Schleicher ASH31 4m

[MartinE]

Youth

Cut down the wing joiner to length and sanded down to required thickness, then put another coat of resin on.

[MartinE]

The fuselage sheeting hasn't given me the nice shape I want, so having to fill (and will then sand down to a nice smooth finish).

This filler is really light/fine and sands easily.

With hindsight, some intermediate formers & stringers would have helped.

[NSWanderer]

Hi Martin,

Interesting how the distances between the formers and stringers look quite reasonable on your plan - I'm surprised.

[MartinE]

I sanded down the filler and the shape is much smoother, still some areas to be reshaped but will do those when the top has been glassed.

Before I do that, the wings roots need to be lined up & bonded in - i used the wing-joiner & the location pins to make sure it all aligned.

[MartinE]

The tailfin gets a bias skin of 25gsm glass on each side, before cutting & fitting to the fuselage.

To keep it light, I absorbed excess resin with a paper towel.

[MartinE]

As mentioned before, the elevator will have a live hinge - the Kevlar is 60gsm on the bias (I rolled the fabric to flatten it as much as possible).

Spray with adhesive & allow to cure before cutting the strip.

A 12mm wood chisel is used to make a depression in the foam, ready to accept the Kevlar, fixed in with 3m 75.

The spar cap is made up of multiple lengths of 80gsm uni-carbon, folded lengthways. Inserted into wing depression.

[NSWanderer]

Your progress is impressive - should be flying by the first weekend of 2022!

[MartinE]

Still lot's to do, but it's certainly taking shape nicely.

[MartinE]

Cut the rudder off the tailfin and trimmed for a trial fit to the fuselage.
Seems to line up nicely, vertically & lengthwise.

[MartinE]

Added the balsa sheeting above the wing roots and then glassed the top surfaces (100gsm bias).