Author Topic: Super Staris Build (Read 22239 times)

Steve Fitton · « **on:** August 18, 2015, 01:25:35 PM »

Started a new plane this week. Randy Smith Super Staris, planning on PA-75 for power. As you can see, sheeted foam wing construction.

jose modesto · « **Reply #1 on:** August 18, 2015, 05:50:09 PM »

Steve. Does the granite table top have the top fuse carved into the surface. If so that's Pro Stunt.
Jose

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #2 on:** August 19, 2015, 09:33:53 AM »

Actually Jose its the bottom of a mold some guy gave me. With the mold I can make molded balsa fuselages for Super Staris planes like hotcakes!!!

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #3 on:** August 27, 2015, 09:21:48 PM »

Sheeting the last stabilizer core tonight.

Doug Moon · « **Reply #4 on:** August 28, 2015, 07:31:58 AM »

Quote from: Steve Fitton on August 27, 2015, 09:21:48 PM

Sheeting the last stabilizer core tonight.

What Epoxy do you use?

Eeyore looks very interested... Don't let that smile fool you he is making sure you comply to the BOM every step of the way!

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #5 on:** August 28, 2015, 11:12:55 AM »

Z poxy finishing resin. I don't have any other true slow cure stuff around, and the z poxy cards out into a micro fine layer. The glued surface gets a coat of nitrate first to seal it

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #6 on:** September 11, 2015, 08:09:39 AM »

Added and shaped leading and trailing edges. Finished sheeted cores weigh the same as all my others, 4.5 oz each.

Doug Moon · « **Reply #7 on:** September 11, 2015, 06:56:31 PM »

That is most excellent!

Scott Richlen · « **Reply #8 on:** September 11, 2015, 07:18:41 PM »

Steve: Will it be ready to fly on September 26?

James Mills · « **Reply #9 on:** September 11, 2015, 09:02:43 PM »

Quote from: Doug Moon on September 11, 2015, 06:56:31 PM

That is most excellent!

Nice one Doug. It makes me a little sad that I actually spent perfectly good $ to go see that movie (both of them

).

James

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #10 on:** September 12, 2015, 05:29:33 AM »

Scott, unfortunately I do not have Sparky levels of building speed. Maybe by next June. ...

Scott Richlen · « **Reply #11 on:** September 12, 2015, 06:21:14 AM »

Steve:

That's still faster than me. I usually take at least 5 years to finish my planes!! (Really! Ask any of my flying buddies. It's embarrassing!)

Eric Viglione · « **Reply #12 on:** September 12, 2015, 07:30:13 AM »

That is awesome Steve!!!! That weight is better than a lot I have seen, and in all probability close to ideal for such a big plane. Good job!

I tend to build in radical spurts... it's been a while since I made much progress, but after the electrician finishes up tomorrow and I can run my shop A/C, I think I will feel a radical spurt coming on.

EricV

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #13 on:** September 16, 2015, 05:03:09 PM »

Control system going in. Morris ball links and standard phenolic bellcrank

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #14 on:** September 17, 2015, 12:31:47 PM »

Dry fit of wing panels and controls check. The panels should get joined tonight.

Matt Colan · « **Reply #15 on:** September 17, 2015, 12:34:29 PM »

Quote from: Steve Fitton on September 17, 2015, 12:31:47 PM

Dry fit of wing panels and controls check. The panels should get joined tonight.

I hope the shop Eeyore approves!! Looks good Steve! You're catching up to me quickly!

Doug Moon · « **Reply #16 on:** September 17, 2015, 02:54:11 PM »

Quote from: Steve Fitton on September 17, 2015, 12:31:47 PM

Dry fit of wing panels and controls check. The panels should get joined tonight.

Eyore says, "You will need more than blue tape on that wing joint...." and walks away.

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #17 on:** September 18, 2015, 07:58:29 AM »

Wing panels joined and after the epoxy cured the 2 oz fiberglass tape was applied with z poxy.

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #18 on:** September 18, 2015, 08:09:40 PM »

Cutting the .5 oz glass cloth for the reinforcement ellipses on the wing.

John Leidle · « **Reply #19 on:** September 19, 2015, 12:17:04 AM »

Steve , did you make your own bell crank ?
John L.

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #20 on:** September 19, 2015, 07:00:21 AM »

Put the glass ellipses on with z poxy.

John, It is a stock Morris phenolic bellcrank. I've used the Morris ones for years and they are great.

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #21 on:** September 25, 2015, 11:49:14 AM »

Assembled tip blocks, tack glued on and shaped.

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #22 on:** September 29, 2015, 07:20:19 PM »

working on the tips, putting the leadout slider in.

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #23 on:** October 01, 2015, 02:23:35 PM »

Completed the inboard tip. 15 grams...

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #24 on:** October 05, 2015, 09:04:10 PM »

tips attached, getting ready to hinge the flaps...

Crist Rigotti · « **Reply #25 on:** October 05, 2015, 11:50:33 PM »

Nice job Steve.

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #26 on:** October 09, 2015, 11:50:27 AM »

Cutting hinge slots and sanding flaps. Fun stuff!!!!

RC Storick · « **Reply #27 on:** October 09, 2015, 03:02:40 PM »

Quote from: Steve Fitton on October 01, 2015, 02:23:35 PM

Completed the inboard tip. 15 grams...

Just a tip Steve. On your next build if you sand the inside of the tips and all blocks smooth they are lighter and stronger. I always try to make the inside look as good as the outside. That's just a personal preference. Looking good is it done yet?

