Ideas needed for feather tail feathers
 

I'm building a kit from the 80's - Craftair Firebird. The rudder and elevators are constant thickness balsa. Rudder is 1/4" and elevators (2) are 3/16". They need to be turned into "wedges" with a thickness of approx 1/8" at the trailing edge for rudder and 1/16" for elevator TE.

The top is where it would be beveled for hinging. What is the best way to get an equal angle on each side?

RE: Ideas needed for feather tail feathers
 

I find it easier in that situation to just bevel on the one side, I use my sanding bars only, I have coarse and fine. I just mark what the final thickness will be and carefully sand down. takes me about 5 min to do a 30 inch aileron.

RE: Ideas needed for feather tail feathers
 

Doh !!... good point... I can just bevel the one side... then center it up on how I do the V bevel on on the front / hinge side.

Thanks..

RE: Ideas needed for feather tail feathers
 

one usefull item I made for the job, is a piece of 3/16 ply 12" x 36" where I cut out a 1" x 34" section out to hold the strip I am shaping, I clamp that to the bench so the strip I am shaping is hanging free of the bench giving room to sand etc, and you only have to hold it on the bench. makes it a lot easier

RE: Ideas needed for feather tail feathers
 

If you have access to a belt sander mount the sander upside down in a vice or device of your choosing, draw a center line down your trailing edge and sharpen it like they manufacture knife blades.

Bill

RE: Ideas needed for feather tail feathers
 

Sounds safe, I use a 12" radial Drum Sander with a larger piece of hardwood that is notched out to hold balsa stock in. Takes some time to make the jig, however once that is done it has been good for many airplanes.

RE: Ideas needed for feather tail feathers
 

Here is the best way I have found to mark where to sand.

This example is for a hinge bevel, but it applies to sanding the TE also:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8110718

And here is an example of using this method on a TE: