Bug HLG

Hey guys! Glad to see some activity on this board. I use a Mark Drela inspired cruciform tail on my Lil' Bugger hybrid with no troubles. I use the .75oz glass/water poly method as well with the thin CA soaked edges. Prior to soaking the edges I lay the vertical fin on the building board and use my razor saw to cut thin kerf in the leading edge of the lower portion (subject to ground contact) at a 45 degree angle to vertical. I then insert a piece of CF or 1/64 ply and set with CA. Trim/sand to match your LE and soak the perimeter with CA. It's bullet proof and can even stand up to landings on asphalt (LB has a PETG pod for a nose). The fin has a concave radiused slot for the boom to mate up to and is attached with thick CA. I've never lost a tail and this plane is regularly flown by my two young boys who are just learning to fly. Here's the URL for the Little Nipper group with photos. http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/littlenipper/lst?.dir=/ Lil%27+Bugger&.src=gr&.order=&.view=t&.done=http%3a// briefcase.yahoo.com/ Happy Building. Chris --- In BugHLG@yahoogroups.com, "bob_chiang2 <rhc3@c...>" < rhc3@c...> wrote: > Mike and Paul, > > You both asked about strengthening the balsa for a cruciform tail > (great looking model by the way). > > I was also skeptical about using 1/16", but figured I might as well > start light and replace and beef things up if needed. All I did was > to wipe water based acrylic polyurethane on the tail surfaces and run > the edges through a puddle of CA glue. I did add a wire skid to the > bottom of the vertical fin (though it came off at some point, and I > haven't replaced it). > > The only time I have broken the tail was on a missed catch, and the > model fell vertically down onto the tail. I am better off landing it > on the ground :) > > The only weak spot I retrofitted with reinforcing is the leading edge > of the horizontal stabilizer right next to the boom. I think when I > land, weeds would slide along the boom and catch on the stab. So I > inset a piece of hardwood. Laminating a piece of 1/16" square bass > onto the leading edge (just like a free flight HLG wing) would be an > elegant solution. > > If you want to reinforce the balsa with glass cloth, some folks use > water based poly instead of epoxy.