Hi again ,while waiting for things to dry so I can get more done on this bird I was flipping thru the instruction manual, and seen a few things i'm not very comfortable with. I have built so many planes over the years I don't much read what all is in most of the manuals, just a good ref in most cases.
It shows the plane setting flat on a table and you get the same measurement on both sides of the stab to the table ,Thats great if you have a perfectly flat underside of the plane and also if the wing saddle is true to the bottom of the plane. Nowhere does it show any where about a measurement between the wing and Horz stab, It does say to use a square on the vertical stab to line it up with the horz. The Horz Stab and wing should be in line with each other or you will be doing corkscrew loops and shaking your head as to why.
To someone with some experence this is not a problem, they have there own way of doing things to insure a straight model but to a newby on there first or second build this could be a real problem.
Heres what I do, I put the wing back on the plane and bolt it up, I then add the Horz Stab and useing my incidence meter I level the wing both ways then check the stab both ways, hopfully I made a square fuse and things are not off or off very far, but this way I can check my work. Next after I finish with the level and measure the centerline and make sure its centered on the fuse then measure the distance from each tip to the wing tips, as a rule I will pin or tape it in place while doing this. After I get the same reading on both sides and its level to the wing I mark the stab with a ballpoint pen or pencil, so I can remove it and epoxy it in place useing the previous lines I made before.
But I don't just go by the lines although they do help it still might be off just a tad so before the epoxy sets up i'm back at it with the meter untill i'm satisfied that all is good.
After the glue has dried I next add the Vert Stab I do use a square like there talking about on each side to make sure its standing up straight, Also the square down along the side is a good idea useing the rear of the horz stab as a resting point. I also measure things and eyeball down the plane from the back end and front end before I do any glueing. Maybe I'm a little over board here but I hate a crooked plane and they will never fly as intended if there not straight.
Sorry I thought I had better mention this in hopes it may save someone a bad experence one day.
Are we having fun yet *L*