I am interested to hear some techniques forsdhering leading and trailing edge wing sheeting.  I have used Titebond with tape and pins.  I want to try CA, but can't figure out how to do the blind side once one side is sheeted.

I am interested to hear some techniques forsdhering leading and trailing edge wing sheeting.  I have used Titebond with tape and pins.  I want to try CA, but can't figure out how to do the blind side once one side is sheeted.

Stay with the Titebond but,  I think a lot depends on the spar.  If it is classic "D" tube you don't have any access to the LE from inside.  If it is "C" tube you can use CA with long dispenser tips successfully.  I use CA as "liquid pins" to tack the sheeting to the spar from the top.  Since I leave a 1/16" or so gap for the cap strips it is pretty easy to tack it down after you tape it to get rid of any slack.  CA will run down a joint for a very long distance.  The 3-4" of the LE planking is well within that distance. This works with molded LE's as well.  Add the webbing after the planking is on.  All of this can be done on a "rod" jig by flipping the wing over after you have tack glued to the spar and tilting the jig so that the CA can run down the joint.  OR:

Just use Titebond and work on the fuselage while it dries.

Ken

Thinking about this brought back some FF memories.  I built a lot of 1/2a and A-1, A-2 wings.  Before covering (including doping the structure) we would soak them and pin then to the workbench with the desired tip washout.  When they dried, they were much less prone to warps.  I assume because all of the internal tension in the wood relaxed.  Could that be done with a PA wing?

Somewhere in here over the years, I've described what I've used for years. (Look also into the "lightening holes" topic...)

Use Titebond or Elmer's carpenter's (aliphatic resin) glues. Elmer's in fairly large jugs is lot less expensive, and lasts if well sealed....

Prepare the structure and the sheet to be bonded. Make sure all mating/gluing surfaces fit well. Fit the sheeting to size.  Jig the structure  solidly to final alignment.

For LE sheeting: Thin the aliphatic with water by about one third . Could  be more or less. You want to 'paint' a thin, creamy line onto the joint surfaces - only. Use a cheap brush (for kids' water colors?) or a fine tip glue gun. The glue should mark the joint contacting edges and remain damp or a little wet.  Press the 'sheet' you fitted onto the structure. The damp glue you painted on will mark joint lines.

Separate the pieces. Wipe the glue off the structure (some has been absorbed.) Go over the marked lines on the  sheeting to make sure the joining areas have glue on all glue lines. If needed, complete broken glue lines. (Kids' brush or syringe tipped glue gun.) Wipe off the glue.

Line up the 'sheeting' and press  structure and sheeting into full contact. With a hot 'Monokote' iron or equivalent, press the heat through the outer surface. You'll hear a  puff or sizzle when the glue 'kicks.' Seal all glue areas. It can take firm pressure - the structure must be firmly jigged or supported.

Heat speeds most chemical reactions. Aliphatic glues lose the water-weight in a typical slow-cure. This method speeds the reaction, and boils out the water - NOW 

NOTE: If the structure got warped, it wasn't adequately supported.  The joints are final-cured. It's much better not to let that happen!

 Works best on 3/32 thick or thinner light to medium weight balsa (and sheet plywood thin enough to pass heat through to the glue.) Advantages, low cost, strength, speed, and automatically correct interior joints, with NO ugly odors. .And with so little glue left on the model, it is quite light!

 

If you leave the shear webbing and the center planking off until last, you can get to the back of the leading edge sheeting quite easily.

For the last piece of center planking you can quickly use a good bead of medium CA on the 4 ribs then lay the sheet down and do the seems with thin CA.

Motorman