ZNLine Factory Enigma Build by Mark Novack

Now that the fin is beveled to final dimensions, the elevator need to be relieved to allow for rudder throw. Mount the stabs and mark the edge of the fin bevel on both stabs.

Our false square is still set for the rudder throw, so we can use it to mark our elevator reliefs with perfect accuracy.

The line on the left elevator shows the actual place that the rudder will move to. The right shows the relief that the elevators will get. Remember that these relief cuts still need facing. They will get 1.5mm balsa facing.

The band saw makes this easy. Only close, the sanding belt will take it the rest of the way.

Sand to the line.

Notice in the last post that the elevators where sanded together as one. We want our elevators exactly the same size. Now they are ready to be beveled.

Again, we make a double bevel here. The less one surface is beveled, the stronger it is. I will not post a bunch of pics of beveling the elevators and stabs as it is all the same as the rudder. Slowly, checking constantly, and stopping when they are perfect. After the elevators are beveled, we mount the rudder and elevators and move the control surfaces in all directions to ensure there will be no conflicts in range of motion. Remember to mentally add an extra 1.5mm into the necessary clearance. Well, here is one airplane empennage set relieved and beveled. That took about 1.5 hours. Now I will take the elevators and face the new root edges. Then we will prepare our hard points and the mounting recesses and do the final gluing on the tail pieces. We shall return shortly with a few more steps today.

The season it coming. These airplanes are not going to build themselves. We kept going with finishing up the gluing steps on the empennage. The next step after relieving and beveling was to face the new cuts on the root end. A little job, but we properly block the 1.5mm facings to keep them from bowing away from the elevator. They dry in about one hour and then get sanding flush with the sheeting. Easy step. Here they are installed and block taped.

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