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Scratchie 05-10-2010 09:48 PM

drill slipped while mounting wing
 
1 Attachment(s)
After carefully measuring, re-measuring, triple checking, my drill hit a knot or something dense in the mounting blocks and slid off-center. The wing now is now out of alignment by a full 0.5 inch!

My fix will be to open the two holes in the wing to allow for enough “travel” so that I can re-align the wing. Once properly re-aligned, I’ll epoxy two “washers” over the widened holes. Washers wil be made from scrap ply. See pics below. Please comment on my fix or suggest others, thanks.

Ram-bro 05-10-2010 09:53 PM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 
you can always insert a wood block or dowl, glass and redrill.

RCKen 05-10-2010 09:55 PM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 
ditto on the wood dowel. get a 1" wood dowel, drill out the hole, epoxy in the dowel, sand flush with the wing, and then re-drill your mount holes

Ken

Scratchie 05-10-2010 09:55 PM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 
I thought about that, but I'm thinking that the chances of the drill slipping again would be high - may be the way to go though

Alex7403 05-10-2010 10:04 PM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 
The dowel is a very good idea and not to miss it again you can start with a small drill bit and enlarge it gradually to the desired diameter, its easier to track a small hole better.

Redback 05-10-2010 10:05 PM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 
Get yourself some brad point drill bits. They have a sharp point on the end that lets you position the bit accurately and greatly reduces the risk of slippage.

I managed to get a 3mm one that is great for point hinges.

Terry

Scratchie 05-10-2010 10:10 PM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 
looks like everyone says use the dowel, I'll guess I'll go with your sugesstions - this is only my third RC plane build. I would think that any hardwood dowel will do, as long as it's a good epoxy job and the re-tap has been hardened with thin CA.

scale only 4 me 05-11-2010 04:34 AM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 
I wouldn't touch the wing holes if there is room to re-drill the mount blocks in the fuselage?
From the looks of the picture your holes in the wing are centered well enough to leave those holes alone, The misalignment is in the fuse right?

nitrobomber 05-11-2010 05:33 AM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 


ORIGINAL: scale only 4 me

I wouldn't touch the wing holes if there is room to re-drill the mount blocks in the fuselage?
From the looks of the picture your holes in the wing are centered well enough to leave those holes alone, The misalignment is in the fuse right?
DITTO...I agree, leave the holes in the wing alone and re drill the mount holes.

FentonFlyer 05-11-2010 06:51 AM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 
Once you get the hole figured out and you're ready to redrill, put some reference marks on the wing and fuselage for a visual aid. Also, lots of weight on the wing (old magazines, socks filled with coins, bags of BB's, etc) to help hold it in place.

MinnFlyer 05-11-2010 07:03 AM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 
It's hard to tell from the angle of the picture. Can you take another looking straight down at it?

CanDo 05-11-2010 09:47 AM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 
Here's my 2 cents. I would epoxy a piece of hard balsa or dowel in the bad hole. Next, make a drill guide by drilling a 1/16" hole in a piece of aluminum. This will prevent your drill from wandering when you drill into the wing. Securely tape the aluminum drill guide in position on the wing. Verify your drill is perpendicular to the wing's surface, then drill your 1/16" pilot hole. Next, enlarge the pilot hole with a 1/8 drill bit. Carefully un-chuck the drill bit and leave it in the hole. This will pin your wing in place and allow you to drill the second hole without having the wing shift on you. Keep increasing your drill bit size until you have the correct hole size. Finish enlarging the first hole and you are done.

