I messed up and stuck the elevator crooked

[barrosinc]

Hi! need some help

I did this:



It´s my first plane... I was so concentrated looking at it from the top that I did not level it from behind...

I used 6 minute epoxy which is rock hard by now.

Please help!

[CHELLIE]

No Problem get a small blade screw driver, sharpen it like a chisel, and cut the wood above the glue joint on both sides, work slow from the back side, use a very small hammer on the sharpened screwdriver, then sand off the glue on the elevator, use a dremel tool to sand off the glue. you can also tape a piece of thin card board on the elevator as a protector and use a hack saw blade to cut the wood with, work slow and careful.

[kyleservicetech]

Originally Posted by barrosinc

Hi! need some help

I did this:



It´s my first plane... I was so concentrated looking at it from the top that I did not level it from behind...

I used 6 minute epoxy which is rock hard by now.

Please help!

Another option with epoxy. It is temperature sensitive! Heat it up real hot with a heat gun, or with the tip of a soldering iron, and it "lets go". I've "unglued" epoxy and yellow carpenter (Titebond) glues many times with a heat gun. Doesn't work with CA though.

Be sure to do that in a well ventilated area though.

[gramps2161]

Another way is to take a hacksaw blade and heat it up just hot enough to melt not burn the plane. Gently start at the back and work you way forward. Might have to pull the blade out to reheat it so it doesn't cool off and get stuck. I have used this on a crooked tail feather just have to be patient and take your time. Clean the old epoxy off like was mentioned above and you get a chance for a redo.

[Rodneh]

You can also remove the rigid back from a razor saw (so it will cut deeper than the width of the saw) and carefully saw the glue line out. You can also clamp or bolt an Exacto blade or broken hack saw blade to the tip of a solder gun and work the hot blade through the glue joint. On some solder guns you can bend the copper tips enough so that the bulky handle will be out of the way.

[solentlife]

Originally Posted by kyleservicetech

Another option with epoxy. It is temperature sensitive! Heat it up real hot with a heat gun, or with the tip of a soldering iron, and it "lets go". I've "unglued" epoxy and yellow carpenter (Titebond) glues many times with a heat gun. Doesn't work with CA though.

Be sure to do that in a well ventilated area though.

The tail shown by OP has covering .... not a good idea to be honest to start applying heat.

My Solution would be to take sharp knife ... slice into fuselage on the LOW elevator side ... insert piece to align elevator / stab properly. Simple .. works ... only issue is to sort cosmetics.

Nigel

[JetPlaneFlyer]

If you cut right up against the bond line of the glue joint on the high side. Put a bit of sandpaper in the cut and sand away hair's breadth or two. That should level the tail. Then just wick a drop or two of thin CA into the join. That should be all but undetectable.

Bottom line is there are scores of ways of doing it but it does need to be fixed. Before re-gluing trial fit the wing and get the tail lined up with the wing, that's what's important to how the plane flies, not how level it sits with the fuselage resting on the ground (though in a perfect world it will be level in both instances)

[solentlife]

Funny how everyone says to cut / slice etc. at the glue line ... a) that's awkward as difficult tucked up against stab .. b) hard to cut usually.

Personally I cut into foam or balsa material close to the glue line but where I can control knife easier. Second it's not as hard as glue line. You can keep it neater and usually can hide the work better.

As JPF says - most important is wing and tail in line ... fuselage is just a box to carry gear. The QBee I just built has a distinct cant to the fuselage due to a misaligned fuselage former, but wing and tail are aligned to each other ... that's the main point.

Nigel

[Beemerider]

I'd just leave it alone. Just lean your head to the right while your flying. You'll never notice the difference!

[stuart]

as i looked at you fuse,i would take my dremel with a large thin cutting wheel. turn on the vacuum and cut real close to the underside of the stabilizer. you won't have to cut through the entire glue joint as it will give up its grip after cutting around the edges. the cutting wheel could be one of those fragile kind thats around 1 1/2" round. or the larger 2" metal wheel.[I'd use the fragile red wheels and replace it idf it breaks.]

then re-glue it and pickup some pin striping to cover the repair work or even strips of the covering ironed on won't look bad from on top...lol....

please share what you choose to do and help us all learn repairs for just such things.

[bestzhara]

Don't worry!!!...anything can be fixed...ask me I know....we all make mistakes. I would just use a very sharp blade and slow cut it.....dremel...not so keen on using that might just create more problems

[JetPlaneFlyer]

Originally Posted by bestzhara

...dremel...not so keen on using that might just create more problems

+1, I've never quite understood why anyone would take a dremel to balsa when you can cut it easily and with far more control with a modelling knife. Dremels are handy tools but IMHO not for cutting balsa, it's like trying to trim your finger nails with a chainsaw

[solentlife]

I have a copy of a Dremel ... and it's great for many jobs - but hollowing foam... I use a soldering iron - it creates a strong skin, for cutting balsa etc. - I use sharp knife. The Dremel with carb wheel of course cuts piano wire !

Nigel

[barrosinc]

I ended up cutting the balsa wood and sticking it back on... it's doesn't look the best but it is aligned, so it's good enough for me.

Thanks for all the help.

[Beemerider]

One good thing about flying RC, you will have lots of "opportunities" to better your repair abilities!

[xuzme720]

I did the same thing on my second built up 2M bird. I just mounted the vertical tail at 90 degrees and then made the wing seat match the tail. Never had any issues. It did look weird but flew well. At least for the short time it flew, but that was my fault...

+1 for repair abilities! Almost every flight for me! I guess I shouldn't be proud of that...