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RES-MAXX CONSTRUCTION MANUAL

FUSELAGE: (This has slab sides of 1/16" ply, with external 1/8" balsa doublers.)

___1)    A slab side (SS) pattern can be drawn on a plywood sheet using dimensions on the plans.  Stick on the saddle portion of the center section plot to complete the pattern. The TE is to be positioned at the rear of former F2.  3/8” of the wing is to extend beyond the high point of the saddle. Finished chord is 10”.

 ___2)   Saw about 1/8" beyond the overall pattern to make one SS blank.  If the plywood sheet is bowed, flip to draw the 2nd blank, so bows will be opposing.

___3)    Join the blanks with short wraps of masking tape to saw a matched pair. Sand the edges smooth.

  __4)    With a jig, saber or scroll saw, etc. or a router, cut the lightening holes where shown. This cuts 3/4 oz. to help balance out & reduce overall weight. Do not cut such holes in the 1/8” balsa doublers.

TRIANGULAR STOCK (TS) :

___1)    See 2 below, then attach TS inside flush with the edges of the slab sides where plans show. Be sure to make right & left sides. Use light TS stock behind former F2 to the fin.

___2)    Omit TS along the wing saddle & where the hatch & towhook block assembly go. Omit it also 1” from the former locations. Attach it there after formers are in.

 1/8" BALSA DOUBLERS:

___1)    See section C-C on plans.  Note the doublers extend above & below the slab sides for 1/8” fuselage tops & bottoms to fit between.  Use light stock.  Three 4" X 48" sheets will do doublers, top, bottom & also leave some for tail pieces.

___2)    Lay a SS on a sheet.  Mark & trim 3/16" beyond the SS edges.

___3)    Spray SS’s & doublers with 3M77, then join.  You get 1 shot, so align carefully.

___4)    Ahead of the F2 location on top, trim doublers flush to the SS’s.  Elsewhere, top & bottom, trim to leave 1/8" extending.

___5)    Drill 1/16" exit holes for rudder cables & angle them shallow.

RUDDER & ELEVATOR SERVOS, FORMERS:

___1)   Depending on servo height, rudder cables & wire part of the stab pushrod may pass above or below the main bolt block.

___2)    The stab servo can be placed off-center so the moving pushrod will clear the rudder servo case.

___3)    Make formers F1 & F2.  Mark vertical centerlines on them.

___4)    Make the rails to go on F1, determine best vertical positioning & attach them.

___5)    On F1, add TS front & rear.

___6)    Other than where the deep rails go, edge F2 with TS, slightly protruding. Edges will be tapered later.

FIN, INLAYS, BELLCRANK: (On plans, see the double size sketch immediately left of the fin.)

___1)    Prepare fin blank from 1/4" balsa. Groove bottom for the pushrod. (Dremel table saw works well).  Keep fin upright against a right triangle, etc.

___2)    Cut a matching pair of 1/32” ply inlays as outlined by the 4 dots on the fin sketch.

___3)    Make a matching cutout in the fin. Inside the cutout, well-centered, glue 3/16" x ¼” balsa as a frame for the inlays to glue to.

___4)    Finish nylon bellcrank (find blank in Harley’s Pak), preferably using a #21 (.159) bit for the large hole & #51 (.067) bit where clevis attaches to avoid bind there.

___5)    Attach 1/16” ply doublers inside the inlays.  If needed to avoid binding the bellcrank, sand the doublers down a bit, then wax them.

___7)    Attach one inlay to the frame. From inside, over wood backing, drill a 3/32" squared-up pilot hole through it where the bellcrank is to pivot.

___8)    Mark & cut the drive pin slot in the attached inlay.

___9)    Glue the other inlay in place. Slip a temporary 1/16” shim between the ply doublers and place the assembly on wood backing, pilot hole facing up.  Preferably using a drill press and sharp bit, make a 5/32” well-squared up hole through the assembly. The shim and backing assure a clean, unchipped hole for the stab support wire. Over wood backing, drill to open the other drive pin slot.

STAB PUSHROD:

___1)    Cut 3/16” dowel 2 ft. long. Neatest way to secure 2-56 rods is to drill 1” deep into dowel ends with #47 bit to receive them & secure with CA glue. Ends can be wrapped with thread & CA glue before drilling to avoid breaking out. Attach only the rear rod at this time. Attach a metal clevis & bellcrank to it.

