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Author Topic: Straighten Warped Trailing Edge?  (Read 1086 times)

Offline taildragger-j3

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Straighten Warped Trailing Edge?
« on: August 02, 2007, 02:04:53 PM »
By way of explanation, I managed to poke a hole in the bottom of a silk-covered wing taking an airplane down from it's perch in the shop. After kicking myself several times, HB~> I began the process of patching the hole. I covered the hole with a scrap of the original silk and got it to adhere with clear. Then went back with the original white. It took several coats brushed on to get the patch to blend in well.

Only after everything was dry and I thought I was finished, I discovered that the application of several coats of dope in that bay between ribs had pulled the trailing edge down. Since it was the outboard wing, it will roll in on me, I am certain. I've added a trim tab to the tip to counteract the warp, but have been thinking about another approach.

What if I brushed some really thin dope or maybe even straight thinner on that portion of the covering until the silk got limp then pulled the trailing edge straight and clamped it down while the dope/thinner dried. Anyone ever try anything screwy like this? or have an even better suggestion?
David Strawn
Aggieland, TX
AMA - 10212 (original!)

Offline Bootlegger

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Re: Straighten Warped Trailing Edge?
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2007, 02:37:46 PM »

  What you might look at also is trying to block the wing in the way that you want it to dry, then use the thinner. Good luck, and tell us how it goes... D>K
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Offline minnesotamodeler

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Re: Straighten Warped Trailing Edge?
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2007, 02:47:31 PM »
Might think about trying to shrink the covering on the top side of that bay too.

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Offline Leo Mehl

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Re: Straighten Warped Trailing Edge?
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2007, 06:52:34 PM »
I have had to straiten many wings that have warped on me over the years and most of them after putting the planking on. I finnaly figured out if I preformeded the balsa before gluing they would come out straiter. I am straitening out a wing now that was warpet by the planking. It was warped so bad that when i tried to straighten it I had to cut the ribs on the side that was oppesite of the stress. after I cut the ribs it would straighten easier, Then I soaked all the wood with water and blocked a wieghted it so that it was slightly over strait so when it dried it will move again before the wood will settle in the right place. sometimes you have to do this more than once to get it right. I now have the wing straight and ready to cover. I have also straightened wings that were already finished by clear doping an twisting and heating them at the same time. Takes a lot of patience but can be done. I have also cut the covering off on one side. with a wing that was crooked from stress  of the sheer webs. I also had to cut the sheer webs out and soaked and straightened the wind with a 2x2 and wieghts. It worked and the wing flew quite good afterwards. Don't be afraid to try stuff. It is a lot faster than building a new plane.


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