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Building Tips and technical articles. => Building techniques => Topic started by: Tim Wescott on November 27, 2011, 02:22:33 PM
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I've decided that for my next build I'm going to learn how to cut foam wings, even if it is an S-1 Ringmaster. I've got the wire I bought from Sig in the late 70's, a chunk of foam that I bought from Home Depot just three or four years ago, a 12V DC power supply, etc., etc.
I'm going to be digging through my library of Flying Models magazines for articles on how to do this, but are there any good web sites out there?
I'll probably put a video from Robin's View on my Christmas list, but I mostly learn best by trying something myself and screwing it up, then reading about how to do it from an article written by an expert. Videos are nice, but things seem to sink in better for me if its all written down, with plenty of theory that I can correlate to prior experience (which is why I do best if I try it and screw up, first).
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go to youtube.
search for foam wing.
Some good ideas. Some not so good. I bult a weight fall cutter. Not real hard. Requires a little technique and learning how to make templates. People getting good cuts with crapy equipment.
Low cost CNC stuff there too.
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Tim,
I cut plenty of wings for pattern ships in the 80's, including this one.
If I can do it, anyone can do it.
There are no medals to be given out for cutting foam with a hot wire! It's easy as you will see.
I still have some unsheeted ones left, but they are solid core and have washout.
I see for CL they hollow out the centers and do other things.
I just Posted, to see what changes if any, to the cores for CL use?
You'll need two guys to pull it off. Yourself and a helper.
Nothing hard about it. The trick is to keep the wire moving at a constant speed throughout the cut distance.
We also marked the airfoil templates, both the root and tip with guide lines. 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1
This would allow each person, a visual guide to follow, for wire placement while in movement.
Tapered wings take a bit more concentration, but once you get the hang of it, it's easy.
I scratch built this award winning model in the 80's. Has sheeted foam wings 1/16 balsa, tri gear, tuned pipe and was a great flying model! 55" in span.
CB