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Building Tips and technical articles. => Building techniques => Topic started by: James Mills on May 08, 2013, 07:44:20 PM

Title: Stab doublers
Post by: James Mills on May 08, 2013, 07:44:20 PM
I am building a Junar and have looked at several different plans of planes in the same size range and noticed some do not show a doubler under the stab (nothing shown on the Junar plans) but others do.  Randy's Tempest shows a 1/8" balsa doubler and I think Paul's Impact shows 1/32 ply.  Is the doubler necessary?  Is it for added strength or more glue area for the stab?

Thanks,

James
Title: Re: Stab doublers
Post by: Randy Powell on May 08, 2013, 10:26:12 PM
If it makes any difference, I generally use a 1/64" ply support on the fuse sides under the stab.
Title: Re: Stab doublers
Post by: James Mills on May 08, 2013, 10:52:29 PM
If it makes any difference, I generally use a 1/64" ply support on the fuse sides under the stab.
Is the purpose added strength?

Thanks,
James
Title: Re: Stab doublers
Post by: EddyR on May 09, 2013, 05:47:37 AM
Yes &yes. Do what is needed to make the plane strong enough to last. Many times on small classic models I add a doubler under the stab on the outside sanded in so you will not notice it. Ball links take up a lot of room.
Title: Re: Stab doublers
Post by: Dave_Trible on May 09, 2013, 07:26:51 AM
I've used doublers there hit or miss over the years but never noticed any difference either way.  Now I carbon the fillets anyway so don't bother with doublers.

Dave
Title: Re: Stab doublers
Post by: James Mills on May 09, 2013, 09:26:52 AM
I've used doublers there hit or miss over the years but never noticed any difference either way.  Now I carbon the fillets anyway so don't bother with doublers.

Dave
Dave,

What do you mean by carbon the doublers?

James
Title: Re: Stab doublers
Post by: RandySmith on May 09, 2013, 09:37:05 AM
Use the balsa doublers, they do not weigh much at all and results in a much better glue joint and way stronger, it also helps add stiffness to the stab, a balsa fillet on the outside works well too

Randy
Title: Re: Stab doublers
Post by: James Mills on May 09, 2013, 10:28:16 AM
Use the balsa doublers, they do not weigh much at all and results in a much better glue joint and way stronger, it also helps add stiffness to the stab, a balsa fillet on the outside works well too

Randy
Thanks Randy.

James
Title: Re: Stab doublers
Post by: Paul Wood on May 09, 2013, 11:27:03 AM
James,

Years ago I had a fuselage split along the horizontal grain line beginning at the leading edge of the stab.  I now glue a 1/2" wide strip of 1/16" balsa running vertically along the inside of both sides of the fuselage just in front of the stab leading edge.  I've never had a problem since.

Paul
Title: Re: Stab doublers
Post by: Dave_Trible on May 09, 2013, 11:49:33 AM
Dave,

What do you mean by carbon the doublers?

James
James,  a little misunderstanding,  I carbon the fillets and don't use doublers. Actually I'm using .5 carbon tissue strips doped at the joint to create the small radius fillet which becomes like steel with a few coats of dope.  Also this completely stopped fillet blisters and lifting.  This (I feel) is a bunch stronger than whatever doubler I might add.

Dave