stunthanger.com
Building Tips and technical articles. => 1/2 A building. => Topic started by: Chancey Chorney on November 16, 2015, 08:01:22 PM
-
Hi. Well, I will reveal the plane in question regarding the polyester covering questions. Long story short. Bought this as my first control line model back around 2000, actually forgot about it. Anyways, last week I had found it stashed in the dark corner. I cannot remember what happened to the original, but found a complete plans built wing and all parts, so threw it together. As of now, it has 2-3 coats of thinned dope applied and drying (50:50). I have a busy week now so may not touch it till the weekend. But, I am still unsure of what I will cover and paint it with. I am wanting to try the polyester in question from my other topic, but also would like to use the kit supplied tissue to try also. And fuse will be either rattle can enamel or dope. Final coat will be a coat of rattle can clear for fuel proofing.
This is as it sits drying with the dope applied.
-
Stay with dope. Rustoleum takes several weeks or more to cure. Also it is heavier.
-
Careful with rattle can clear. Most are less fuel proof than the enamel colors, unless you are using polyurethane.
Dope is lighter. Rattle cans do not shrink tissue. If you were painting the fuse and wrapping the wing with a film then go for it. If you want a tissue or silk wing you probably will be happier with the dope in the end, since weight in pretty critical on these little planes.
Phil
-
Thank you. It is looking like another all dope finish then. Yes the clear I will be using is Minwax Polyurethane Clear as per another members recommendation.
-
Hey Chancey,
Here's my little cropduster. It's covered with the chunk of the silkspan thats missing from what i sent you! ;D
-
Chancey,
What is the wingspan of that model?
Remember those kits where the fuselage was solid balsa but already shaped?
Had the firewall on the LE.
I miss that stuff.
Charles
-
Hey Chancey,
Here's my little cropduster. It's covered with the chunk of the silkspan thats missing from what i sent you! ;D
Wow Dane, that looks awesome. I can only hope that my attempt turns out half as good as yours. The only thing that I can see bad about your plane is that now I want to build one! I think that it would be cool to paint it like Disney's Planes. Did you find the plans online or draw it up yourself?
-
Chancey,
What is the wingspan of that model?
Remember those kits where the fuselage was solid balsa but already shaped?
Had the firewall on the LE.
I miss that stuff.
Charles
Hi there. I am sorry I cannot answer that right now. I will have to get back to you on your question tomorrow. But I do remember tose pre shaped fuselages on a couple of my first planes. But bear with me and I will let you know. Thanks.
-
Wow Dane, that looks awesome. I can only hope that my attempt turns out half as good as yours. The only thing that I can see bad about your plane is that now I want to build one! I think that it would be cool to paint it like Disney's Planes. Did you find the plans online or draw it up yourself?
I built that one a while ago. It's a kit from southridge cnc. Greg Rodney is a member, down in the vendors corner. Omg it flys amazing!
http://stunthanger.com/smf/southridge-cnc/baby-cropduster-kit/
-
@Aviojet - I measured mine this morning and it is 21" wingspan, and while I was at it, I looked at the plans and it said 21" wingspan. So I must be doing something right.
-
Wow, how long has this thing been around? I built and flew one back in 1965. I built it with the intention of teaching my wife to fly, but nooo, she wanted to build my Stuka Stunt, and did. She got pretty good at flying, but preferred free flight. Go figure. LL~
It's all good. More for you.
-
Ok. It has been a bit, but here is a little update on my Bean build. It has been covered with silkspan. I am now waiting till tomorrow to give it a couple of thinned coats @ 50:50 to start to fill the weave. I just have to do a little digging to find out what type of brush is good to use, or would a small foam brush be alright? All went well except for the two upper wingtips. The line side has a few wrinkles, and the outboard side has a slight 'dip' at the first rib, and a two layers of silkspan on the first bay from the outboard tip due to my botched first attempt at applying this stuff, then forgetting to add wingtip weight. So I cut the tip covering off, added weight then redid the tip. Oh well, this is a learning experience, and a good one at that! Learning from my mistakes. Anyways, here are a few pictures. Enjoy.
-
Number 2.
-
Lastly, number 3. The next pictures to follow will be after the next coats of dope.
-
Get a good camel hair brush from your art supply store and take care of it. 1 inch is what I use and I try to clean it with acetone when done brushing. It does get stiff, but let it soak in acetone and it will get flexible again. I tried a foam brush once and threw it in the trash. Also remember not to back stroke when applying the dope until the covering is sealed. The late Rusty Brown put me onto not back stroking the first few coats of dope. He stated that is how the dope gets through to the inside of the covering. This means dip the brush in the dope and make a stroke and dip again.
-
Good to hear. Thank you for the tip. Will go shopping tomorrow for a brush.
-
Bought a couple of brushes from the buck store in town where I was and had at it. Both were polyester bristles. First one was garbage, so tried the second one. It was much better, but I will have to hit the city to find a good brush in the 1" range. But anyways, I had put 3 coats of thinned 50:50 on it and sanded it. As this will be just a flier, I will probably just put on a coat of primer sealer then paint it. I am not going for a 20 point finish on this, just a fun flier that will most definitely see better days.... ::)
-
Nothing too interesting, but I am just posting a couple pictures of the plane after doping and final sanding with 400 grit.
-
Looking good. That inboard wing tip looks better after the dope, huh?
-
Yes, Dane, it does look a little bit better now that I am looking at it. Here is a current picture. I had not looked at it since sanding, so maybe the dope is doing its thing.
-
Ok. So, I lied. I was thinking I was done but I made a small baby food jar of 50:50 dope thinned with a half a teaspoon, roughly, of cornstarch as a filler. I was not going to do this, BUT, I thought it would be a good learning experience for my next project. After adding the cornstarch to the thinned dope, it went a bit yellowish/cloudy. Also, I was going to only coat the fuselage, but ended up coating the whole aircraft again. An hour later I went back outside and put another good coat over all of the wing ribs where they touch the silkspan. Now I think I am best to let it dry for a few days at least before sanding it for the last time before painting.
-
Remember to sand very carefully on the ribs. I usually use filler on just the wood surfaces. Clear dope on every thing else with light sanding after every coat of clear. Two coats of clear and then sand. Usually only let dope cure for a day.
-
Chancey,
What is the wingspan of that model?
Remember those kits where the fuselage was solid balsa but already shaped?
Had the firewall on the LE.
I miss that stuff.
Charles
Those models with carved fuselages are and have been, and are still available for 15 years, through Black Hawk Models _ www.blackhawkmodels.com
We have been making and selling these models for years.
Larry
-
I am on my exercise bike right now, but believe that the wingspan is 21 inches. Yes I remember the pre shaped fuselages in the kits, not much though as I only started around 2000. But my first 3 kits had them. Estes Beginner Ringmaster, Sig Skyray. 049, Goldberg Lil Jumpin Bean.
-
Was this possibly a big mistake I made by putting the 'filler coat' on the whole thing. I was under the impression that it was to coat the entire airframe. I guess if I was wrong in doing so, I will again learn from my mistakes...
-
I've done it both ways. You do have to be more careful sanding the open bays. But every gram saved means a lighter plane. Our illustrious leader says planes can't be light enough.