Scratchie 05-11-2010 09:49 AM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 
1 Attachment(s)
I decided to re-drill the mounting blocks and then epoxy a dowel in. The first one went fine although the dowel is a very tight fit. On the second block, the one where the drill initially slipped, I had a slight problem. The drill (enlarging from a tapped 13/64 to a 3/8 hole) was in about 1/8 inch, same as last time, when it “snagged” and cracked the block. Since this was supposed to be a fix, and it was the second time this happened, I let out a few bad words (actually there were a lot of really bad words). So this is my new fix:

1. Cut the original block off at the wing saddle and sand flat
2. Use 1/8 scrap ply laminated with 30 min epoxy to make a new wing block
3. Use 1/8 inch scrap ply to make a new saddle with an opening to accept the new block, epoxy new saddle to old
4. Re-drill that little bast#%@(^

I think there are two causes of all this hassle, the first being a drill bit that wasn’t sharp enough and the second a very uncooperative piece of wood.

Scratchie 05-11-2010 09:54 AM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 
canDo - great proceedure, I will try that pinning idea. Unfortunately, I have very few tools and no scrap aluminum but I'm thinking that the top from a can of beans might work.

scale only 4 me 05-11-2010 10:44 AM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 


ORIGINAL: Scratchie

I decided to re-drill the mounting blocks and then epoxy a dowel in. The first one went fine although the dowel is a very tight fit. On the second block, the one where the drill initially slipped, I had a slight problem. The drill (enlarging from a tapped 13/64 to a 3/8 hole) was in about 1/8 inch, same as last time, when it “snagged” and cracked the block. Since this was supposed to be a fix, and it was the second time this happened, I let out a few bad words (actually there were a lot of really bad words). So this is my new fix:

1. Cut the original block off at the wing saddle and sand flat
2. Use 1/8 scrap ply laminated with 30 min epoxy to make a new wing block
3. Use 1/8 inch scrap ply to make a new saddle with an opening to accept the new block, epoxy new saddle to old
4. Re-drill that little bast#%@(^

I think there are two causes of all this hassle, the first being a drill bit that wasn’t sharp enough and the second a very uncooperative piece of wood.

I'd definitely change that block out. Dull tools always create problems

Also,
I hate to see that block out in the middle like that supported on only one side, Yikes
I always prefer to have a piece of ply that spans both side of the Fuse, or at least have the block fit in a corner where the side meets a bulkhead

What Kit is this?



Scratchie 05-11-2010 10:56 AM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 
It's a 1994 Top Flite AT-6.

I was thinking about a single piece spanning the fuse, but those mounting blocks extend into the wing saddle 1/8 inch so I thought it would be ok.

scale only 4 me 05-11-2010 11:46 AM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 
If that's the way the plans/kit call for it It most likely is fine, But I'd at least add some extra gussets to the sides of the block,, not just at the bottom. The further that bolt hole get away from the side, the more torque is being applied to it. Allot depends on you're flying style too, I'm a pretty aggressive flyer, so I like to have thing extra strong when ever possible

good luck

Scratchie 05-11-2010 12:00 PM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 
I'm a new flyer with the goal of bringing the plane down in the condition it went up in, and satisfied with scale-like flight. Maybe some limited acrobatics as I get more experience.

Lnewqban 05-11-2010 12:34 PM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 

ORIGINAL: Scratchie

I decided to re-drill the mounting blocks and then epoxy a dowel in.

Keep in mind that epoxy is hard and could deviate the next hole.

Could you fix the wing firmly against the fuse before redrilling?
May be temporarly wood guides on the portion of the wing facing the interior of the fuse box?

Take a look at these articles:

http://www.airfieldmodels.com/inform...ruction/11.htm

http://www.airfieldmodels.com/inform...ruction/10.htm

ArcticCatRider 05-11-2010 01:52 PM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 
Scratchie....whatever route you choose to do to fix it....when you have your measurements where you want them, get a felt tip marker and scribe a line across the fuse bottom and the wing. Double check the aligment is perfect when your line is drawn

It's sometimes nice to have a visual when doing something like this. Remember "Eyes on the prize"

Edwin 05-11-2010 06:33 PM

RE: drill slipped while mounting wing
 
I would start with a smaller bit then redrill with successive bigger bits until you're finished.
Edwin


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