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Building Tips and technical articles. => Building techniques => Topic started by: Randy Powell on January 24, 2009, 08:16:37 PM
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Well, it seems that the thread on profiles got zapped. Oh well.
Got more done on the toad today. Wing is starting to come together and I got a lot down on the nose and started shaping the stab. If ci can get going full blast on this thing again, should be able to start assembling it in a week or so. I discovered today that I'm out of leadout cable. So I'll need to dig some up. Sigh ... it's always something.
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Ty,
Well, this one could be pretty light. Will be covered with iron on plastic.
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If you can't find a packet of leadout cable in Tacoma, stop by a fishing tackle store and get 7-strand stainless cable. It doesn't have the dia. on the package usually, but has lb. test. I think it's 50 or 60 lb that you want. Same stuff, different package. Take a micrometer...they won't have one.
Whoah! I just found my stash of Sevenstrand, and the .027" is 135 lb. test. The .035" is 160 lb test. Either would work, but I think the 135# would be best for a .40VF unless you're rilly paranoid...which may be the case! LL~
We missed you at TNA Saturday. It was a little cold, but nothing some warm clothes wouldn't fix. Think longjohns! Rodney had his new Gieske Nobler out, Mike got his Freedom 45 flying pretty well, Pete flew his Chipmunk and passed it along to Rod to take for a backup for VSC. I flew the Skylark and got it working reasonably well, with more yet to do. Probably be there again next weekend, if the current snow isn't a problem. HB~> Steve
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Steve,
I thought about it yesterday, but I hadn't heard from anyone. Oh well, I will plan for this weekend and hope the weather is decent. No VSC for me this year, but I still need to work on the Shoe.
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Randy...You were included on my email list Friday night. I got an immediate reply from Mike, and Schultzie even showed up. I saw Rod replied Saturday AM, but don't know when it was sent. Pete didn't reply, but did show, as did Dane Covey. Nobody else replied or showed.
It really wasn't bad, but the LJ's made a difference! Fewer engine starting problems than last weekend. Good batteries help in the cold, and keeping them warm would help. Lighter Fluid is a majic elixor! y1 Steve
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Hmm, wonder why I didn't get the email? Lost in cyberspace.
Oh well, I'll hope to make it this weekend.
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Well, here's the latest picture of the beast. the top is done on the wing (plank and cap strips). Will do the bottom next. The stab and elevator are just about ready for final shaping and the fuse is about ready to glue to the wing after a bit more work. It's coming along.
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OK, how is this for a complicated profile? Dihedral, shock gear and cowled engine certainly complicates building a profile.
Al
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Al,
About what I'm doing. Fun, isn't it? The one real trick was getting the engine canted at the correct angle to both allow the pipe to clear the wing and not hang down below the fuse. Alignment has been the biggest concern, really. The fuse is in 4 parts that have to lock together and be aligned. I've been working a jig to do that.
I sure like the Bearcat Sortaprofile. Very slick. The rules here for profile say that the engine has to be exposed "lugs to plug". Too bad, that.
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The wings almost done (doing the wing tips). Should be able to assemble it this weekend.
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Didn't quite get it assembled, but the wing is done (and weighs about 7.5oz with controls but without flaps). I'm starting to think, as light as the wing is that I may need to cover it with silkspan to get some additional strength. Not sure Monokote will be enough. The stab and elevator are just about done. So tomorrow (nice to have a holiday), I'll clear the decks and set up for the fuse jig and start putting it together.
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Randy,
Try silkspan with a few coats of dope then monokote it, works great, less work too!
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Randy,
Try silkspan with a few coats of dope then monokote it, works great, less work too!
Tried that once.. Dope made millions of bubbles under the monokote everywhere it was solid wood.. Maybe iron was too hot but made me not want to try it a second time.
