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Building Tips and technical articles. => 1/2 A building. => Topic started by: Rod Lamer on June 08, 2009, 09:34:39 PM
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I would like to thank all the guys at the Metrolina Control Line Society for welcoming me into their club. I built a P-40 1/2A plane with a Cox .049 Golden Bee/Mecoa head conversion. Took it to them and Watt showed me how it was nose heavy and how to fix it. I fixed it by moving the engine back a little over an inch and it balances much better now. I plan to maiden it soon and look foward to building and learning from these fine folks. I would post some pics but am having problems with there size. I'll keep in touch and going to build lots more 1/2A planes and work my way up to the larger birds. Thanks...Rod Lamer
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Rod,
Funny thing is, some of the flyers here also fly larger planes and either like these better or fly both.
There is room for everyone.
George
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George, you said a mouthful there!
Rod, first of all I must say welcome! I hope you get all the encouragement you need from here.
Just because the 1/2A planes are small does not mean that it is a starting point that you will abandon later!
Robert
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Advantages of 1/2A:
1) LESS MONEY REQUIRED, a big deal to some of us poorer folks. A good engine might be $40 to $50; the Cox production Sure-Start is still available I think from the Canada folks for $8 or $10? Always some on E-bay too. The planes don't use nearly as much materials, flying lines can be fishing line, a good prop (APC) is $1.85 rather than $30 or $40, A gallon of fuel will last you a year or two, get wheels off toy cars at the dollar store, use party balloons for tanks, etc.
2) LESS SPACE REQUIRED, in every aspect: Less flying space for shorter lines (although I use up to 52' with some of my .061s), less storage space (one wall will hold a BUNCH of models), less building space (build on a card table, or the kitchen counter if Mama ain't looking), etc.
3) LESS DANGER, although a 1/2A prop can cut, it can't amputate like the bigger ones can. I got hit in the back with a Cox Black Widow and lost a little skin (made a hole in my shirt too); with a big model, I'd probably be in the emergency room. You can do stupid things like grabbing the lines with your bare hand with no consequences--don't try it with a big plane.
4) LESS NOISE, important if a residential neighborhood is close. 1/2As don't require mufflers--well, they shouldn't anyhow.
5) LESS MENTAL PAIN when you crash one--on grass, many 1/2As will pretty much bounce; even when repairs are necessary they are usually minimal.
6) LESS POLLUTION if you're one of those greenies that cares.
Anyone think of any more?
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Anyone think of any more?
Well...transporting. I can fit several planes and a field box in the trunk of my Corolla. ;D
George
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easier to trim. seems to me my 1/2As are easier to true up, or maybe I'm just lucky.
Aggravations: Can be harder to start (get a electric starter), parts are a little harder t find than they used to be
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Wow! Thanks guys, thats exectly what I was thinking. I may grow into bigger birds later when my wallet can afford it. Its kinda like if you have been flying r/c all you life, flown every thing in the book, you still come back to the simpler more relaxing flying birds like Cubs. Or in our case getting the "Old Timers" out of the attic and giving them a flight or two. Nice and simple, plus a larger surplus of smaller engines. There is a place on Ebay that sells new Cox engines at a fair price and they have some great videos on Youtube.
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Whole engines are easier to come by than certain parts.
Keep in mind that few of the engines one comes across these days has the important wrenches you will need. I hope you have some already. If not get some because these are important. Using tools that were not meant to do the job can sometimes be frustrating.
Robert
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I have Cox wrenches running out my ears...holler if you need one.
George, you're absolutely right, that's one I forgot! I can put half a dozen planes plus flying gear in the back of my PT Cruiser.
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One more 1/2 A advantage - you can dare to design your own - If it works you have a one of a kind at the field. If it doesn't you haven't spent big $ and you can afford to try again. It's also a good starting point for scratch building from plans. Same reasoning success is rewording - failure is rare but cheep. My only regret is that I did not buy 20 of the Sure Starts when Cox dumped them at $3 each.
#^ #^ #^
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Whole engines are easier to come by than certain parts.
Keep in mind that few of the engines one comes across these days has the important wrenches you will need. I hope you have some already. If not get some because these are important. Using tools that were not meant to do the job can sometimes be frustrating.
Robert
This can be VERY true. Over the years Cox has had various wrenches with small nuances of difference like the width of the slot for the exhaust...used to remove the cylinder. Rule of thumb, if it is a loose fit, it is the wrong wrench and may cause a gnarled exhaust. Here are a few for just the Cox .049's over the years:
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...My only regret is that I did not buy 20 of the Sure Starts when Cox dumped them at $3 each.
#^ #^ #^
Well John, although you can't get them at that price, you can still get them at Xenalook.
George
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The reason I mention the wrenches is because So many newbies to 1/2a acquire their engines in a different way than we used to. When new, Cox included wrenches with all their engines that I can remember. This included the cars and planes and whatnot in the department stores.
Now someone buys a Sure Start, finds an engine in a box, is given one, or otherwise finds themselves with a really cool engine and then wants to power something with it.
Point is, there are lots and lots of engines being found, bought an sold with no wrenches and some of those buyers are willing to run them if they knew how but they don't realize the need for the wrenches till they do need them. Chances are they may ruin the engine trying to get the head off. Then where would they be?
I just think it is a good idea to give a heads up on this matter.
George, that is good to know and even better of your offer. I only have 4 wrenches myself. 3 for the 049 and 1 for my Pee Wee 020s. Just enough to get me by but not enough to share. I should really look into finding another for the 020s in case I get a head that really gives me fits.
Robert
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Speaking of COX tools a must have is the piston/rod set tool. I am running two new sure start jugs on my DO335. After about 4-5 runs things went sower. Reset the rods and all is good. I think that a new piston/rod has bers in the crimp joint. After a few runs the rod seats itself to the pistion and gets sloppy. After a joint tighting all seem to be good for a long time.
S?P
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Wow, I thought the Sure Starts were a steal at $6.95 each! ;D
Obviously, I missed the $3 sale. HB~>
I think the problem with the SS ball socket, is that they were never fit properly by Estes. The only SS I've opened so far, had a huge amount of slop right out of the package.
Bill
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I'm lucky enough that when my dad left me all his stuff there were two wrenches for each engine in the box. I don't have alot but enough. Did I read correctly, the newer Cox engines ned the piston reset very soon after starting or breakin. I was tempted to order a couple basic motors to play around with. I think Zenalook on Ebay has them and alot of them.
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Rod,
I'd suspect any of the engines sold by Estes, not just the Sure Starts.
I would not run the Sure Start that I mentioned, without seating the ball socket first.
Bill