What's the best way to straighten a foam wing? My way! Most people building Lidl glider RC conversions take out the wing dihedral, this is the best way I have found for doing it. Quick and easy!
I did think about that Cliff. WARNING do not pour boiling water on your hands! It will HURT. It was pretty hard doing it with a camera on a tripod between me and the sink!
…i built over 20 of these and methods of straighten the wings has evolved during builds…the best controlled straightening i found out is this: draw a line exactly at the dehedral bottom side…take a hacksaw and go 2/3 through (yes its scary!)…fold a 120/180 sanding paper (should feel squeezed in)…widen the gap until the wing easily folds straight or even a tiny little bit over…fill the gap with epoxy (2 components resin)…masking tape and place flat and weigh down…straight forever…i decrease the wingload with large 35 mm flaperons and need an absolute straight trailing edge…
Hi John, now that I've built 6 of them I am inclined to agree with you! Hot water does work but you need a carbon strut to stop them slowly bending again. Nowadays I make a cut half way through, run a bead of your hot glue down it and bend it straight and hold it, maybe with a slight overbend, until the glue goes off.
I have just bought a Lidl glider from the new batch they are selling (on sale from 21 Aug 22). This is a brilliant video that will really help me build mine. Thanks
That's great, they are addictive! I've built about 7 variations from single, to twins, biplane and EDF. I guess you saw my build video it's a good guide. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ceNpxgB62Gk.html Regarding the wing this method works with some LIdl's but sometimes they have used different foam and you may need to make a cut and then hot glue the wing straight.
Thanks Bob, I just tried this technique and it worked a treat, it also works well for softening the hot glue that holds the canopy on but be very careful!
I had one that arrived with a fusilage bent as a banana, hot water sorted that. Sometimes with a wing you need to make a cut and re glue to take out dihedral though.
I'm new to the RC planes. I have one spare Lidl glider but I'm lost why in general we need to make the wing straight? It files better or it's only to make longer ailerons?
Good question, if you leave it in it will be easier to fly as it helps a plane self level. But it's true if you straighten the wing you can extend the aileron further out which make it more efficient. If you make them shorter but a bit wider they still work ok. If you want good aerobatics and quick rolls etc longer probably best. Getting to the straightening, hot water is ok , but mostly now I make a shallow cut and then hot glue. The last build, my Lidl 'Spitfire' , I made the cut on the underside. Check it out! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-N-z45QNjyZ8.html
Do you feel like you get the core material warm enough? Maybe us a cloth to catch the pouring water so it gets more time in contact with the wing to transport the heat in to the wing? 🤔🤔
Seems to work OK, but that might be useful. Some people say cut and glue shut is better. And it's true that unless you put a bit of carbon in they do tend to spring back a bit. I've used both methods.
Ha ha, I'm sat here half pissed on red wine and you gave me a good laugh mate. Or can I call you cobber? ;) Pubs are open from 0600 today but I won't be rushing to go. I see they have some local lockdowns in Oz now? Melbourne I saw on TV.
@@bobflyman Yep, mate. They had it just about beat here. Then some penny-pinching moron polies decided it would be cheaper to hire Arthur Daley & Co Private Security Guards to keep some returnees corralled in a posh hotel in Melbourne. Some of the even more moronic Private Dicks decided to help entertain some of the ladies then go and visit their 200 relies all over town to brag about it. Now they are trying to deal with the aftermath (and the fact that though they are doing many thousands of tests daily they report that at least 10,000 have refused to be tested!) Won't be sorted till there's tanks and .50 cals on every intersection! God help us!
I used the hot water followed by cold method, but first I wrapped a cloth around the part I wanted to bend, which retained the hot water next to the foam, so probably used less hot water. It worked very well.