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I think the main thing the covering ever does is provide torsional stiffness. If the spar is inadequte for bending the covering is not going to make up the difference. I've done 2 I-beams and numerous RC wings with Monocote - they all stiffen up nicely when you get them covered and shrunk. Stick it down around the edges, shrink it, then go over it with an iron to press it down on every rib. That "closes the box" and makes every rib bay stiff. I think it will do the job for you here too. An added bonus, you can pull in or pull out a twist just by twisting the wing and "painting" it with a heat gun.
Maybe you want to try covering the wing before you install it. If you get both sides covered and decide that 'cote is not for you its fairly easy to remove - heat it a little, pick up a corner and it will come off pretty painlessly.
I agree with Bob R about doping under the 'cote - I never had much luck with that. I have occasionally used the Balsarite for films around the engine compartment & such - as a prevention for fuel seapage. However the larger the area you cover the worse it gets for trapping air bubbles and preventing shrinkage of the material. If I use it Balsarite, its limited to about one brush stroke around the perifery, then sealing the edges around the engine with epoxy or paint.
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Dennis,
John Miller does the silkspan then Monokote finish. He does pretty well with it. He did a modified Legacy this way with transparent Monokote over the top and it looked pretty good. I may talk to him. Or if I get carried away, I may just do a dope finish. We'll see. Depends on my woodwork, I guess. I have some concern because I went a little light on the spar. Seems to be pretty torsionally stiff, but has a slight amount of vertical flex. I'm wishing now that I had run some carbon down the spar caps. But hey, it's a profile. If it doesn't hold together, then it doesn't. I suspect it won't be a high wind flier, but we'll see what we get. It has pretty good resistance to twist without the covering.
I'll take some pictures later and post them.
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Sounds funny, here I am trying to talk you into a 'cote finish, meanwhile I just started my new Classic that all but MUST get a dope finish, my first since... 1983??? :o
My friend what ever you do I will be looking forward to it! 010!
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Randy, as you know I learned this monokote over silkspan from Norm Whittle a few years ago. He is the master at it, and his finished planes are difficult to tell that it wasn't painted.
If the dope underneath bubbles, you've got too much dope on the surface.
1 or a max of 2 coats thinned at 50-50 or more, is all that I've ever used. You only want enough to stabilize the silkspan, not fill it.
Here's a picture of that Legacy. It still looks as good today.
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OK, a couple more pics. The wing and tail plane completed and the fuse in pieces. Just got the blocks tacked on. Will shape next then pop them off and put it together. The blocks and nose will get hogged out pretty well. Should be interesting.
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Looking mighty fine!
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carve away lad,, its looking better and better, cant wait to see it asssembled
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Dennis and Mark,
Yea, I just got the block tack glued on last night. Sort of ran out of energy. I've been screwing with the Shoestring and haven't worked on the profile as much as I probably should have. I'll get the nose carved up then pop it apart and hog it out. The engine, which now is just clearing the blocks, will have to be exposed to the lugs. But I wanted to get the shape in first and carve out the header exit and such. Alignment should be interesting when I put it all together.
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Randy, I always love to see your work, but do you ever do anything that's easy?
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Randy, I always love to see your work, but do you ever do anything that's easy?
oh gawd help me,, i cant help it, LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~, lol,, hey Randy, he said it I didnt!
n~ <= y1 LL~ %^@
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oh gawd help me,, i cant help it, LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~, lol,, hey Randy, he said it I didnt!
n~ <= y1 LL~ %^@
What Mark said! LL~ LL~ LL~
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What? This is easy. Truth is, I've thought about this for quite awhile. I've got a jig setup that will make doing the alignment pretty easy (if I can get the thing setup to allow me to mount the engine while I adjust the jig).
While it's fairly high tech as profiles go, there's nothing there that's all that difficult. Much like building the wing, it just tedious, not difficult.
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Randy, if Al cut a slot in the cowl on one side would that meet the letter, if not the spirit, of the "lugs to plug" rule?
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I think he would have to take the cowl off.
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Well, the thing is in one piece now. Everything but the flaps and details. Amazing how quickly they go once the parts are done. I'll post some pictures this weekend once I get the rest of it together.
