Quiz AMW’s team of contributors, regarding your own modelling mysteries…
BUTT-JOINS
Strength and accuracy
Q “I was wondering if your team could help with a technique that eludes me please? When a kit uses a buttjoin for two mating surfaces, such as a wing or tailplane, what’s the best way to drill and align a pin or piece of rod between the two to strengthen said join? It’s something I can’t seem to get right and often end up with a step or misaligned piece.” Jonathan Dick, Wellington, New Zealand
AMW’s Mike Grant replies: “Butt joins are inherently weak so you’re right in trying to strengthen them, and brass rod offers the rigidity necessary, while being easy to cut and work with. The first step is to attach the wing temporarily (the same technique would apply to a tailplane of course) and correctly in position on the fuselage, with masking tape and Blu Tack. The wing’s top edge can then be traced onto the fuselage with a sharp pencil. Also make two pencil lines that intersect with and continue onto the wing top surface, then do the same below the wing.
Remove the wing, join the two pencil marks on the fuselage side and do the same across the wing thickness. The holes for the pi…
