Bottom line on the CG is that you set it to begin with by any means you know to be safe. The mfg's CG is usually pretty safe, but with today's ARFs might be a sad mistake. (his mistake, your sadness) Next safest are the deals that're supposed to work for everything, but are really only safe for a model that has everything average about it. Safest is to consider what things give an airplane pitch stability and control. Easiest way to do that is to use somebody's application that does the figuring for you and uses all the important details.

That's what http://www.geistware.com/rcmodeling/cg_super_calc.htm does for you.

All you need is a yardstick and the time to make 9 measurements on your airplane.

But the real bottom line is that the numbers you get from ANY of these methods is just a safe starting point. There ain't no magic CG. And if there was, you wouldn't get it from "conventional wisdom" or from less than a humongous formula and maybe some additional tests (like in a windtunnel). The airplane knows where it wants the CG, and all these methods give us a good start.

So bottom line on the CG is a safe starting place for the maiden, and you need to have the elevator throws to match. After/during the maiden, you then start to tune your elevator throw and CG location to where your airplane tells you it wants them. Don't get hung up thinking any of our applications, formulas, and simple methods are going to give anything more than a start.