I'm starting a Daddy-O from the free planes in RCFly a few years back. I need some help right off the top. How is wing tip laminating done? I've soaked the balsa for hours, yet it still kinks when bent on tight curves. I know I'm not doing this right. How did this guy make these curves? See Photo.
Thanks []

Did you try putting some amonia into the water? That often helps soften the wood as wellmoreso than just with water alone.
Also, what about using wood that is 1/2 the thickness, and then building it up (in other words, put on the first one, then glue the second one to it. This would be true laminating, and bending thinner wood is easier than thicker wood. You could even go 1/3 and laminate 3 pieces, or 1/4 and laminate 4 pieces. Just some thoughts.

For example, if you were trying to get an edge thickness of 1/2 inch, then you could use four 1/8 inch thick pieces, soaked in water, and glued on one at a time for a total thickness of 1/2 inch.

It's tough when the curves are that small, however you shouldn't need to "Soak the wood for hours"

In fact, that can be part of the problem.

The laminates are thin and should bend fairly well on their own. Try just wetting the outside of the curve as you go with a wet sponge. This will cause the wood to swell on the outside only which will cause it to bend away from the wet side. Meanwhile, the dry side will add some rigidity.

With a radius That small, your best bet would to use 1/32 wood. Soak the strips for as long as needed in water and work them around a form as in this photo http://www.antiquemodeler.org/Model%...omberpage3.htm Alphatic resin (carpenter's glue) works Best.

I built a Sig Liberty Sport a few years back that used laminated wing tips. The plans called for and supplied 1'4" wide X 1/16" thick balsa strips. Cut to length and bend to shape the first strip and pin it to your building board. (This is after wetting the strips.) Glue the second strip to the first, bending as you go and again holding to your board with pins. I believe the Liberty Sport used four laminations, if I remember correctly, and I don't recall if it proceeded from the inside out or the outside in. I would have to refer to the plans or instruction booklet to refresh my memory, but I really can't see any difference. It might be easier to go inside to outside, each succeeding strip taking less bend. It really was pretty easy. I used alaphatic resin for this and it did not take long to do. You will, of course, have pins on both sides of the first strip, and the outside pins (if working inside out) will have to be removed as you bend and pin the second strip, here using pins only on the outside of the bend. You don't want to end up with pins between the laminations.

The Sig cub .32-.40 tips was laminated using pre-cut pieces. No bending or wetting.
Waste more wood of course..but the parts were pre-cut.

maybe you can just use a full sheet of the same thickness for the tips , then just drill out lightening holes.

Thanks all, I don't think this is a skill I will ever Master. I've tried it four times, all of which kinked at some point. Is the kinking okay? If it is, then I got it, but don't like the finished result. I'll go with FlyX's suggestion, which I was going to do as I have with all my other planes. I can't imagine it adding that much weight. I'll post pixs. Thanks all

You never did answer if you're using ammonia in the water. Yes, it stinks and yes, it works. Try not to get it in your eyes.

No I didn't try Ammonia. OKay I'll give it a try. I'll fish my forms out of the trash and try once more. thanks

Okay, I finally figured it all out. A few observations and a few procedures.

First: Do Not use sticks you stripped from a larger sheet. I used sticks I stripped off a 3" wide sheet. Not Good. It kinks and won't bend.
Two: Do Not soak the wood. Just dampen one side with a sponge brush soaked in a water and ammonia solution.
Three: Bend the wood around slowly, but steadily.
These are my observations. Now I'll tell you how I did it.

First: I glued the paper wing tip pattern to a piece of Masonite and cut along the inside edge on a bandsaw.
Second: Bought 4 strips of 1/16” X 1/4" Balsa
Third: Mixed two ounces of water with half once of ammonia, brushed that over one side with a sponge brush and let stand a minute.
Fourth: Nail a braid at the top of the form, tucked the strip between that and the form and slowly bent the wood around the form, tacking as I went.
Five: Using small blocks of wood, tightened up the wood to the form and tacked them in place.
Six: Let dry 24 hours.

That’s it. Once you’ve done it, it all seems simple. Thanks to all of you for your advice and encouragement. This thread is done.

When laminating place pins in place at strategic points around the shape on the plan, then after soaking a 1/16' X 1/4wrap it around the curve then take next strip and after applying glue [ alphatic reson] soak and pin and wrap around previous strip,pining as required and so on til proper width is aquired,of coarse removing pins as you aproach them and replaceing them after passing. Let dry thorughly before unpinning.