Hi Steve,
I bought 1/8 inch by 1/2 inch balsa strips at a hobby shop - they didn't have
TE strip in this size. Routed a 1/8 in deep strip on the edge of a 2x4 to
hold the balsa strip (made the ends of this routed area square with a chisel
so the strip could butt), then planed the balsa into a TE strip. With the 2X4
in a vise, its easy to plane the angle on the TE strip - of course the 2X4
gets planed a little too near the routed area.
Epoxied the strips to the TE of the servo tab AFTER filling - it would be
very difficult to fill/sand the servo tab with the flettner strip in place.
Used spring clothes pins to clamp the balsa in place until the epoxy set up.
Covered the flettner strip with one layer of very thin glass cloth, available
in a 2" wide strip at the same hobby shop. Covered the top and bottom, let it
cure, trimmed, then covered the rear edge, let that cure and trimmed. Filled
the cloth - it has a very fine weave - with fairlite and sanded. Overall, it
took a few minutes each day for about a week to complete when the cure times
are factored in.
A bit time consuming (as usual) but not difficult and with the glass cloth
over it I hope the balsa will be reasonably durable. Looks nice but hasn't
been painted yet - that's when the truth will come out.
Regards, John A044
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