NCFM 48" Bluto Construction Photos

(For the 56" Bluto, check out my Bluto 56 page, includes build instructions)
Click on a photo to see a larger version.
Also realize that the whole ballast tube installation is optional.



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Ballast tube wrapped around 5/8 brass
tube.  Made by covering brass tube with
4-5 wraps of wax paper then covering with
3 layers of 3/4 oz glass cloth and slow
epoxy. Squished the excess
epoxy out.   Shown here afterwards.
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Ballast tube after removing from brass tube,
and trimmed at the ends.

(Note, for the 56" Bluto I just used the next size up brass tube instead of building it out of glass)

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Ends capped with balsa plugs and Gooped in.
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Slots cut in the end of the brass tube
for use as a foam drill.
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Drilled into the center wing sections at the
CG (5 inches from back of drag spar on TE on the 48" Bluto and 6 inches from the back of the drag spar on the 56" Bluto)
Make sure to keep it absolutely straight.
Use a square and lay the wing flat and
support the end of the brass tube to keep
the holes lined up.
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Cut the foam plug out at the other end
with a small slit and extracted.
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The ballast tube was test fitted to make sure
the wing sections lined up with each other.
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Center wing sections together with
ballast tube in place. Pre-mounted nose
weights visible at the bottom.
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Slit cut from spar back to TE
and poly tube (plastic tube)
expoxied into place. Notice fine slit just
behind the spar groove. The wire through
the front of the poly tube goes in that slit.
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Another groove cut
and the slightly bent wire goes
over the tube and down into the
slot.
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The balsa block epoxied into the groove
above the poly tube. They will be sanded
down.
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Same thing on the bottom.



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