I need to get to the hobby shop to get some Monokote. Man, it's been a LONG time since I did an iron on finish. I may need to get Mark Scarborough out here to show me how.
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thanks Randy,,
lets see, I want to do some flying, its nicer over there than here,, hmmm
wanna pony up some gas money?
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Mark,
Well, we're flying at the Narrows tomorrow. It's actually supposed to be 55 degrees. Overcast with a ton of turbulence, but hey, you take what you can get. Rain is supposed to be back on Sunday.
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well 55 degrees is pretty nice compared to 34 that I have been seeing here, although at work in Lewiston here, its been in the low 50s this week, but of course I am at work,, I tried to call in sick, but I used the intercom and Alice figured it out, so I couldnt get away with it, something about being here and not looking sick? sigh :-X
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One of the times when instant transportation would be nice. ;D
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OK, last pics until it's done. Here it is in sort of one piece. Still in the temp jig, but alignment looks pretty good. It's in the nose holder thingy now and hanging in the air awaiting the flaps (under construction) and the landing gear (no idea how I'm going to to that yet).
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"(no idea how I'm going to to that yet)."
OY!!!!!!!! You design as you go!!!?
Look great Randy, anxious to see the finished craft.
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Randy,
Finished the flaps today and am working on the rear pushrod. then it's fairing, the landing gear (yet to be designed, but I have an idea) then some odds and ends and I can put the iron on plastic on the flying surfaces. then paint the fuse and go flying. Maybe 2 weeks or so. I hope.
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OK, it's all framed up. Just need to come up with a landing gear arrangement and I can put the rest of the nose pieces on and get to finishing it. Still have no idea what I will do for a landing gear, but I had an idea....
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Thats a nice Ringmaster!
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Yea, interesting, isn't it?
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Randy (Powell)...twice you said you had an idea for the landing gear...do you remember what the idea was? Just checking. LL~
And what the VD~ is that stunter on the plan hanging on the wall? :o Uh, no, don't make a copy for me...
n~ Steve
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I'm with you on that Steve....I was looking at that plan on the wall too. Sorta looks like a jetted up Shark or something. Very cool and I don't like jet styles that much! LL~ H^^
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Steve,
I do have an idea, but I'm just not happy with it. I'll come up with something.
The plan on the wall is Dennis Adamisin's Orange Crate. The plane that got me off on my years long tangent of high aspect ratio planes. And it is a very cool design. Love the V-Tail.
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OK one last pic. here is is actually done except for the landing gear (which I finally got started on). And a few details like the rest of the nose blocks. Sigh...
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well Randy old pal,, since I wax on endlessly about how much I like your stuff, I have decided to officially make no comment with regards to this one. ,
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ok well I cant do that,, so, I do like it, its decidely a mix of old school and new school,, and to think, its going to be waterproof too? who woulda thunk!
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Mark,
You like the little custom pipe mount poking out under the wing? It was interesting making the flap root out far enough to clear the pipe and still matching up the flap area. Fun stuff.
I had planned to use transparent Monokot on the flying surfaces, but I have two rolls of white that have been sitting around forever, so I may just use those. We'll see.
I should note that most of this plane was constructed with balsa scraps and leftovers from previous planes. So I suppose it's fitting that the covering be Monokote I've had laying around forever.
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Hello Randy H^^
I've came across this thread today and saw this BEAUTY you are building...Man, that woodwork is IMMACULATE!!!
VERY GOOD treatment on the fuse nose. A LOVELY job!
By this time, I'm sure it is finished...post some more pics... PLEASE #^!
Sir...you better tell me everything about your building secrets and techniques, or else.... @@^
(I can see your brand-new stunter in the background "SCREAMING" for a flight....)
Keep those great pics coming!
Best regards,
Claudio.
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Claudio,
No, it's not done yet. I did what I often do, it seems. Got a bit carried away. I can't believe I'm building wheelpants for the thing. It' sjust about ready to finish. Shame I don't have any transparent yellow Monokote laying around. I may spring for some. We'll see.