___2)    Wax bellcrank, including big hole, clevis & rod. Position the bellcrank between the inlays & run the 5/32" brass support tube through. Pry inlays apart if binding bellcrank.  Make clearance ahead of clevis so bellcrank can move to full down.

___3)    Apply thicker CA around support tube. Break any resultant bond between doublers & bellcrank.

RUBBER HINGING:

___1)    Any hinging can be used, but "Harley's Hinges" (rubber strip in Harley’s Pak) provide a clean, butt fit. Scissor the strip into thirds, lengthwise.

___2)    To later hinge this way, now make centered slots 3/8" deep in the fin & rudder LE.  Slots should be sized so rubber strips can be inserted with the fingers. A squared-off metal fingernail file with end sharpened makes a good slotting tool.

___3)    Pin the rudder LE to the fin for simultaneous shaping.

___4)    When shaping the fin, keep it flat where the dorsal goes. Taper upwards to lighten.  At this stage it is delicate, but glassing adds strength & rigidity.

ALIGNMENT JIG:

___1)    Square up a flat board 4" or so wide & 22” long. Draw a line down its center.

___2)    Tack some plywood, etc. on one end to butt the sides against.

ATTACHING FORMERS:

___1)    Glue former F1 squared-up & flush with one SS (not the 1/8” doubler) bottom edge.

___2)    Attach F1 all squared-up to the other SS bottom edge using a 1/8” shim.

___3)    Glue or nail cleats to the jig at F1 to center the assembly there.

___4)    Over a 1/8” shim, attach former F2 to the SS’s. Fit TS well in the rear corners and glue in place.

___5)    Fill in that 1” or so of TS by the formers where it was omitted.

TOPS & BOTTOMS, REARWARD FROM FORMER F2:

___1)    By the fin, symmetrically taper the edges of the triangular stock to just allow the SS’s to be pressed to the LE of the fin.

___2)    From 1/8" balsa, cut tapered tops & bottoms to fit from former F2 back to the fin. These pieces, symmetrically tapered, align the fuselage behind F2.

___3)    Bevel the forward edge of the top piece 30 degrees.

___4)    Clamp the fin in position. Note it extends only to the bottom edge of the SS’s.

___5)    Tape the 1/8” top & bottom in place. Check alignments by placing the assembly on the top view of the fuselage. Be sure the fin has no built-in turn.

___6)    When satisfied with alignments, remove the top & put a drop of CA glue where the TS touches just ahead of the fin.  Recheck alignments. If all looks good, glue tops and bottoms in place. The fin goes in later.

DEEP RAILS:

___1)    The 2 layer rear bolt block mounts on these rails. Scrap pine, etc, cut ¼” thick is used. Cap rails with ply to prevent splitting. Fit them to end 3/16” below the edge of the saddle and glue in place against F2.

___2)    Make the 2 layer block without a hole. Screw mount it.

___3)    Along the bottom, between the formers, first center a 3” wide piece of harder 1/8” balsa between the protruding doublers, grain running across the fuselage. Center  this under the towhook block location. Then fill in with 1/8” balsa to the formers.

TOWHOOK BLOCKING:

___1)    From 1/16" birch plywood, cut a 2" long plate, grain cross-wise, to fit between the 1/16” ply SS’s.

___2)    Stack glue two 1/2" x 2" pieces of 1/8" plywood, centered on top of the plate.

___3)    Drill a pilot hole through at the center & others either way in 1/4" increments.

___4)    Glue the assembly in place inside to the harder balsa piece.

___5)    Glue 1/2" or 3/4" balsa triangular stock at the inside corners.

SPACER BLOCKS, NOSE CORE, CHEEKS, FIXED COMPARTMENT:

___1)    The vertical spacer blocks set internal width up front.  As shown, a “standard” square pack & receiver can be accommodated.  If a smaller, lighter battery is to be used, the blocks can be narrowed to reduce bulk and cut weight. However, lead may then be needed to balance out.

___2)    Fit spacer blocks. Glue inside the SS’s.  Put a scrap of 1/16” ply vertically between the blocks. If one block protrudes, add a vertical shim or sand to even them up.

___3)    Cut the 1/16” ply nose core. Unbend any bow. Glue it between spacer blocks, keeping the sides centered relative to the jig centerline.

