Help!

[TArthur99]

I am in the middle of my first balsa build and I just realized I made a noob mistake, I have finished the left wing and was about to start on the right when I realized I chose the wrong LE(leading edge)for the left wing... the edge is pre-shaped and looks like this:

as you can see I used the right wing LE on the left wing so its upside down... will this be a problem? or do I have to take it off and put the correct one on? the only reason I ask is because it would be a pain to have to try and take it off without breaking the ribs and I would have to try and figure out how to de-bond the CA glue...
please help! if I have to change it let me know some tips for getting it off.

 

[sierra_bravo]

well your going to have to change it. But it's not to hard to fix. Judging by the photo you can cut just behind the glue joint and then re-glue it on. But it would be helpful to get a photo from the top of the wing to be able to help you better.

-Sam

 

[TArthur99]

 

[PeterGregory]

If you can separate the leading edge as SB says, go ahead.
Otherwise, balsa is shape-able. You can just shave and sand the LE into a more rounded shape. There will be less material there but it looks like it will still be strong enough. Bring it down so it is basically an extension of the shape of the rib.
What plane is it?
Not too bad of a mistake, probably - don't sweat it.

 

[TArthur99]

Ok thanks Peter, its a electric cub II. would not recommend it, the parts rarely fit together properly so far I have had to modify every part, and the instructions are "revised" but the planes are not so sometimes it does not match. I probably picked the worst first build I possibly could have.

 

[PeterGregory]

Well, balsa kits range in their precision - balsa is a great material though and you can make it subservient to your desires.
One of the best things to get to know is it can be shaped - don't be timid.
If it looks sketchy to remove the LE, you can reshape that leading edge and not see horrible flying tendencies. Straight is good. You will be making your plane lighter, too(!)
Persevere - it'll be fine.

 

[sierra_bravo]

i got some old plans for a golden oldie 20 by Fred Resse and I hand cut out all the parts. I'm not joking when I say I had to trim every wing rib so it would fit. But I cut out all the ribs and its my first balsa scratch build so thats probably why.

As for your plane you can cut the leading edge(LE) off by cutting just behind the CA joint with a sharp exacto knife. You will cut a tiny bit from the ribs but it will be less then the thickness of paper. You can also do what peter said and reshape the LE by sanding it down to the shape you want.

-Sam

 

[Joker 53150]

Since it looks like the LE is only attached to 8 to 10 ribs, I'd say remove it and fix it. You could also sand it down to shape, add extra material to get the right shape back as needed, etc., but at the end of the day YOU need to look at it and should be happy with your work. Fixing it might add an extra hour to the build, but if you'll be happier with the finished results it is an hour well-spent.

 

[TArthur99]

thanks for the advice guys, I got it taken off and changed without to much hassle. tip:nail polish remover does NOTHING to CA