Top Flite TOPA0155 - Manual (Page 10)

3. Remove all the parts from the box. Use a ballpoint
pen (not a felt tip pen) to lightly write the name or
size on each piece so it can be identified it later. Use
the
die-cut patterns on pages 8 & 9 to identify and
mark the die-cut parts before removing them from
their die sheets. Many of the parts already have
numbers stamped on them, but in some cases the
numbers are located alongside the parts or only on
the die drawings in the manual. If a part is difficult to
remove from its die sheet, don’t force it out. Instead,
cut around the part with a hobby knife and a #11
blade. After removing the parts from their die sheets,
lightly sand the edges to remove slivers or die-
cutting irregularities. As you proceed, it’s not
necessary to save every scrap of wood, but some of
the larger pieces of wood should be saved.
Note: If building the wing with fixed landing gear, do
not punch out the holes in ribs W4 and W5 for the
retractable landing gear rails.
4. Separate the parts into groups such as stab, fin,
wing, and fuse. Store smaller parts in zipper-top
food storage bags.
BUILD THE TAIL SURFACES
Make the stab and fin skins
❏
1. Use the Hot Tip that follows or your own method
to make three 1/16" x 6" x 30" [1.6 x 152 x 762mm]
balsa sheets from six 1/16" x 3" x 30" [1.6 x 76 x
762mm] balsa sheets.
F. Place weights on top of the sheet to hold it flat
while the glue dries.
G. After the glue dries, remove the tape and
sand the sheets flat and even.
E. Press the joining edges of the sheets down to
make sure they are even. This is important and will
greatly minimize the amount of sanding required
(and thus prevent over-thinning the balsa).
D. Lay the sheets on your workbench covered
with Great Planes Plan Protector or wax paper.
Use a credit card or something similar as a
squeegee to simultaneously press the sheets flat
as you wipe the glue from the seam.
enough working time to get the sheets aligned.
Hardened CA is also much harder than balsa which
can make sanding difficult.
C. Turn the sheets over and apply slow drying glue
such as Great Planes
Pro aliphatic resin
(GPMR6160) to the joining edges. Some modelers
prefer to use CA for gluing sheeting together, but
CA is not recommended because it does not allow
B. Use masking tape to tightly tape the trued
edges of the sheets together.
A. Use a straightedge to true one edge of two
balsa sheets.
HOW TO GLUE
BALSA SHEETING TOGETHER
Top Flite selects balsa that is intended for sheeting,
though occasionally a few of these sheets may have
a small nick or split near the ends. If your kit contains
a few of these sheets, arrange them and glue them
together so the defects will not interfere with the final
shape of the skin.
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