___4)    On the bottom, forward of F1, fit & glue in pieces of 1/16" ply, grain cross-wise. Add 1/16" balsa fill over the ply pieces.

___5)    On top, behind the spacer blocks, glue 5" pieces of TS to the inside edges of the ply sides. From layers of medium ¼” balsa, make the fixed hatch, bevel the rear 30 degrees, roughly shape and glue in place.

___6)    From ¾” pine, etc. make a matched pair of nose cheeks. Essentially work cheeks to shape, then epoxy in place.

WING SADDLE FILLET:

___1)    Glue 3/8" or 1/2" TS to the exterior sides to widen the saddle area. Trim it even with the saddle edges.

___2)    With 1/64” ply, cap saddle from F2 to its high point.

___3)    Work to concave shape with a round sanding tool, feathering to ply cap edges.

REMOVABLE BALSA HATCH:

___1)    To assist in contouring the hatch rear end, a block cut to profile of the first 2" or so of the center airfoil can be made to position across the saddle.

 ___2)   From ¼” balsa, first contour a layer to go under the above block. Then fit a layer to go over it. Then join the layers. Reinforce inside with CF or glass cloth.  

___3)    Bevel & taper the hatch to fit between the fixed hatch & wing.

___4)    The hatch is stabilized sideways with 1/8" x 1/2" cleats of balsa on its underside.

           Size cleats to jam fit between the SS’s, slightly protruding.  Apply drop of slower CA in the center, then press down the hatch. Let cure, then wick around cleats.

MAIN STAB WIRE:

___1)    Make from 3/32" music wire & aluminum tube.  Taper ends to freely slide onto the strips of Harley’s hinges used as rubber grippers.

FIN ATTACH:

___1)    Run pushrod through former F2.

___2)    Secure fin with spring clamps over scraps of ply. Remember it fits flush with the ply SS edges at the bottom.

___3)    Adjust fin as needed to avoid any built-in turn.  See that inlays meet SS’s.

___4)    Apply thin CA liberally at the top edge of one SS to wick-join the fin.

___5)    If the pushrod or clevis get bonded, break the bond.

___6)    Make sure the fin is straight and upright. Wick-join the other SS.

___7)    Glue in the 1/8" balsa bottom under the fin. Attach and shape the dorsal fin.

___8)    For a fillet, bevel & attach a strip of 3/32" x 3/16" soft balsa to fit against the fin above the SS’s. Protect adjacent fin with masking tape when sanding.

FUSELAGE SHAPING:

___1)    With razor plane & sanding tools, round off the corners, merge hatch to the sides & taper the sides to the fin at the extreme rear end.  See A-A, B-B & C-C.  Work fuselage, hatch & fin into a one-piece look.

GLASSING:

___1)    This is superior to film and well worth learning to do.  A durable & attractive finish can be achieved by applying 1.4-1.5 oz. glass cloth with polyester finishing resin (K & B, Hobby-Poxy, Sig, etc.), smoothing to a glass-like finish & spray painting.  Epoxy is too much fuss to mix in small quantities and much harder to sand.

___2)    Some kind of pedestal is useful to jam between the sides to support the fuselage & also use as a handle. The idea is to apply a glass layer overall with an additional layer or 2 around the nose area & forward part of the bottom, with some overlapping around the fuselage corners.  I personally prefer to brush on pre-cut pieces in stages, wetting out well, sopping with toilet tissue & curing with a heat gun enough to handle to apply more pieces. I never got the results I wanted attaching cloth overall first with 3M77, but that is an option.

___3)    After thorough curing, sand with #100 aluminum oxide paper to feather edges, break the glaze & remove all the shine.  It will not look like much yet.

___4)    Brush on a thin, smooth, overall "flow coat" of the resin.

___5)    When cured, again break the glaze with #100 & smooth with finer paper to 240 grit or so.

___6)    To fill scratches & low spots, use an easy-sanding filler or primer such as the 2 part K & B.

___7)    Then progressively smooth with finer grits of dampened wet/dry paper.

___8)    Most primer will disappear & a glass-like finish left to paint.  Lacquer-based Krylon (#1501 gloss white, etc.) is a favorite rattle can paint & adds about 1/4 oz.

___9)    I'll e-mail a more-detailed file, GLASSING.DOC on request.

RUDDER & STAB SERVO MOUNTING:

___1)    Mount cases to former F1.

___2)    Cut 1/8" plywood to jam fit across the fuselage at other case ends.  Wax bottom & edges.  Jam under the case lugs.  Make rails & wax top edges.

