Estes Mini A Heli #007272, Build, Part 11, Helicopter Blades

The helicopter blades are removed from the balsa sheet. The leading, trailing and outside edges are rounded. The notched end (near the X3 side) stays square.
The instructions make no mention of air foiling the blades.

The instructions show the hinge arm glued in place and CA glue applied to the outside edge.
I set the arm into the blade slot to see where it made contact with the balsa. I applied medium CA glue to the edges where it wouldn't touch the blade.




Here's how the arm is positioned on the blade.




The bottom of the arm should be flush, even with the flat side of the blade.

The blade is to be scored with a knife and cracked down the line.
I tried to score the first blade but my knife wanted to travel out of the laser cut line and into the wood grain.

TIP: Trace down the line with a sharp, soft pencil. The pencil line will give you a better contrast and help direct the knife down the line.

Use light consistent pressure, you aren't trying to cut all the way through the 1/16" thick balsa.

The blade will be cracked down the line, leave some of the balsa to act like a crack "hinge".