.

Mark