___3)    Jab Exacto knife into a rail, apply epoxy & position under crosspiece ends.

___4)    Let cure, drill holes & finish screw mounting.

STAB / RUDDER CONSTRUCTION:

___1)    Except for pre-shaped hard balsa stab spars, these are assembled using light balsa & sanded to shape.  If your radio doesn’t have endpoint adjustments, pitch sensitivity may be reduced by shortening the stab halves a couple of inches at the tip end to reduce the area. Plenty remains.

___2)    Make spars, wedges & join them.

___3)    Cut 1/8" light balsa pieces for the 3 layer root laminations.

___4)    Join bottom lamination pieces to the spars.

___5)    Cut 1/8" tubes.  Wick 3/32" tubes inside the rear ones.

___6)    Wick front tubes in place snugly against the wedges.

___7)    Mount partial assembly on the fin. Lightly tack rear tubes on with tiny dab of CA.

___8)    Slip apart, add more CA & the other root laminations.

___10)  Adjacent, on the wedges, wick pieces of Harley's Hinges for friction grip.

___11)  Add tip piece, the LE & notched TE, centered vertically relative to the spar.

___12)  Add balsa ribs as rectangles and attach the root caps.

___13)  Sand all to generic symmetrical airfoil, keeping LE rounded, not sharp, for smooth pitch action.

___14)  Rudder has slotted piece of 1/16" plywood on its bottom, capped to retain the wire of   the "T".  Use part of a 1/16” nail for the wire part of the T for easy soldering.

___15)  Shape the slotted piece. Wick it to the unshaped 1/4" balsa rudder bottom.

___16)  After shaping the rudder, wick or epoxy on the cap & trim excess.

___17)   Make a horseshoe-shaped slot in the end of the slab sides, positioned so with the brass part of the T in it, the fin and rudder will align on top. Remove the T.

RUDDER COVERING, RUBBER HINGING:

___1)    Seal wrap of film to the LE front & sides & elsewhere around the frame edges.

___2)    Slit film over the slots & heat seal the edges inward.

___3)    Cut 1-1/4" hinge strips.

___4)    Slip hinges, nicely squared-up, 3/8" deep into the fin slots.

___5)    If slots are too loose, apply water with syringe to swell around the rubber. Wick hinges in the slots with thin CA glue.

___6)    Lay rudder back against fin.

___7)    Curl hinges to insert through LE slots.  Position rudder & remove slack.

___8)    To leave rubber to stretch, apply dab of epoxy (not CA!) where hinges exit.

___9)    Let partly cure, trim excess hinges.

___10)  Cut & apply right & left sides of covering.

___11)  To insert the T, push the rudder to one side & slip vertically in slot.

___12)  Pull rudder bottom to slightly stretch hinges, rotate T & fully seat it.

SQUARING UP THE STAB:

___1)  Slip main support wire assembly in place.

___2)  If not squared to the fin, file tubes to do so then join with CA glue.

RUDDER CABLES:

___1)    Tie knot at rear end to retain.

___2)    Drop cable through exits & former F2.  Avoid winding around the pushrod.

___3)    Secure up front as shown on plans.

WING:

___1)   Intended finished chord is 10" for center section.  Using 1/16" balsa, a TE of 1/32" or so thickness is realistic.  On a 10-5/16" plot, thickness is about 1/32" at 10".

___2)   If all core-cutting templates are made from plots 5/16" over intended finished chords & skins beveled inside to 1/64", a practical 1/32" thick TE results.  The center section airfoil is all SA7036.  Going outboard, slight modifications are made in camber & thickness of the SA7038.  See Winston’s spec page.

PREPARING CORES:

___1)    Evenly sand any irregularities in core thickness where sections butt together.

___2)    On top of the center core, mark spar location end to end with parallel lines.

DIHEDRAL:

___1)    This is 6 degrees where the inner tip section butts the center section & an additional 12 degrees where the small tip sections butt.  Each vertical edge is to be beveled 1/2 those amounts.  A rise of 1/16" in 3-1/2" is 1 degree.

