Ace GLH 250 - My first balsa build!
- Thread starter Grifflyer
- Start date
Just keep some distance with the heat gun and sneak up slowly on the piece. If you get too close, come in too fast, or stay in close too long, it will burn holes in the covering. Ask me how I know.
TooJung2Die
Master member
I switched to a heat gun when I discovered that covering film can stretch as well as shrink when heated. When I get a wrinkle that won't shrink out I apply the heat gun and pull out the wrinkle. You gotta wear work gloves and adjust the gun so it'll soften but not melt the film. Don't trim off the excess film overhang until all wrinkles have been shrunk out or stretched out.
I love using the heat guns to shrink larger areas, but you need to be careful as it's very easy to over-do it and warp the balsa structure. A regular iron (with a covering sock) is often a safer way to shrink. I often use a small trim iron to remove small wrinkles with good success. On a hot setting it lets me focus the heat in a small area.
Grifflyer
WWII fanatic
Here’s a guess as I don’t know how big they are from a picture - could they be doublers for the servo screws down there is more “meat” for the screws to bite down in to?
Willy Nillies
Elite member
Shear webs- 2 on right wing and 2 on left wing. Glue to the front of the spars in between ribs. Bay that ailerons horn comes out and next one immediately outboard.
I'll see if I can find a picture....
Sincerely,
Doug and Becky
WillyNillies.com
I'll see if I can find a picture....
Sincerely,
Doug and Becky
WillyNillies.com
Willy Nillies
Elite member
Hope this picture shows what I was trying to say! These add a significant amount of strength to the wing where it needs it most.
Sincerely,
Doug and Becky
WillyNillies.com
Attachments
TooJung2Die
Master member
Why stop half way? Rockyboy's Barnstormer has shear webbing the full length of the wing.
Grifflyer
WWII fanatic
Maybe to save weight?
Personally, I put sheer webbing all the way out to help prevent warping and give her a little extra strength. I had an incident this summer and lost my first giant scale WW1 plane when the wings collapsed due to no sheer webbing in the design, so I'm going a little extra on the webbing these days. I have seen several designs that only do webbing for the first third of the wing, and they seem to do just fine too.
Willy Nillies
Elite member
Hi Guys,
The first two rib bays is all that is necessary when using more than an 1803 on 3 cell. We found that alot of people were wanting to go 2204 and 4 cell, so we did the math and testing. Mike's airframe in the video below was the test bed with a 2204 on 4 cell. We think you'll see by his aggressive flying that it is plenty strong with just the two shear webs on each side. More than 2 and you are just adding weight.
Sincerely,
Doug and Becky
WillyNillies.com
The first two rib bays is all that is necessary when using more than an 1803 on 3 cell. We found that alot of people were wanting to go 2204 and 4 cell, so we did the math and testing. Mike's airframe in the video below was the test bed with a 2204 on 4 cell. We think you'll see by his aggressive flying that it is plenty strong with just the two shear webs on each side. More than 2 and you are just adding weight.
Sincerely,
Doug and Becky
WillyNillies.com
TooJung2Die
Master member
Thanks, that makes sense. "Light is might!" On airplanes this size every gram makes a difference.
Grifflyer
WWII fanatic
Shhh don't tell anyone...Great job! Looks very nice (from this side at least! )
bracesport
Legendary member
@Grifflyer - very nice - I am working in the background to make my first balsa build too!
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