Showing posts with label Strakes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Strakes. Show all posts

Friday, July 26, 2024

Enerjet by Aerotech Strong Arm Build, Part 4, Strakes



On the left is the front of the strake, on the right is the rear.
The final tip cuts are marked with pencil.









Cut them a little wide outside the pencil lines. Then sand to shape with a block.








TIP:
It's easier to visualize the shape by turning over the strake and checking the bottom.
I drew a centerline to better see the wedge shape.

Thursday, July 25, 2024

Enerjet by Aerotech Strong Arm Build, Part 3, Strakes





Here I'm cutting the back of the strake.
Notice I'm cutting a little outside the pencil line.


The top picture shows the rough cut using a knife.




Here's the same cut after sanding with 220 grit on a block, followed by 400 grit on a sanding block.


Another before and after picture - 


220 to take down the rough cuts then 400 grit to smooth.


This inside angle is tough to smooth out.

Mark the side with a pencil and use a finger to block the block edge from cutting in too deep.

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Enerjet by Aerotech Strong Arm Build, Part 2, Strakes





The strake material is white plastic, 12" long.

Be sure to check the lengths of the four strakes.
Set back to back, one strake was about 1/16" longer than the other three.
Even them up before trimming the strake shape.

Use a pencil to mark the side of the strake cuts.
The top picture shows the rear of the strake.

The bottom picture shows the front half of the strake.
At first I tried a razor saw but the raised base made it difficult.
It's also hard to get a straightedge onto the surface to use as a cutting guide.

I ended up simply cutting the lines freehand. I cut a little wide knowing I would do the final shaping and cleaning up with a sanding block.
In the two pictures on the right side - 
This obtuse (inside) angle cut is the most difficult.

Start and stop your cuts right at the apex of the inside angle.
The upper picture shows one cut.
The strake is flipped over in the second picture showing the start of the cut from the center to the outside edge.