Eugen,

1) Keep the level lines parallel.

2) Keep the template trailing edges flush with a line parallel to the trimmed edge of the foam block.
3) Keep the level lines at the same height above the table.

The first of these requirements is the most important; it establishes the washout of the elevator to match the washout of the canard, with the caveat that the “real” reference for these surfaces is the bottom surface – see below. The second requirement is important to keep the sweep of the elevator the same as the sweep of the canard; sweep manifests as the bevel angle of the ends of the elevator so can be corrected by sanding/filling if done incorrectly. The third requirement also keeps the ends of the elevator aligned with the opening in the canard into which the elevator fits, and can also be corrected by sanding/filling if needed.

Having said all that, read page 6-1 and 6-2 and realize that the whole thing doesn’t really matter all that much: you’ll be trimming the spanwise lengths of the cores on assembly to the canard (see pages 10-9 and 9-11) and you’ll be jigging against a flat table for layups, using the bottom surface of the elevator as your final, flat reference surface to lock in zero washout or twist (same as for the ailerons). Yes, it does appear that the designers intended for the elevator to continue the washout of the canard and then abandoned that requirement in the description of actual elevator construction – not the first time things have been a little bit goofy, eh?

The important surfaces to establish during hotwiring of the cores are the outboard end of the inboard elevator core (BL49), and the inboard end of the outboard elevator core (BL49). The only place that really matters is where these two will abut at BL49. All the other measurements described (or not described) during the cutting of these cores really don’t matter much to the shape of the final elevator. When you glass the elevators you’ll establish the absence of twist and lock it in when you glass the top surface by placing the already-glassed bottom surface flat on the (flat!) table. When you install the elevators to the canard you’ll custom carve the ends and the opening in the canard to match and allow freedom of elevator movement; you may want to make those end-of-elevator cuts perpendicular to the axis of rotation about the elevator hinge line so that the elevators don’t bind when deflected, but the hotwiring instructions give a slightly canted end to the elevators that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the airplane; I personally don’t think that matters since the airflow near the ends of the elevator is deflected anyway by proximity to either fuselage or wheel pant. Use your artistic license….

Keep going, you’re going to have a great airplane!

David J. Gall