Hi all,

I have some foam cores and wanted to try sheeting them with balsa. I found this link and vids that show how to setup a foodsaver to vacum bag sheeting foam core wings.


https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=186029

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...ight=foodsaver

the last link has two how to vids.

My question is after you take the wings out of the bag, what do you do next. So you trim off the excess sheeting and sand to smooth the LE? Or do you trim off 1/2 inch from the LE and glue on a spruce or balsa LE and sand to shape? Same with the TE but with tapered stock?

Is there a follow on video that tells how the rest of the wing is made?

Thanks

Normally when sheeting with balsa, the leading edge is a piece of balsa or spruce, glued on after the LE is trimmed and sanded. Ther trailing edge is typically extended just past the end of the foam and produces a TE the thickness of the upper and lower surface skin combined. A thinner TE can be had by putting some fiberglass between the upper and lower sheeting, and then sanding the TE so that all that remains is the thickness of the glass. Some use TE stock, with the foam core stopping the appropriate amount short of the TE. I prefer to sheet all the way to the TE.

DLD

Thanks for the explaination. How do you trim the LE straight if the wing is not flat? Do you put it back in the core sheaths and cut it off on a table saw or is there a better way?

Originally Posted by rockbus

Thanks for the explaination. How do you trim the LE straight if the wing is not flat? Do you put it back in the core sheaths and cut it off on a table saw or is there a better way?

Hey Rockie, that's exactly how I did my LE and also where each of the panels marry togerther at the poly breaks. You can get the polyhedral angles perfect with a SHARP blade on a table saw.

Checkout these two posts to see pics of how the process looks.

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...&postcount=128

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...&postcount=144

atjurs,

Thanks for the link. I read your thread and picked up a few tips.

I'm gonna have to bit the bullet and just do it.

Thanks