___2)    Prepare some 3/4" & 1-1/2" thick blocks from foam.

___3)    Place 14" (4 x 3-1/2") from the end of a board to jack up 3 & 6 degrees.

___4)    To bevel a core end, extend it slightly from the board & use a well-squared-up sanding block drawn flat across the work surface.  Retain the 90 degree angles and rake the outer tip section as plans show.

FITTING ENDCAPS:

___1)    From 1/8" harder balsa, make 4 endcaps slightly oversize.

___2)    Shape bottoms to fit core ends.

___3)    On top, adjacent to endcaps, place masking tape. Trim a cap & fine fit by essentially sanding away tape.

___4)    Press work down with 1/32" plywood sheet, etc.  to avoid finger dents.

___5)    As you finish an endcap, mark across it & the core it fits.

___6)    Butting caps should nicely match up so sheeting will also.

___7)    Set caps aside for now.

CENTER SECTION SPAR:

___1)    Use .060" x 3/8" x 48" carbon fiber laminate (CL6-41A from Aerospace Composite Products or C1654 from Composite Structures Tech) top & bottom.

___2)    Cut to 35-5/8".  Save remainders to make into tip blades.

___3)    Vertical webs can be made of 60# Foamular (Included in Harley's pack) or 3/8" vertical grain balsa.  These are fitted between the .060 spars.  The main bolt sub-assembly & the blade receptacles are wrapped between the spars with Kevlar thread or unwaxed dental floss.  Everything between the spars is made web height.  See “Finding Web Height” section below.

___4)    Balsa caps are epoxied top & bottom over the wraps & sanded smooth.  My spar assembly, using the Foamular webs, weighed only 2.1 oz.

MAIN BOLT SUPPORT IN WING:

___1)    Overall height is to match webs.

___2)    See fuselage side view. Screw mount the 1/8" plate over 3/16" of plywood laminations, cut 3/8" x 3".  This puts the nylon bolt head low enough to clear the plywood slot assembly under the spoiler.

___3)    Add a 1/16" ply lamination with holes above the heads of the screws that secure the plate.

___4)    Add ply laminations to make the assembly web height.

FINDING WEB HEIGHT:

___1)    Stack the 2 carbon fiber spar pieces by the core & measure the precise distance remaining to the top of the core.

___2)    Deduct 1/16" to represent what the combined finished thickness of the top & bottom balsa caps, to be placed over the wraps, will be.

___3)    The remainder, usually right on 5/8", is the height of the webs.

___4)    Cut about 24" of webs about 1/32" wider (front to back) than the spar.

___5)    Trim one spar to the precise length of the core bottom.

BLADES & RECEPTACLES:

___1)    Cut the spar remainders into 4 equal lengths & epoxy together to form a pair of .12" x 3/8" blades.  Optionally, .032’”x 3/8” x 6” steel blades available with Harley’s pack may be used.

___2)    Wax outsides of blades.   2X endview on plans shows how the center section receptacles are made & mounted between the spars.

___3)    Make the receptacles so the blades just nicely slip in without vertical slop.

___4)    Angle outboard ends of receptacles 3 degrees.

___5)    If you opt for steel blades, add balsa to the receptacle sides to make spar width.

ADDING WEBS & RECEPTACLES TO THE SPARS:

___1)    Obtain a 3' or so length of 3/4" aluminum angle stock as an assembly jig.

___2)    Wax the inside surfaces.

___3)    Lay bottom spar flat at the inside bend.  Due to the slight inside radius, the spar lays a bit forward of the upright edge.

___4)    Epoxy the main bolt sub-assembly in place on the spar, flush with its rear edge, bolt hole dead center.

___5)    Epoxy the blade receptacles to the bottom spar, flush with its rear edge & ends.

___6)    Epoxy webs between, keeping the spar & webs against the upright edge.

___7)    Let cure, then remove.

___8)    Size top spar & lay flat on the jig flush against the upright edge.

___9)    Unless you work fast, use slower epoxy to coat the webs, etc.

___10)  Press to the spar & keep in good contact, webs against the upright edge.

___11)  When cured, trim webs to spar edges.

WRAPPING:

___1)    Anchor Kevlar at a spar end with thin CA.

___2)    Tightly wrap the assembly at about a 1/4" pitch, anchoring the wraps to the spars.

___3)    On the bottom, epoxy on a 1/32" balsa cap.

___4)    When cured, evenly sand to flatten irregularities but do not damage wraps.

___5)    This is the finished edge at the core underside. Top cap goes on later.

SPOILER FABRICATION:

___1)    From 1/64" ply, cut 2 strips 1” wide. Plans show 16”, but 12” is plenty.

___2)   Between these, epoxy 3/32" balsa, taking care to keep the pieces aligned.

___3)    Hold all flat as epoxy cures.

SPOILER WELL:

___1)    Router a 3/32" deep x 16-3/16" (or 12-3/16”) x 1-1/16" well, rear edge at the front of the spar line.

___2)    Edge the well front & sides with 1/16" balsa.  Fit to extend 1/16” above the core for the sheeting to fit around.