The other plane is ready for it's maiden flight. If I could just get the time, weather and conditions to cooperate. maybe next weekend.
Here's the thread with a better picture.
http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php?topic=10954.50
I'll post some pics of the profile when it's done. Cut little plane.
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We missed you at the Narrows on Sat....but the turd darn turbulence was horrific, the wind out of the north and coming over those nort hanger is waves of votexity death.
However Pete-Pete-n' Mike cut through that 8 to 20mph gusts...with gusto and grace.
Uhh?
In the process of of tackin all the Chips from my Chip back together again...while that kiddy nursery rhymn' keep goin round in my head... "ALL THE KINGS HORSES...AND ALL THE KINGS MEN...HUMPTYDUMPTY-BACK TO GETHAAAAAGAIN...
gee...Humpteeelooks awfully familiar? LL~
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Here's another take on a complicated profile. It's one of the many ARF Cardinals around. Construction appears to be plywood slabs over unnamed wood. Whatever the wood, there is a fruity odor when the ARF cover is stripped. I'm fiberglassing the nose and installing mounting plates on both sides of the engine bearers. All this to stiffen the front and dampen the vibes. Anyway, kind of interesting how complicated an ARF Cardinal fuse is.
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Good on ya, Dennis. Darned, these profile thingys can be fun. I ended up with a way too complicated wire gear. Should have just made a CF unit. I think it would have been easier.
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It goes on, fiberglassing the nose. And, Dan Banjoks madness, a re-plumbed Tettra Tank-- the fuel is stored exterior to the blatter instead of inside the blatter. Air is sucked out of the blatter and capped, tank is filled full, feed line attached to the engine, blatter is uncapped and attached to muffler pressure. Tahh Dahh, no air bubbles, engine runs an excellent 4x2 break (La46) engine goes lean for two laps and shuts off. Tank calmed down a P40 ARF that misbehaved for a season. We have hopes that my new Cardinal will run the same.
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Dennis,
You did noitce the big holes in the fuse, didn't you? Moths? (PE**)
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Waiting for the moths to spin some silk. Spring?
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;D
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"Dan Banjoks madness, a re-plumbed Tettra Tank-- the fuel is stored exterior to the blatter instead of inside the blatter. Air is sucked out of the blatter and capped, tank is filled full, feed line attached to the engine, blatter is uncapped and attached to muffler pressure. Tahh Dahh, no air bubbles, engine runs an excellent 4x2 break (La46) engine goes lean for two laps and shuts off."
Dennis, could you give me a few more details of the tank set-up? #^
What is the "blatter" made from?
Any air entering the tank other than in the "blatter"?
GREAT looking plane and SUPER workmanship!
Thanks for sharing! y1
"Tight lines!"
Wes
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Well, here it is all assembled. It's still a ways from ready to start finishing. There's a lot of sanding to be done between now and then. And I really don't like the landing gear setup much. I'll probably dump it and do something else. Sigh...
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See they were all right,, we dropped the displacement limit and now all this hi tech profiles come out of the woodwork! S?P S?P S?P
Looks pretty cool Randy, I still say a nice aluminum gear leg set would look totally sweet,, but hey what do I know,, I cant stay awake long enough to ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Z@@ZZZ Z@@ZZZ
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Mark,
It may be what I do. I'm not at all happy with the gear. I'll probably come up with something else.
Hey, it's a .40. ;D
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Hi Randy. So you want some inovative landing gear eh? Well go here, http://www.brotherhoodofthering.info/flightline/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=1924&posts=20&start=1 and look at what Bill Gruby has designed for landing gear. Wayyyyyy cool! H^^
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Looks great Randy, I like it. It sure looks complicated...for a profile with the pipe and all.
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Hey Wes,
Thanks for the compliment about the Cardinal, but it was an ARF, I stripped the covering added the engine plates and fiberglassing. Wouldn't call that building. Do you mean Randy's plane?
