Ya'all may have recollection of a certain RSM Pathfinder I was building a good ways back. Well it is still in the same state you last saw it. The stagnation can be traced back to three root causes. 1. Lack of a space to sand and effectively work on the model, 2. Could not figure out how to both taper and shape the stab according to the plan, 3. See #1.
Well now I have ditched the part time, second home, minuscule, studio apt in NY and I am back at HOME!!! in Relentlessly Sunny Florida, I have a garage and patio where I can create copious amounts of balsa dust without having to vacuum for 48 hours to get it out of everything including body cavities. Also I have my home office which has a nice flat, big, 1/2 thick glass desk top upon which to build. Oh the JOY, I have access to my air brushes, tools, toys,....... excuse me while I lovingly caress my Roybi laser level and SnapOn roll about tool chest.
So now that I have everything situated, I've been glancing at the Stab for this plane. Sometimes I even take it in my hands and ponder a while. I almost get the urge to do something with it but then I remember how much I hate sanding and since the plans show a taper and airfoil, soon I am breaking out in a cold sweat and the stab goes right back on the shelf. So I start looking at maybe buying a different kit to build, perhaps another Brodak Vector 40 or maybe the profile pathfinder. Of course at that point I have this whole internal dialog with my self..... I say SELF! You bought all the hardware, aluminum spinner, tank, OS46VF, Tuned Pipe header,Three blade Majik carbon prop, wheels, monokote, and have finished two thirds of all the construction. So Why are you even thinking about starting something else?
To which I answer "Because I am a sniveling coward and that stab is scaring the crap out of me!
Normally I would not obsess over such things but How the F...K am I going to shape the stab so it sits flat on the fuselage sides which are flat straight edges. The sides were not laser cut to follow any sort of airfoil shape. I have no incidence meter, and the plane is already tooo big for any work surface I have. Quoting one of my favorite line form My Cousin Vinney "What a F***n Nightmare!" Someone please tell me it is OK to leave the stab flat and just taper the leading edge a bit. Else explain to me how to deal with this as my sanity hangs in the balance.....
No please excuse me while I go onto the patio and water the plants. YES!! I now have PLANTS!