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Building Tips and technical articles. => 1/2 A building. => Topic started by: Robert McHam on March 31, 2009, 12:51:39 PM
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I am trying to get back into the swing of things and have a couple of projects I am working on.
The first of which is a little Cox Pee Wee 020 powered tether plane I am converting to control line.
Changes I have made:
Moved the stab back to allow elevator control without having to use a joiner for the separate elevator halves.
Added a little subfin in the back. I love subfins and just couldn't help myself. Every time I looked at the plan it just looked like it needed one.
Made a decision on where to hinge the elevator and divided the two components.
Omitted the dowel for the tether
Changes I might make or will make:
Since I have no 1/16 ply (and won't for a while) I am going to find a substitute a material to take its place. This is my biggest hold up for now.
Move the CG back some!!! Balance as shown on plan is ahead of the firewall.
Being a biplane Seems there is some sort of rule that the spacing between upper and lower needs to be greater that the wing chord?
I might need clarification on that.
The plan has the spacing to be 1 3/8" and the wing chord is 2 3/4". I guess that is fine for tether and suppose it would fly anyways but might be better to increase the distance?
Add C/L control.
Not sure where I want the bellcrank location or leadouts just yet.
Suggestions?
I might even omit the bellcrank! I know a way! Still has to have a leadout location.
Can an adustable leadout be made light and small short of drilling a bunch of holes and having to redo the leadout lines each time?
Any thoughts or comments are welcome and appreciated.
Robert
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I really intended for this project to be my number one for now but it has slowed somewhat. Tonite I have started on the firewall substitution. It is round and I have discovered that popsicle sticks or as some may refer to them as "craft sticks might be the perfect solution. They appear to be made of white birch and exactly 1/16" thick which is the correct thickness I need. I require two of these to sandwich another 1/16" thick balsa sheet which outlines the LG.
The width of these times three is exactly the diameter of the firewall! How cool is that? Thus far I have epoxied three sticks edgewise and will wait till tomorrow to make my first one.
In the past I have used 5 min. epoxy for most of my needs. I have been less than satisfied over the long run as it often gets a little rubbery in time. I have since switched to 30 min. epoxy for better results. We shall see.
Time marches on and I progress. I have other projects I have started and need finishing. Those will wait for now.
Robert