Great Planes Yak-54 1.60 ARF - GPMA1411 - Manual (Page 14)

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5. Test fit the stabilizer in the fuselage. Center the stab left
and right in the fuselage. Stand back 15 to 20 ft [5 to 6 m] and
check to be sure the stab is parallel to the wing. Adjust the stab
saddle as needed until the stab and wing are parallel. If
necessary, weight can be added to one side of the stabilizer as
shown above to bring the stab parallel to the wing. When the
stab is glued in place permanently, the same amount of weight
will be added temporarily while the epoxy cures.
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6. Measure the distance from the tip of each wing to the
tip of the stab. Adjust the stab until the distance from the tip
of the stab to the tip of the wing is equal on both sides.
Center the stab in the fuse left and right.
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7. Use a felt-tip marker to mark the outline of the fuselage
onto the top and bottom of the stab.
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8. Remove the stab from the fuse. Use a sharp #11 hobby
knife or use the following Expert Tip to cut the covering
1/16" [1.6 mm] inside of the lines you marked. Use care to
cut only in the covering and not into the wood.
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9. Use 30-minute epoxy to glue the stab into the fuselage.
For the most strength, apply epoxy to both sides of the stab
and inside the fuse where the stab fits. Slide the stab into
position. Wipe away any excess epoxy with a paper towel
and denatured alcohol. Do not disturb the model until the
epoxy has fully hardened.
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10. Mix up 1/4 oz. [7.5 cc] of 30-minute epoxy. Using a
toothpick or wood scrap, apply epoxy to the inside of each
hinge point hole. Apply a light coat of epoxy to one end of all
the hinges for the elevators. Insert the hinge points into the
holes, wiping away excess epoxy with a paper towel and
denatured alcohol. Be sure the hinges are inserted in the
correct orientation. Apply epoxy to the other ends of the
hinges and slide the elevators into place. Use masking tape
to hold the elevators in position while the epoxy cures.
Use a soldering iron to cut the covering from a balsa
sheeted surface. The tip of the soldering iron doesn’t have
to be sharp, but a fine-tip does work best. Allow the iron to
heat fully. Use a straightedge to guide the soldering iron at
a rate that will just melt the covering and not burn into the
wood. The hotter the soldering iron, the faster it must
travel to melt a fine cut. Peel off the covering.
How to cut covering from balsa
14