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Rudder Trim Wedge Source

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Moderator, Asst. Line Boy
Ambassador
Folks,
Since Avery has concluded his business a few years back, I've wondered if there is another vendor producing and selling that great plastic rudder trim wedge. Newer builders have asked me where I got mine, and I don't like telling them it's no longer available. Mine's awesome, but they can't have it.

Is anyone still selling that wedge?
 
Home Depot, Lowe?s, menards, door trim in maple or composite - or a piece of balsa wood, easily sanded to a wedge in about 5 minutes. Start with a piece about 6? long and work your way down flight testing. Held on initially with aluminum ?speed tape? until you get the length zeroed in.
 
And then monokote it and RTV with ultra grey....

I Went with the balsa route because I had 1 1/4? TE stock on hand. I was worried about the monokote ballooning, but two years in service and all is good. I put a couple of pinholes on the downward facing side to vent. I secured it with Ultra grey RTV. It?s a little lighter than plastic for balance, at least I told myself that. I did have to remove the first one, it was too big, best way to do that is dental floss. The ultra grey is pretty tough stuff. My final version 4? on my FP RV-9A, 320 hp, for nice centering at 145 TAS. I suppose it?s more related to IAS being an aerodynamic force, but the curve of difference is pretty shallow. At 5.5?, I was about a half ball off center, as in the outer edge of the ball was centered.
 
Balsa

I too used a balsa premade tapered piece intended to be an aileron on one of my R/C builds. I sealed it well and painted it..9 years ago. All good.
 
Just what was needed

Thanks all, great options.

Rehab, you flew a great B3 yesterday. What a weekend!
 
i made one out of scrap 3/8 inch polypro sheet i had laying around, took about 2 minutes on the table saw.
 
Wouldn't a simple Gurney flap be aerodynamically favorable? A short piece of aluminum extrusion, one flange cut down to 1% chord and tapered toward the ends to minimize induced drag? Or just bend some sheet.
 
And then monokote it and RTV with ultra grey....

I Went with the balsa route because I had 1 1/4? TE stock on hand. I was worried about the monokote ballooning, but two years in service and all is good. I put a couple of pinholes on the downward facing side to vent. I secured it with Ultra grey RTV. It?s a little lighter than plastic for balance, at least I told myself that. I did have to remove the first one, it was too big, best way to do that is dental floss. The ultra grey is pretty tough stuff. My final version 4? on my FP RV-9A, 320 hp, for nice centering at 145 TAS. I suppose it?s more related to IAS being an aerodynamic force, but the curve of difference is pretty shallow. At 5.5?, I was about a half ball off center, as in the outer edge of the ball was centered.
 
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