___3)    Ahead of the well, router to inlay a "ceiling" of 1/64" plywood to reinforce overhead where the servo mounts.

___4)    A tiny servo will fit well forward. The ceiling can be more-centered than plans show. This shifts the ply slot assembly to the right of the main bolt. A hole can then be made in the spoiler to attach/detach the main bolt. This is recommended.

SECTIONING FOR & ADDING THE SPAR ASSEMBLY:

___1)    With bandsaw, etc., cut core along spar front line first, then the rear.

___2)  Position spar assembly against core to judge how thick a top cap is needed to sand level with the core.  Epoxy the cap to the spar.

___4)    Smear rear side of spar with epoxy & apply wraps of masking tape to hold in position against the core rear.  Wipe oozing epoxy with alcohol-dampened cloth. Let cure & remove tape.

___5)    The objective now is to retain the airfoil as the core front is joined.  If the bottom beds lay flat, consider yourself lucky as you can work directly in them.

___6)    If not, when adding the spar or sheeting, place beds on a flat surface (plate glass works especially well) & use shot bags, etc. to weight down to help preserve the airfoil integrity.

___7)    Lay waxed paper on the bottom bed, smear the front core with epoxy, position against the spar, apply some strips of masking tape to keep against the core, lay waxed paper over the core, add the top bed & weight all down.

___8)    When cured, fill under the bolt plate & drill through from the top.

___9)    Slot the center endcaps for the blades & epoxy to the core ends.

SUB-LEADING EDGES:

___1)    With light coat of epoxy & masking tape, attach 1/8" balsa.

___2)    Bevel so sheeting will follow the airfoil.

TOP SKIN:

___1)    Trim 4" balsa sheet to 3-3/4" to overlap the spar a bit & extend just beyond  sub LE.

___2)   Carefully cut an opening over the spoiler well.

___3)    If you have bagging equipment & low viscosity epoxy, attach skin that way.

___4)   Or, smear a thin coat of epoxy to attach by taping or weighting down with shot bags, etc.

___5)    Bottom skin is separately attached after the spoiler is installed, as next detailed.

SPOILERS, RDS, (continued):

___1)    Bevel spoiler edges to avoid jamming when seating in the well.  If none of the adapters in the Coupler package fits your servo, follow CUSTOM SPLINING in the RDS website.

___2)    Run the setscrews partly thru both coupler parts & open the pilot hole to 1/16".  Mark parts to always reassemble the same way.  Remove upper part. Press adapter over the output gear, slip on coupler bottom & fasten both with the servo screw.

___3)    Ply layers are glued under the spoiler to make a slightly sloppy slot for the shaft. Keep it slippery with powdered graphite keyhole lubricant, etc.

___4)    Make clearance in the core for the ply layers.

___5)    Make a plywood base with rails for the servo. Screw mount with a “hat” bracket.

___6)    Invert core & mark well outline so the shaft is angled 45 degrees.

___10)  Remove core to the plywood "ceiling".

___11)   Temporarily slip scrap 1/16" wire into the coupler cut to length to just enter the slot with the spoiler seated in the well & shimmed even with the sheeting.

___12)  When satisfied the base is positioned to direct the shaft into the slot, epoxy it to the ceiling.

___13)  Make a drive shaft with a low radius 90 degree bend if not getting Harley’s pak.  A stainless steel welding rod takes such a bend.

___14)  From the spoiler side, slip the shaft into the coupler to butt the servo screw.  Do not yet tighten setscrews.

SEALING/HINGING THE SPOILER:

___1)   Preferably glass over the top side to paint & otherwise seal it with epoxy or polyester resin.

___2)    When film-covering the wing, seal film to the well vertical edges.

___3)    Before hinging, wax spoiler & well edges to avoid bonding together.

___4)    Make sure the spoiler can be recessed flush with the skin.  Deepen well if necessary.

___5)    As needed to hinge, shim the spoiler to put it flush with the sheeting.

___6)    For hinging, white Tyvek, used for rip-proof envelopes, makes a thin, flexible, durable, surface hinge that bonds very well with thin CA glue.