Phil Spillman · « **Reply #28 on:** October 09, 2015, 07:15:23 PM »

Hi Steve, I've really been enjoying your play by play on this build! Sometime I'm going to come over and get a tutorial on just how to work on a foam wing from the bottom up so to speak!

Phil Spillman

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #29 on:** October 10, 2015, 07:02:29 AM »

Quote from: Robert Storick on October 09, 2015, 03:02:40 PM

Just a tip Steve. On your next build if you sand the inside of the tips and all blocks smooth they are lighter and stronger. I always try to make the inside look as good as the outside. That's just a personal preference. Looking good is it done yet?

How do you keep the paper from catching an edge or corner of the paper when sanding in something like a tip or top block?

Alan Buck · « **Reply #30 on:** October 10, 2015, 03:17:49 PM »

hi steve what is the weight of your wing

RC Storick · « **Reply #31 on:** October 10, 2015, 04:25:36 PM »

Quote from: Steve Fitton on October 10, 2015, 07:02:29 AM

How do you keep the paper from catching an edge or corner of the paper when sanding in something like a tip or top block?

For inside the tip I CA sand paper to my finger. For outside blending run some masking tape over the wing and sand the outside of the tip to it.

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #32 on:** October 19, 2015, 01:51:54 PM »

Slacked off for a few days.... here the Morris basswood horn boxed are being glued on and then sanded to match the flaps.

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #33 on:** October 27, 2015, 07:07:48 AM »

More done on wing details. The root end of the flaps was glassed with 0.5 oz cloth, the inboard fixed tab was made, shaped and installed, and the outboard movable roll tab was made, hinged and the adjustment hardware assembled from Morris components. I will sand the hard point for the wire flush with the wing and then start detail sanding the wing and surfaces in preparation for getting some nitrate on them.

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #34 on:** October 27, 2015, 07:10:19 AM »

working some on the sheeted foam tail as well. Cut the cores apart into stabilizer and elevator sections, and joined the stabilizer cores with epoxy.

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #35 on:** October 27, 2015, 01:23:34 PM »

Wing ready to start nitrate. 14.2 ounces as you see here.

Gordan Delaney · « **Reply #36 on:** October 27, 2015, 01:32:13 PM »

Steve,

Great job. looks good too!

Gordy

Balsa Butcher · « **Reply #37 on:** October 27, 2015, 04:05:48 PM »

I like this build. Thanks for posting.

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #38 on:** November 05, 2015, 02:16:56 PM »

3 coats of nitrate on the wing at this point. Been working on the stabilizer. Installed the balsa/carbon fibre spar and then the balsa leading and trailing edges on the stabilizer.

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #39 on:** November 25, 2015, 02:18:49 PM »

Been busy with the mostly mundane process of covering the wing and flaps. I used some old K&S SGM silkspan which works pretty well. 3 coats of nitrate over the silkspan and the wing is ready for installation now. Still working on the stabilizer/elevators. Just epoxied in the horn boxes this afternoon.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #40 on:** November 25, 2015, 02:37:07 PM »

Nice work, Steve.

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #41 on:** December 07, 2015, 05:14:19 PM »

starting to dry fit the motor mount assembly to accommodate the 75. The 75 is HUGE compared to the 65!!! The mounts have to be a bit wider across the bearers to accommodate the engine case.

Randy Cuberly · « **Reply #42 on:** December 07, 2015, 05:23:16 PM »

Quote from: Steve Fitton on December 07, 2015, 05:14:19 PM

starting to dry fit the motor mount assembly to accommodate the 75. The 75 is HUGE compared to the 65!!! The mounts have to be a bit wider across the bearers to accommodate the engine case.

Hey, another great use for Hornady Bullets! I love it!

Randy Cuberly

Scott Richlen · « **Reply #43 on:** December 07, 2015, 06:12:55 PM »

Steve:

I am happy to see you moving up to a 75! Congratulations!!

That 65 wasn't any good anyway. Please send it to me for proper disposal.

Scott

Doug Moon · « **Reply #44 on:** December 07, 2015, 10:19:57 PM »

Great build!

You are keeping me inspired to stay in the shop.

Thanks

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #45 on:** December 08, 2015, 03:08:24 PM »

The tail assembly ready for nitrate, as you see it here it is 2.9 oz. The tail for Dreadnought #2 was 3.0oz, the Rapier 3.0 oz, so they build pretty consistent.

Monty Summach · « **Reply #46 on:** December 09, 2015, 03:22:08 PM »

Looking very nice - thanks for sharing.
Regards,

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #47 on:** December 11, 2015, 07:23:16 AM »

Added aluminum pads to motor mounts, and am cutting out the front formers. For the 75 the width of the motor mount assembly is exactly 2.25" outer edge to outer edge.

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #48 on:** December 14, 2015, 12:18:58 PM »

Silkspanning the stabilizer and elevators and finishing off the motor mount. Time to cut fuselage sides next.

RandySmith · « **Reply #49 on:** December 14, 2015, 02:41:07 PM »

Quote from: Steve Fitton on December 14, 2015, 12:18:58 PM

Silkspanning the stabilizer and elevators and finishing off the motor mount. Time to cut fuselage sides next.

Hi Steve
its a little late, but what I do, is to slightly bevel the insides of the metal pads, this puts the bolt closer to dead center of the wood beams and makes the fuse slightly tighter and the crutch, many others do the same, I had many people do that when they swapped the 65 out for a 75, which is just a tiny bit wider.
Your build is looking great ! Keep up the great work

Randy

Author Topic: Super Staris Build (Read 22239 times)

Eric Viglione

John Leidle