This completes the making of one wing
skin.
Using the copies made earlier, make up
the other three sheets in the same
manner.
To complete the skins and get them
ready for application to the wing, you
may now sand the wing skins as a single
unit to eliminate any seems and make
the skin perfectly flat.
Overview of Application
The main wing cores are designed so that the skins should extend past the foam T.E.
(Trailing Edge) approximately ½ inch. To arrive at a sharp trailing edge, we have found
that beveling the inside T.E. of each balsa skin approximately ½ inch and then applying
the skins so this bevel extends past the foam yields great results. In this manner the
trailing edge is finished upon sheeting. Beveling the two skins also allows us to install a
thin piece of material such as 1/64th ply or even a strip of Carbon Fiber to further
reinforce the trailing edge. To do this correctly you must first Bevel the TE of the wing
skin as mentioned. Then place the skin into position on the cradle that the foam comes to
you in. Next the core is placed on top of the skin. Then the TE of the foam is aligned
parallel to the TE of the skin but a ½ inch inboard. Holding this position, you now need
to make a mark at the front and rear of the balsa skin at the center of the two wings’ joint.
Remove the skin and, using a straight edge cut a straight line between the two marks.
Now the skin is ready for application.
Beveling the Skins
On the inside of the skin, draw a line parallel
to the TE ½ inch towards the front. Place the
skin on a flat surface and use a straight
sanding block to taper or bevel the balsa from
a full 1/8
th
of an inch at the line to nearly
nothing at the extreme TE. Then, on the
bottom skin only, you can if you desire, add a
3/8
th
or ½ inch strip of 1/64
th
ply or even a
thin Carbon Fiber laminate onto the beveled
edge. When the top skin is applied the bevel
on that skin will meet with the bevel on the lower skin yielding a trailing edge that needs
little or no sanding.
Thin Ply or Carbon Reinforcement
1/8
t
Balsa Wing
Skins.
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