___7)    If the spoiler is painted white, the hinges blend well.

___8)    A series of 1/2" x 1" pieces bridging the hinge line chord wise can be first applied to the spoiler, then to the film-covered area.

___9)    Protect fingers by pressing with waxed paper, etc.

___10)   Practice to learn how little CA to use to keep it from running out the edges.

___11)  You may wish to make a checkerboard pattern using reflective tape or tacky trim between the Tyvek pieces.

___12)   Practice on scrap to work out a technique & pattern you like.

LOCATING THE DRIVE SHAFT BEND:

___1)   Manually rotate the shaft so it points up vertically in the spoiler well.

___2)    Slip the spoiler blade on it.

___3)    Adjust shaft length in the coupler so that when the shaft butts the servo screw,  there is a little clearance, like 1/64” or so, between the front edge of the spoiler & adjacent structure.  Be sure the spoiler front edge is beveled enough to allow it to fully close.

___4)    To check length accuracy, temporarily hinge the spoiler with masking tape, lightly secure the shaft with a setscrew & observe the action using the radio.

___5)    Adjust the bend location so all operates properly.  Remove the drive shaft, bond 3/32" aluminum tube at the coupler end & open the pilot hole for it.

___6)    Radio on, stick or lever in the closed spoiler position, trim tab neutral, manually tweak the shaft position to firmly close the spoiler. With a bit of juggling, the servo can be slipped in & out with the drive shaft attached. When satisfied with the operation, firmly seat both setscrews into the tubing.

BOTTOM SKIN, LE's, CAPSTRIPS:

___1)    Attach bottom skin, trim skin to the sub-LE, then attach & shape LE's.

TRAILING EDGES:

___1)    Bevel the inside surfaces of the balsa pieces, after first practicing on scrap with 1/16” balsa to get the bevel angle correct to follow the airfoil & provide a TE that will be 1/32” thick.  This is rather easily done on the Dremel table saw or with a  sharp razor plane & sanding block.

___2)    Attach bottom first with thin layer of epoxy on the forward area, then smear top piece overall & keep flat until cured for a thin, straight TE.

CAP STRIPS:

___1)   Contour the strips by slightly crushing on one side about every half inch with the edge of a metal ruler, etc., then epoxy to the core.

___2)    Optionally, holes can be made between some of the "bays”.  Mark holes & router out or rough out with a round hacksaw blade & smooth with sandpaper stuck on a small tumbler with tapered sides.  (We almost named the ship “SPOTS”.)

TIP SPAR:

___1)   Separate the core where plans show.

___2)    Sand to remove a total of 1/16".

___3)    From 1/16" plywood, cut spar full core depth.

___4)    Bevel root end 3 degrees.

___5)    Jack center section up 6 degrees. 

___6)    Shim tip core up 1/16" with sheeting.  Grind off bottom of outer edge of blade as needed to clear the sheeting. Clamp where the waxed blade meets the ply spar.

___7)    Fill above & below with 1/8" plywood to make a snug groove but don’t glue in the blade.  If using .032” steel blades, fill above & below with 1/32" ply.  Close in with a cap, then wrap.

___8)    If endcaps don't perfectly butt fit to each other, cut a slit in the core near an endcap & epoxy in a suitably-thick wedge of foam.

___9)    Use enough epoxy to solidly secure the spar in the core.

OUTER CORE TIPS:

___1)    Make angled braces from 1/8" plywood.

___2)    Adjacent sheeting, top & bottom, is a layer of 1/64" plywood against the cores, grain chordwise.  Add balsa to the ply.

___3)    Finish sheeting & get a good fit where ends butt.

___4)    Epoxy the 12 degree braces in one side first, then epoxy on the short tips. 

___5)    Wipe oozing epoxy, then tape together to cure.

FILM COVERING:

___1)    Clean bench & tack away balsa dust.

___2)    Cut a single piece to wrap around the TE & forward to over skin edges about 3/8".  Apply this piece.  With holes in the core, transparent film looks good.

