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Old 08-02-2010 | 10:11 AM
  #6  
RV8ER1
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From: Redding, CA
Default RE: Re-glue all ARFs to be safe

Gary
I have not been able to damage any wings, even high speed snaps, blenders etc. It's always "pucker time" when test flying a new model as we can only hope the wings are good internally. My take on this is the wings are mostly balsa and that allows better glue joints with thin CA. I have never opened up to re-glue an ARF wing, however I do like to add thin carbon fiber mat to the exposed root rib. I do this by trimming any excessive overlapping covering on the root rib. I then cut a piece of carbon mat and thin CA it to the rib using a piece of ziploc bag on my finger to press it down as I go. You then use a sharp #11 blade and cut out for the joiner tube to insert. Do not use an excess of glue as it can run down into the wing tube and cause clearance issues. This mod. will spread the bending load from the joiner tube to the entire root rib and help prevent tear-out under extreme load. This may seem excessive to most folks out there but that's how I do it.
Regarding the fuselage re-glue, it has to do with the fact that the forward fuse. is mostly plywood. Plywood does not glue very well with THIN CA. The joints tend to have very little CA to form a good bond. Some med. CA dripped and allowed to run the length of the joints will fix that right up. Just be sure to leave the canopy off until there is no more CA smell otherwise you could fog it up!!