Building Tips and technical articles. > Building techniques
pathfinder LE building
fred cesquim:
wing was built within 6 hours tahnks to the clever jig design.
i was skeptical with the 1/4 x 1/8 balsa longerons, but after adding the short ribs everything is safe and strong. my admiration for Gordonīs design, really light and clever
only deviation from the kit: they send balsa to make a molded C full leading edge sheeting (just like the thundergazer). i really have my doubts if thatīs good and that glue will properly reach every spot. instead of doing that ( wich is a lot of extra work too) i have cut a new LE spar 3/32 wider and had a 1/16 extra lip on the ribs LE. this lip sits on my alluminium JIG. then i glue the sheeting on the lip with CA ( sheet 90 degrees to the spar). moisten the shee with windex, apply titebond to the ribs and run CA to the central longeron, folds the (now pliable) sheeting over and attach to the spars. no need to clamp or pin, and you finish within minuts. this way the glue reaches every point of contact of wood and you ended up with a warp free wing.
Motorman:
You would have to make a foam leading edge buck to mold a full clam shell for the leading edge. The (rsm) kit kind'a leaves you hanging in that respect. I've seen other (rsm) builds on here for Thundergazer ect and the builder always engineers a way around that problem. Glad you worked it out. My solution was to sell the kit.
Motorman 8)
fred cesquim:
--- Quote from: Motorman on April 18, 2022, 04:19:58 PM ---You would have to make a foam leading edge buck to mold a full clam shell for the leading edge. The (rsm) kit kind'a leaves you hanging in that respect. I've seen other (rsm) builds on here for Thundergazer ect and the builder always engineers a way around that problem. Glad you worked it out. My solution was to sell the kit.
Motorman 8)
--- End quote ---
the kit comes with LE templates and instructions to do that, i just donīt think itīs a good method at all, same with thundergazer. i came with this solution while building the Tgazer and since then all of my planes uses the same technique for sheeting LE. with this method you donīt need to shape LE anymore ( a thing that i hate and know itīs paramount for good tracking)
wingīs almost done now
regards bro brazil
fred cesquim:
hope pictures show how it works
fred cesquim:
wing is ready
fuselage is next
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