___3)    Cut another to go around the LE back to the skin edges.

___4)    Seal well to endcaps, avoiding overlaps that make a gap.

___5)    On the underside, remove film around the bolt holes to add 1" sq.  beveled plates of 1/16" plywood to reinforce there.

MAIN HOLDDOWN UNIT, FUSELAGE:

___1)    Make main bolt block & side plates.  Locate 1/8" aluminum in Harley’s pack.

___2)    Bend the aluminum by hammering in a vise.  Drill holes for screw mounting. Drill & tap ¼ x 20.  Attach to the ¼” ply block. Drill & tap the block.

___3)    Epoxy the main bolt block squared to one side plate.  Let it cure.

___4)    For best fit between the sides, put Saran wrap between the other side plate & the fuselage to epoxy it to the bolt block. Keep the plates flush to the sides until the epoxy is cured.

___5)    Bolt the unit to the wing.  Position the wing with the TE at the rear edge of F2. Squeeze the fuselage, unbolt the wing & mark location of the unit.

___6)    REMEMBER IF THE PUSHROD IS TO PASS OVER OR UNDER THE BLOCK.  With stab in its neutral position, determine proper length of the front 2-56 rod & attach it. Epoxy the holddown unit in place.

REAR BOLT EXTERNAL PLATE:

___1)    The plate can be beveled toward its front & sides, then painted & epoxied in place by removing film    under the area.

___2)    With wing on, squared-up, drill a pilot hole through the above plate & the rear 2 layer bolt block. Angle the drill so the bolt head seats flush to the plywood plate.

___3)    Tap the bolt block, treat with CA, re-tap or open to insert an 8-32 blind nut from the bottom.  Trim most of the flange from the nut & secure with CA glue.

ALIGNMENT PINS:

___1)    Epoxy 1" lengths of 3/16" dowel into the tip endcaps with 5/16" or so protruding.

___2)    When cured, wax these & adjacent area.

___3)    Wax the opposing area of the center section.

___4)    Drill 5/16" holes about 1/2" deep.

___5)    Almost fill with quick epoxy, attach a tip, hold/tape until firm, then pull apart.

___6)    After covering, secure tips with tape, as usual.

___7)    Wraps of clear packing tape may be attached to stick tape to.

___8)    If you have room to transport, one or both tips may be epoxied to the center.

MISC:

___1)    Below the hatch, attach switch against a slab side with double-sided foam tape.

___2)    Run antenna down the fuselage on 1/8" sq.  balsa.

___3)    Wrap foam rubber to front of battery so it stays put.  Tape line to it to pull out.

___4)    Use a Tim McCann Hook Tooth as a landing arrestor.  Click SOURCES in the RDS website to order.

___5)    Keep cables taught or the rudder will buzz.       

SETUP

             Initially put towhook & balance as plans show. Set stab for no more than ¼” up & ¼” down in hi-rate & 3/16” in low rate, at LE's by the fin.  Set rudder to deflect each way 1-1/2" in hi-rate, 1" in low. Hand glide & adjust stab for level glide.

            Do initial tows. To increase tow angle, incrementally move hook back.  If balanced further back, self-recovery from an induced dive is reduced, penetration is better, but greater pitch sensitivity may require reduced stab movement.

            Too much rudder, abruptly applied, gives a jerky flight path. Lead into turns smoothly, easing the stick in & out. Expect a little delay in response to rudder input. Increase throw if you feel a need for more turning ability. Have plenty of open area to work in to get familiar with the handling.

            Approximately 3/16” of “up elevator” compensation at the stab LE’s is needed to keep the ship level with full up spoiler.  Establish this by trial & error at safe altitude. Full up spoiler is usually overkill. For starters, set max deflection at half or less. If compensation is programmed in & the spoiler abruptly opened, the nose may pitch up before spoiler effect levels the ship out.  This requires brief “down elevator” unless you are using a more-sophisticated transmitter that can deal with  this. If a simple radio is being used, manual elevator compensation will be needed to avoid a steep dive. The spoiler can sink the ship at various rates, depending on the deflection.  Learn by doing at safe altitude. Close the spoiler to regain normal turn & pitch control.  Spoilers don’t cut airspeed as flaps do, so flatten the glide to slow down for landings.  Excellent stall characteristics make this viable.

            Use some discretion when winch launching in wind. Pulsing will get it up nicely & a short burst for a zoom will get another 100 feet or so of altitude.