Question about a Brodak kit.

[Pat]

Hi all,
 I have found a Brodak "Olympic Mk IV) kit in my garage that is missing a few pieces. According to the build instructions I need a "leveling bar" to pin to pin to the plans at the trailing edge of the wing to set the ribs level. Does any one know what size this leveling bar is supposed to be? I think it is 1/2 inch square but can't remember.

Pat

[Geoff Goodworth]

You can get a pretty good idea if you measure the location of the levelling bar on the wing plan and check the same position on the fuselage elevation. It's 1/2" square on the Vector and I used 1/2" square for the 42" Shoestring. I am confident that it will be a stock size.

[Randy Cuberly]

Get an Adjusto Jig...and build the wing straight without worrying about such things.

Randy C.

[Mike Scholtes]

Having built a Brodak Olympic and numerous other Brodak kits, the size of the piece needs only to be what is needed to hold the ribs level. It is probably something like 1/2 x 5/8, but you can look at the side view of the fuselage on  the plans to see where it would need to be placed to get the center (mid point of wing, the one you see on the fuselage side view) level. The object is to not build a twist into the wing. It is also very important to shim under the lower spar to make sure it goes from zero at the center rib to whatever is needed at the tip (probably about a 1/4 taper, but the plans should tell) to achieve an even taper in thickness from root to tip. The booklet that comes with the model illustrates this. Sorry if you already know all this, don't mean to besmirch your building skills.

[Pat]

None is besmerching MY building ability, I have none to besmerch , Buying a Jig is probably not in the budget right now, so I figure I will have to do it the way the plans call for. I have a Sig Magnum on the table now that I am going to have to set aside for a while due to my wife breaking the front of of the fuselage, and personal frustration.

Pat

[MarcusCordeiro]

I just finished a brodak's profile Mustang and the leveling bar was 1/2...

Marcus

[john e. holliday]

Just look in your scrap pile and see if you have a couple of strips of wood that will center the trailing edges of the ribs while the wing is nailed/pinned/glued to work surface.   In my kits I have had the so called leveling bar be two peices of wood that did not match.   Also read and reread instructions on set up as the bottom spar sometimes does not sit solidly down to the surface.  Something like center ribs being deeper than tip ribs. 

[Randy Cuberly]

None is besmerching MY building ability, I have none to besmerch , Buying a Jig is probably not in the budget right now, so I figure I will have to do it the way the plans call for. I have a Sig Magnum on the table now that I am going to have to set aside for a while due to my wife breaking the front of of the fuselage, and personal frustration.

Pat

Pat,
Check E-bay I've seen adjusto jigs there for as little as $25.00.  You really only need the Wing portion and not the Fuselage part.  Building a straight wing without a jig is possible but really easy to screw up.   The adjusto jig is not manufactured any more and I bought a second one on e-bay about a year ago for $22.00 plus postage.  Stack the ribs, drill the holes, place on the wires, set in the jig and everything pretty much falls in place.  Can be sheeted on leading and trailing edge without ever removing from jig, and this is the trick to no warps or twists.

Randy Cuberly

[Pat]

Randy,

 I just bought 2 pieces of 5/16 drill rod and 2 hardwood blocks. Drilled the blocks for 5/16, 4 inches on center and made my own jig. I will never build another wing with out it! This is the straightest wing I have ever done!

Pat

[Mike Lauerman]

Great thread, Pat! Randy and Doc, your suggestions were very clear.
This simplifies lots for me, I go ape making jigs that get used once, then get scrapped (or severely modified for the next 'act'.
Drill rod (straight aluminum tubing, thinwall stainless): simplistic solutions for straight scimitars.
It's been done before, but just now seems to fit. (budget builds)