Help!!!, warped stabilizer...
 

Crashed my stik, rebuilt it and found out that the right side of my horizontal stabilizer is warped at the leading edge, probably at the point where I put it back together. What is the best way to correct this problem, rebrake and reglue, or is there a more proven method of straightening flat surfaces?










Flyin' is like breathing.....Everybody should do it.

RE: Help!!!, warped stabilizer...
 

Do you have a picture? Did it warp because of heat shrink covering? or due to not using a jig of some sort during reconstruction? Some times a warp can be removed by using a sealing iron on the monocoat on the high side of the warp. This of course assumes you have it covered with heat shrink type covering.

RE: Help!!!, warped stabilizer...
 

Hi

I think if you have glued it like that then yes rebrake it and start again.

Not sure how the brake is but it prob won't glue very well a second time, might be better to cut twice at an angle and put a new piece in similar to depicted.

To strengthen cut a slot in the middle and insert t a thin piece of ply say 1/16 (not light ply) on edge across the middel of the whole join

RE: Help!!!, warped stabilizer...
 

I'm not an English major guys but ya make me cringe.

PLEASE spell it BREAK. You stop a car with a brake but you BREAK a piece of wood. Sorry and thanks. :)

RE: Help!!!, warped stabilizer...
 

Give 'em a brake, Bruce. We're just talking about airplanes here.

[sm=biggrin.gif][sm=biggrin.gif][sm=biggrin.gif]

RE: Help!!!, warped stabilizer...
 

The right half of the stab was broken in half from leading edge to trail.....I thought I epoxied it back evenly, without a jig, but on a completely flat surface........then too, maybe it twisted during my covering process...monokote, I really don't know which. After I finished, I observed the plane in a straight line from nose to tail, that is when I realized that the stab was out of alignment, pretty obvious too........

RE: Help!!!, warped stabilizer...
 

Well, I guess I would try to use a sealing iron and a little of the heat gun and give it a go. If you can get someone to help you, you hold the piece flat to your satisfaction. This should cause a wrinkle or loose spot in the covering. Have your helper run the heat gun over those wrinkles just until they go away. Take baby steps going over the piece and you should be able to work the warp out.

RE: Help!!!, warped stabilizer...
 

hi

Sorry bruce perhaps i awt to get the dictionary out.

Simon