Is it still a mistake if you learn something from it?

Just a quiet, reflective shot as the full moon rises over another late night.

OspRey was one of the first LSX kits, and there was still some testing to go when I got her. One thing that was discovered was that the stabs and fin needed a little reinforcement, and a couple years ago I was sent a set of reinforcing sleeves to rivet onto the existing structure. Presumably, newer kits have different reinforcements. (I also have a clause in my contract that says I will get any changes free of charge, but that's another story. Stay tuned.)

At first I thought of trying to mask the reinforcements, but it wasn't possible, and I've since grown to like them. Gives OspRey a little touch of Steampunk.  

The stabs were the first thing Einar and I built so many years ago, and Yeah, being a sentimentalist I took a few minutes to reflect on the journey, thing things I've learned (both good and bad), and the people I've met and learned from. 

The stab are covered using the same methods as the flaps and ailerons, but I deviated from the manual and used a single piece of fabric. I'm not going to repeat the process except for a couple highlights. Here I'm shaping the curve over the tip.

Attach, glue, wrap, flip, and iron the other side to make the curve. It was a challenge to do it without cutting the fabric, the kind of challenge I like. Craftsmanship and all that.

With the stab covered I couldn't resist fitting it and taking a look. She's getting closer to looking like an airplane and not a collection of parts.

Moving on to the right hand stab, I took a moment to make a CS check to prevent DS mistakes. (A Common Sense check to prevent Dumb Shit mistakes.)

Despite this, when I went to attach the fabric to the structure something slipped, the fabric got misaligned and I ended up with a fold in the covering. I tried to salvage it but couldn't, and made the decision to start again.

I had been cutting my fabric with an extra (some may say wasteful) margin, and after trimming it off and looking at the remainder, I decided that IF I did it correctly I could still salvage the piece, and it would be a challenge to be precise in my work.

I was extra careful, did a good job and was able to reuse the piece. Fun!

Scott stopped by while the PolyTak was drying, and I spent some time showing him how it all worked. Like a lot of us, Scott is a former model airplane builder, and the PolyFiber also reminded him of working with Monokote. The PolyTak wasn't quite set up enough for full shrinking, but he was able to get a feel for the basics of shrinking the fabric.

A few hours later though, it was time. I will confess that ironing has gotten old.

I was only home for a couple days, long nights trying to squeeze in every minute of summer while I can. 

But pinking tape is still another challenge to do right, and make look good. The next day a bit of heat sealed the edge of the fabric,

and a little reducer and/or MEK cleaned up the tips of the tubes.

Remember what I said about a CS check to prevent DS mistakes? Everybody sing: "One of these things is not like the other thing..." I... uh... forgot to remove a couple bolts from one stab.

The bolts are for the hinges, and it would have been necessary to melt a hole in the fabric for them anyway. A soldering iron carefully cut the fabric away from the bolts, allowing them to be removed. Pinking tape then covered the holes, and got cut away again.

The manual calls for the tip bolt to be removed, and the angle brace should hold it in place. It's not that I don't trust the manual, but I decided to leave the bolt in place while I covered. I'll remove them before I do the pinking tapes.

Getting the elevators ready, I bent the edges of the trailing edge sheeting down, like you do on the wings.

My little pink OspReyMingo will have to wait until mid-August for more work.