Top Flite TOPA0220 - Manual (Page 11)

Note: Some modelers tend to sand the sheeting too
much after it is applied to the structure, making thin
spots where fingers can easily go through. By
following the procedure above (specifically, by aligning
the joined edges of the sheets as shown in step E),
little sanding should be required. Most of the sanding
that is required should be done before the sheeting is
glued in place. The only sanding that should be
required after the sheeting is glued to the structure is
final sanding with 320 or 400-grit sandpaper.
❏ 8. Use medium CA or aliphatic resin to glue the
stab skin to the top of the stab. Align the skin even
with the TE of the stab. Note that the sheeting is
positioned so that it overhangs one end of the stab.
❏ 9. After the glue dries, remove the stab from the
building board and trim the sheeting along the LE
and both tips. Save the leftover sheeting for use in
the next step.
❏ 10. Locate another hard sheet of 1/16" x 3" x 24"
[1.6 x 76 x 610mm] balsa. Use this sheet and the
leftover sheeting from the above step to make
another stab skin.
❏ 11. Turn the stab over and use a sanding block to
sand the un-sheeted side of the stab flat. Use
medium CA or aliphatic resin to glue the stab skin to
the stab. Align the skin even with the TE of the stab.
The sheeting is positioned so that it overhangs one
end of the stab.
❏ 12. After the glue dries, remove the stab from the
building board and trim the sheeting along the LE
and both tips. Save the leftover sheeting for use in a
later step.
BUILD THE ELEVATORS
❏ 1. Pin the die-cut 1/8” balsa control horn base
into position. Use 1/8" x 1/4" x 24" [3.2 x 6.4 x
610mm] soft balsa sticks to cut all of the parts for
both elevators. Pin them into position and glue the
parts together with thin CA where they join.
❏ 2. After the CA has cured, remove the pins from
both elevators. Use a sanding block with 150-grit
sandpaper to sand the elevators flat.
Here are a few other things to keep in mind
while sanding balsa sheeting:
1. Make sure you sand the sheets on a flat work
surface that is free from hardened drops of glue or
other imperfections that will damage your
sheeting.
2. Sand the sheeting only as much as required.
The inside of the sheeting needs to be sanded just
enough to remove excess glue and doesn’t have
to be perfectly flat or smooth.
3. Though more material can be removed by
sanding across the grain, this leaves scratches in
the balsa. Balsa sheeting should be sanded with
the grain—especially when finish-sanding.
4. If some of the glue joints are uneven, it may be
best just to leave them that way, rather than to
sand the sheets too thin. A slightly uneven glue
joint is preferable to paper-thin balsa.
F. Place weights on top of the sheet to hold it flat
while the glue dries.
G. After the glue dries, sand the sheets flat
and even.
E. Press the joining edges of the sheets down to
make sure they are even. This is important. Little
sanding will be required if the sheets are even.
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