Using heat to reshape wing tips?

[Loman]

I am using the hinge method of attaching my wing tips. It is similar to the standard cowl join and is described here:

http://www.matronics.com/wiki/index....ps_with_Hinges

The edges of the tips are distorted slightly outwards by about 3/16 to ? inch and now that the hinges are bonded to them, it is very difficult to mount the tips to the wings and get the pins in, though the distortion is gone when I eventually do get them in.

In searching the archives, I see several posts referring to reshaping fibreglass with heat. I was thinking of running an electric heat gun up and down the affected area in the hope that this would relax the distortion and reset the fibreglass to the correct shape.

I am wondering if there are any pitfalls or disadvantages to this idea and whether it has a chance of working? Can anyone offer any advice on how to do it or are there any better ideas out there?

[Erik Westlund]

you can get some movement out of fiberglass with heat, but be carefull not to get them too hot. especially if they are finished. the heat will print up the surface to the pattern of the weave of the glass. be carefull. what I would do is get them in place with the pins then run the heat gun over them making sure not to stay in one place. I sometimes keep my hand near the surface so you can judge how hot you are getting. you want it hot too the touch but not so hot that you cant keep your hand on the surface. do that for a period of time say like 10 -15 mins. then walk away and let them cool with the pins in place and see what you get. you might have to do it a few times to make a noticeable difference.
good luck & happy building
Erik