Build the fin – Top Flite TOPA0300 User Manual

Page 14

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18. T

ape the Ele

v

ators to the Stab making

sure that y

ou ha

v

e

the correct clear

ance around

the Balance T

abs

. Hold the bent 1/8”

Ele

v

ator

Joiner Wire

and

Horn

up to the Ele

v

ator and

mar

k the location of the Joiner Wire holes that

will be per

pendicular to the hinge line (see the

plans f

or the joiner location).

NO

TE: The Ele

v

a

tor Horn is off-center

.

When looking at the top surface of the

Stab, the Horn will be to the right of

Stab center

.

19. Dr

ill 9/64” holes in the ele

v

ators f

or the

Joiner wire

. Cut slots inboard of the holes to

allo

w the wire to be inset into the ele

v

a

tors

, flush

with the LE. Sand the

Ele

v

ator LE

to a

V

shape to allo

w f
or Ele

v

ator tr

a

v

el — ref

er to the

plans f

or the correct angle

.

20. T

est-fit, b

ut do not glue the joiner wire into

the Ele

v

a

tors

. Chec

k to see that the Ele

v

a

tors

align with each other proper

ly and that the

y fit

the Stab without binding. Mak

e adjustments b

y

remo

ving

the Joiner Wire and then bending it,

if required.

1. Co

v

er the Fin/Rudder section of the plans

with w

a

x

ed paper

.

2. Punch out the die-cut 3/32” balsa r

ibs

V-

1

through

V-

6

. Be sure to preser

v

e

their jig tabs

.

NO

TE:

If y

ou plan to install an operational

beacon light on top of the Fin drill a 3/16

hole thr

ough the center (fr

ont to bac

k, top

to bottom) of eac

h rib. This hole will pr

o-

vide a passa

g

e

f

or the wiring.

3. Cut a 15” length of the tapered 1/4” balsa

Stabiliz

er/Fin LE

stoc

k to

matc

h the plans

e

xactl

y

, as the length of the LE sets the angle of

the fin.

Notice that the Fin LE fits into a notch on

top of F-8.

4. Punch out the die-cut 1/4” balsa

Fin TE

and lightly sand the edges to touch them up

.

Sand (or cut) the tips to match the s

w

eep angle

as sho

wn on the plans

.

5. Sand an angle on the ends of each r

ib to

match the s

w

eep angle of the LE and TE. Pin

ribs

V

-1
and

V

-6
to the b

uilding board o

v

er their

proper locations

. Center the LE on the front of

the r

ibs and glue it in place

. Center the Fin TE

on the aft edge of the r

ibs and glue it in place

.

6. Put r

ibs

V-
2
through

V

-5
into their places

and glue them to the LE and TE.

Remember

, all

jig tabs should contact the w

ork surface

.

7. Glue the die-cut 3/32” balsa

Fin Gusset

into the cor

ner of V

-6 and the T

railing Edge

.

8. Apply e

xtr
a CA+ glue to an

y joints that do

not appear to be w

ell glued.

9. Blend the LE to match the r

ibs on the

upw

ard f

acing (left) fin side

. Sand the TE, if nec-

essar

y,

to b

lend smoothly with the r

ibs
.

10. Mak

e

a skin f

or each side of the fin using

1/16” x 3” x 30” balsa sheet. Lea

v

e

e

xcess balsa

on one edge of the skin so it

o

verhangs past

V

-1 about 5/8

; this will allo

w fitting to the stab

later

. With the str

ucture flat on the tab

le

, glue on

the left (upw

ard-f

acing) skin.

30"

3"

FIN SKIN

Build the fin

14

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