I guess I can jump in now. Bob is right of course, CA works just fine. I use epoxy to glue tails on but for another reason. I like the time I get to position the parts where I want them. CA is kind of a one shot deal and if I put it on crooked I have to break it off and start over. Just my opinion.

You see, Bob is better at it than I am and can get the parts in the right place the first time.

One good tip; when using CA on any hardwood or plywood, dust the wood first with a bit of soda (like used in the kitchen). Hardwoods are usually slightly acidic and CA does not like anything acid. The soda tends to neutralize it and lets the CA make a much better than normal bond on hardwood or plywood. You can also use the soda to fill up a small void or make a fillet. Just do not expect to be able to sand it smooth; it will be as hard as a rock and almost unsandable.

I am very sorry John, I took things the wrong way.

Bob

I like using epoxy or specifically vpoxy or hysol e20hp. It dries somewhat clear versus cream color of 9462 or aeropoxy. Ca is plenty strong but a pain to clean up. I like the time you have to clean up and make a nice clean joint

Some guys build to fly, some build to crash. The guys who build to fly use CA and keep it light. Firewalls, 30 minute epoxy, but just enough. The guys who build to crash (that is, fear of crashing), use epoxy, screws, fillets, etc. ostensibly for added strength. When you build to crash, you fulfill your own prophecy. The extra weight is just that -- it doesn't do anything extra except make your plane heavy -- and when it does crash ever notice all that epoxy didn't do a darn thing for you? You are still picking up pieces. Just opinion of course.

By the way, regular CA works just fine on most of the foam planes I've seen coming out now. Test a spot, you might be surprised before you spend 3X on 'foam safe'.

I know what's wrong This is a thread on glue and we have either accidently been sniffing it or eating some or something like that and we are getting testy ..

John,

I chickened out and used both CA and Epoxy.

I got so many good responses on both of them that I still couldn't decide. So I used 30min. Epoxy but left a few spots with no Epoxy. I thin put Medium CA in those spots to quickly adhere the stabilizer in place.

I then put filets in place with the Epoxy. Hope that holds for me, I'm counting on it!

This is just my own opinion but here goes, a glued butt joint alone like you can find on the placement of a vertical fin to the horizontal stab is a poor bond line by design no matter what glue is used. A small medium density aerodynamically shaped piece of balsa tri stock bonded in the corners is the proper way to do this in my book.

Bob

qft!

Tony, notice the stabs are all still there. I see Zor talking about building for a crash and I always question that. When I dump one there is no glue ever made that is of any help at all. I fly with both 2.4 and 72. This is my Hots with a YS 110. That dumb ass married to my wife forgot to pull out the antenna!!! The plane was built with both CA and epoxy. I don't care how heavy or light you build them, nothing will help in a crash.

With tails though a good strong joint will help with hangar rash. The stab on my Kaos popped loosed a few months ago because the Chinese ARF builders just hot glued it onto the edge of balsa at the tail with little support to keep it there. It was plenty strong enough for flight loads, but not strong enough to handle the bumps getting to and from the airfield. When I rebuilt it, I added some thin vertical grained balsa inside to keep the sides from splitting again, and made tri stock fillets on the outside to spread out twisting loads. The vertical wood was glued in with CA, and everything else was epoxy. All that added maybe a 1/4 ounce to the tail, not enough to make a noticeable CG change. But the tail is considerably stronger now, not for crashing, but to keep me from getting to the airfield and not being able to fly my favorite plane because the tail popped loose again.

After reading this entire thread, I noticed that no one ever mentioned that they used round toothpicks glued to the bottom of the vertical stab/fin, like three of them, and then pushed through the horizontal stab to make the joint stronger. I have built many 40/60 size planes like this and used medium CA to glue them together. Very strong joint.....

Larry

I had made 2 - 1/4" balsa "filets" that are way more aerodynamic that I have glues in place beside them.
This plane is for my son whose studying for his Master's Degree in Aerospace Engineering who insisted that I add the filets. He design them as part of a class project so I think it has plenty of "brainpower" behind it.

PS His school ends in about 5 weeks so if you have any job leads please let me know!

David

He sounds like smart kid with good ideas.

Bob

What is wrong with using epoxy to glue on a vertical stab? Give me a break. You'd probably have to get out a gram scale to find the difference in weight between the two methods. No one is going to be able to tell the difference in flight characteristics. And saying that anyone that uses epoxy "build[s] to crash" is ridiculous.

There's nothing wrong with using epoxy to glue the fin. It's just not the ONLY way to do it.

CA and wood glue work well, too.

You choose a method that you are comforable with, and use it.

There is more than one right way to do some things ?

Well.... YES!