The word is badder-- I misspelled the word, it isn't "blatter," sorry, I am spelling challenged often identifying words via sound. Also hard to think straight late at night or... when...
The bladder in Tettra Tank appears to be made of silicon. Tho I'm not positive. It is clear and flexible. The Tettra is a commercially available tank typically used in RC Pylon racing. As designed, the bladder is enclosed in a plastic tank, same as a clunk tank. The bladder is filled with fuel, expanding into the clunk tank space. Air is let out of the bladder, so that the bladder contains only fuel, no air, eliminating air bubbles which effect the fuel/air mixture going to the engine. Dan went to a Tettra Tanks to solve vibration/air bubble issues on a P40 ARF. Weird vibrations are a frequent problem with profile models. The Tettra Tank worked fairly well, but the engine broke lean ten laps or so before the end of a flight. Too long a lean run. It appeared that the bladder did not collapse evenly causing a slight vacuum, making the engine run lean. To counteract this Dan tried storing the fuel exterior to the bladder, in the hard tank itself, same as one would do in a conventional clunk setup. The bladder was then used to expand into the tank as fuel is burnt off. Air is let into the bladder, not into the hard tank, so that air doesn't mix with unburned fuel.
Details of the plumbing have to wait. Dan hasn't draws them up. It's possible a magazine article will be published detailing the system Dan devised.
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Glenn,
Yea, molded plywood gears are pretty cool. While I was sitting in a really boring meeting this morning (occupational hazard), I designed a gear that I think will work. I'll see about cutting a mold tonight. Big cool factor. Hey, if you're going to go this far out on a limb, might as well come up with something cool, right?
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Glenn,
Yea, molded plywood gears are pretty cool. While I was sitting in a really boring meeting this morning (occupational hazard), I designed a gear that I think will work. I'll see about cutting a mold tonight. Big cool factor. Hey, if you're going to go this far out on a limb, might as well come up with something cool, right?
Boy Randy, great minds think alike. When I am going through something BORING in school, I draw up stunters that I might design. Basically brainstorming.
Don't worry, I still have good grades, A's and B's so my parents still let me fly these planes.
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I think profiles like Randy's (and Bob Branch's hybrid) are really exciting to look at - there are a lot of shapes there that you don't normally see, lots of eye candy there.
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OK, so last night I dumped the landing gear, cleaned up the area and put in a new mount system. Then I made a plug for a new landing gear and coated it in epoxy. Tonight I will sand that down and start making a mold. Should make me happier. The original was starting to look like the gear for a 30s air racer with guy wires and such. Other that that, it's ready for final sanding and finish. I need to slip by the local screw place today to pick up the mounting bolts. I dont' have any long enough.
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Randy,
That thing is really cool!! Looks like a Impact influenced wing.I can hardly wait to see you ,Haverly's new profile with a pipe plus Dan's Wimpact duke it out this summer.This is a neat direction that we are going.
I've got a bunch of OS40 FSR's that might work well on a pipe.I will start a scratch Pathfinder when I get back in April.........Hmmmmm
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Rod,
Closer to a Werwage wing. Fairly thin airfoil with the high point back further than I usually do. A slightly thicker Novi airfoil.
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Randy;
Anything but "Ringmonster" for that beauty. "Ringmonster" just does not do it any justice. If you go with molded plywood for the gear, I would use no less that 5 layers of 1/64 because of the size. If you go 4 layers, put one layer of CF in the middle of the gear. The gear on my Bipe is molded 1/64 in 5 layers with no CF. It is bullet proof.
You do nice work.
"Billy G" D>K
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Thanks Bill. I suspect I'll just mold up a CF gear, though using 1/64" plywood is intriguing. I have the plug finished but ran out of poop tonight. I will start on the mold box tomorrow. Should have it don't by the weekend. I just wasn't happy with the wire job. This wil work a lot better.
