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.php/Attach_Wingtips_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?
http://www.matronics.com/wiki/index.php/Attach_Wingtips_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?