Welcome to http://www.edge540.com

A sub web site of http://www.rcflier.com

This web site is hosted by Bob Hudson.

I am by no means a professional or "master" builder and these procedures may not be the best methods for you.

Carden provides a nice construction guideline and color photos as an aid to building their kits.

I have chosen to build things in a little bit different order than they lay out in their manual

Part 8 - The Fin / Rudder

Prepare the fin / rudder skins exactly as Carden's booklet explains it. This is very clever use of the 48" balsa skinning sheets and works out real well.

See The layout here

Tape the joints with masking tape in the same manner we did earlier for the sheeting above. no pre-gluing of the joints is necessary as these foam core are very "flat" with not much curve to them.

Spread your favorite adhesive on the inside of the first skin. Once again I use ProBond.

Be sure to cover the bottom shuck with waxed paper, then place the "gooped" skin in the shuck

Place the foam core over the skin.

Pin the core in place through the bottom shuck to hold the core / skin / shuck in alignment while handling it

Spread the ProBond on the inside face of the second skin and place the skin on top of the core

Cover this skin with waxed paper

Place the top shuck on top of the skin and again pin it in place

Al l time be sure you have the foam core in proper alignment with the top and bottom shucks. The overhanging from the

oversized balsa skin sometimes makes it difficult to see the alignment

Be sure you have your foam assembly on a perfectly flat and solid workbench

Put a flat piece of 3/4" plywood on top and them some weights.

Leave this assembly overnight to cure

See the fin / rudder assembly in the shucks with the stones on top

See a close up view of the core in the shucks

See the assembly with the plywood and weights off

See the masking tape on the joints. Notice the overhang on the skins

See the oversized skin is now sanded flush to the core

See some of my sanding tools. 3/4" ply blocks with sandpaper contact glu4d to them. Carbide sanding blocks, very handy and last a long time. Be sure your adhesives are cured before sanding with these so you don't damage them by plugging them up with wet adhesive.

I will cut and glue the leading edge and trailing edge to the fin / rudder assembly so it can cure while I work on something else

See The leading and trailing edges glued and taped in place