Mount The Stab, Elevator, Rudder And Tailwheel - GREAT PLANES Gee Bee Instruction Manual

Mount the Stab, Elevator,
Rudder and Tailwheel
1. Temporarily install the wing onto the fuselage with two
1/4-20 nylon wing bolts.
2. Trial fit the horizontal stabilizer into the stabilizer saddle
at the rear of the fuselage. You may find it necessary to sand
inside the stabilizer saddle to remove any excess fiberglass
resin that may have accumulated in the molding process.
3. Once you are satisfied with the fit of the stabilizer
remove it from the fuselage. Using 220-grit sandpaper, lightly
sand the inside of the stabilizer saddle and the immediate
area inside the fuselage surrounding it. After you have
sanded the area, wipe the area clean with rubbing alcohol.
A
A = A
4. Re-install the stabilizer into the stabilizer saddle in the
fuselage. Center the stabilizer in the fuselage as shown in
the above sketch.
5. Once you have the stabilizer properly centered, use a
fine line felt tip pen to mark where the stab contacts the
fuselage. Mark both the top and bottom of the stabilizer.
A
B B
B = B
6. Remove the stab from the fuselage. Use the same
technique used for cutting the covering from the wing to
remove the covering from the top and bottom of the stab. Use
care to cut only into the covering and not into the wood.
7. Using 6-minute epoxy, glue the stab to the stab saddle.
Double check the alignment of the stab to the wing before
the glue cures. You can clean any excess epoxy from the
fuselage and stab with rubbing alcohol anytime before the
glue cures. Note: Do not be too concerned about getting a
large amount of epoxy between the stab and the stab
saddle. Just get enough glue into the joint to hold it in place.
In the next step you will remove the wing and a solid glue
joint will be made inside of the fuselage.
8. Remove the wing from the fuselage. Mix a small
amount of 6-minute epoxy. Using a small stick, reach into the
fuselage and force the epoxy into the stab saddle and stab
to create a solid bond of the stab to the fuselage. You may
find it helpful to add a small amount of microballoon filler to
the glue. This will thicken the glue slightly preventing it from
running out of the joint too easily. Allow the glue to cure
before starting the next step.
9. On the end of the fuselage at the tailpost, measure up
from the bottom of the fuselage 1/8" [3mm] and make a line.
Measure up from this mark 7/8" [22mm] and make another
line. Between these two marks draw the centerline of the
fuselage. On the centerline, between the two lines you have
drawn, cut a 1/16" [1.6mm] slot. You will find that this is most
easily accomplished with the use of a high speed rotary tool
and a fiberglass cut-off wheel.
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