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Randy;
This is the molded 1/64 plywood for my Electric Ducted Fan Ringmaster. These were a real pain to mold. LOL I have the ply gear on my S1 and Bipe . No problems yet. The second picture is the mold with gear in place. 22.4 grams total, wheels, axles, and gear. The wheels are "Delrin" w/O-rings for tires. Axles are aluminum, all made by me.
"Billy G" H^^
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G-man, you need to refine that mold, it looks a bit rough,, LL~ LL~
maybe make the next one from aluminum,,,,,,
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An electric ducted fan Ringmaster? Wow, you really are out of control. My kind of guy.
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An electric ducted fan Ringmaster? Wow, you really are out of control. My kind of guy.
Out of control, I resemble that remark. LL~ LL~ You're gonna love this one.
"Billy G" VD~ VD~ VD~
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Big G,
Wow. Now that's outta control. Very slick.
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Well, I got the first leg out of the mold. Looks OK, though it will need a bit of cleanup. Trying to make molds when the temp is low is a challenge. but it's coming out OK in the end. First coat of dope on the fuselage.
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Man, I hate retrofitting. I had already made the wheelpants and the mount of the fuse, so I had to go back to rework the whole thing for the new gear. What a pain. But, one side is done and I'm waiting for the other gear to cure. I'll finish up the retro fit probably tomorrow or Tuesday, then I can get back to finishing this thing.
Anyone know a good source for 2" long 6-32 socket head screws with a 1 3/4" shoulder?
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Randy try Fastenal
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Randy,
Try one of the many Tacoma Screw or Hi-Strength Bolt outlets in our area.......
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Rod,
Went to Tacoma Screw and High Strength Bolt. No joy. I was able to order them from Micro-Fasteners, but had to get a box of 20. Oh well, I'll find some use for the extras. At least I was able to other some other stuff I was low on.
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Man, I hate retrofitting. I had already made the wheelpants and the mount of the fuse, so I had to go back to rework the whole thing for the new gear. What a pain. But, one side is done and I'm waiting for the other gear to cure. I'll finish up the retro fit probably tomorrow or Tuesday, then I can get back to finishing this thing.
Anyone know a good source for 2" long 6-32 socket head screws with a 1 3/4" shoulder?
Randy;
Am I reading this correctly -- you want a 6-32 cap screw 2 inches long with only 1/4 inch of thread?
"Billy G" ???
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Bill,
Yea, pretty much. I changed the gear layout and ended up molding up two piece a CF job. This required a new mount on the fuse. The easiest way was to use plywood plates over the original hardwood mount. This makes the distance between the plates about an inch and a half. Add the thickness of the gear and 2" just makes it through with a bit over an 1/8" left. I wanted 1.75" of shoulder, but an inch and a half was all I could get. The layout is a bit weird. I hate retrofitting. Had I done this from scratch (or been willing to cut the entire area out and do it again - too much work), I would have gone about it differently. The whole operation sort of defeated the original purpose; to build the plane entirely (or almost entirely) out of the balsa scrap box and what I had laying around. Most of it is. Designing and building a new unit (the landing gear) was not on the agenda. Sigh...
Oh well, it's coming out OK in the end. I'm trying to decide, since I blew the original concept anyway, if I want to buy some Monokote or use the very old stock I have. Again, keeping with the original concept of using what I had laying around. We'll see.
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Randy,
just a thought,, If you decide t use what you have, how old is it,,, I know sometimes the old stuff if its been around a few years,, and has heat and cool cycled a few times can be pretty frustrating to get to stick and shrink,, I guess it ages or some foolishness...
and if your buying,, Look at Ultracote,, much nicer to work with,, though it doesnt have that really nice plastic fake gloss like Monokote does,,, H^^
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Mark,
The stuff I have around is about 10 years old, but it's in unopened tubes and was in my closet all this time, not in the shop. But it's too late, I broke down and ordered some today. Decided I really liked the idea of transparent yellow. ;D
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Hey Randy, guess what transparent yellow looks like when it's applied over silkspan? S?P H^^
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Which is why it won't be over silkspan. ;D