Need help with twist in fuselage after cover with solartex
 

Hi guys I'm absolutely gutted I have spent a long time building a tomboy 36 for my daughter having never built a open frame model before I got everything perfectly straight and level before covering, then after covering with solartex I've noticed a considerable twist in the fuselage towards the back where the horizontal stab sits??? I thought I'd been extremely careful when covering but obviously not.
please tell me this isn't a throw away? ? I would really appreciate your help many thanks Simon.

Probably not a catastrophe! First, can you twist the fuselage back in shape with the covering in place? If so, you can probably just over twist it a bit and re-iron the covering while holding the reverse twist. This may take another pair of hands. This will allow the covering to reform to a new shape and hold the fuselage straight. You may have to repeat this process several times to get things where you want them to be.

If you can't twist the fuselage to a straight position, try removing one panel of the covering. This should allow the twist. First follow the above directions then add back a new piece of covering where the one was removed.

Absolute worst case, just remove the covering and be more careful when recovering. Many structures are actually held in place and straight by the covering so warps are easily introduced during the covering process. When covering, check, check and recheck during covering. When you do something on one side, follow with the same on the other side so the pulling forces counteract each other. Be thankful you used an iron on covering that is easy to removed with a bit of heat. A real catastrophe is when you have the same problem with silk and dope or an equivalent painted covering.

As said above it can be fixed. Just twist till it wrinkles then hold that and heat out the wrinkles. It may take a few times before it will stay but it's an easy fix. I've straightened many a wing this same way.

David

Maybe you mean like in .

I'd ask for a royalty but I use a gun :-)

David

Thank you so much guys for all your advice I will take this on board and see how it goes let you know soon, Thank you once again, simon.

Well, that's just "a little bit more dangerous". :-) (Thanks for the joke, made my day.)

Hi guys I followed what you said while twisting and holding fuselage I applied heat to one side and when it cooled I let go and everything was perfectly aligned, I would never have believed it you certainly learn something new evert day!!!
All sorted now thank you all so much for your help, Simon.

Hi guys I followed what you said while twisting and holding fuselage I applied heat to one side and when it cooled I let go and everything was perfectly aligned, I would never have believed it you certainly learn something new evert day!!!
All sorted now thank you all so much for your help, Simon.

So glad it worked for you! We've all been there before and this is just part of learning new skills while building our projects.

That's great!! Happy flying.


David