Author Topic: If you like dem bones... - even more pics (Read 19210 times)

Randy Powell · « **Reply #50 on:** August 25, 2009, 12:55:17 PM »

Interesting side note:

Got the wing fitted to the fuselage last night. Took about 2 hours. After the problems with alignment on my Simons Shoestring, I decided to make damn sure the thing was straight this time. I bolted a tool I made to the engine mounts. Basically it's a flat aluminum plate with a small level inset into the center. Pretty accurate based on my checks. Gives flat and parallel for the engine mounts. That in conjunction with a level on the jig and the fuse upside down and flat to jig insures that the whole thing is zeroed. Turned out I have maybe a 1/8° or so of down thrust dialed in (engine mount in relation to the fuse top). Doesn't really matter as long at the engine is zeroed with the wing but it was interesting. Anyway, went to drop the wing in the fuse and discovered that it didn't quite fit the cut out and that poor fit caused about 2.5° negative incidence. Well, that's no good. So out came the Permagrit tools and custom standing utensils and off I went to work. Two hours later I have a close fit on the cutout to wing joint and the wing was zeroed with the engine mounts. Actually I kept messing with it until it matched the 1/8° down thrust that the mount had to the fuse top. As Ted Fancher says, not real down thrust. Just enough to make sure there is no up thrust.

It was an interesting exercise. I suspect what happened was, when I was drawing the plans, I didn't take the additional thickness of the sheeting into account. I had originally planned to use 1/20" sheeting, but ultimately decided to go with some thicker stuff with a better grain than the 1/20" sheet I had. I forgot to account for that when I did the fuse cutout. Oh well, live and learn. At this point, it looks pretty good. I fitted everything together just to get a look. Even with the only partially carved bottom block and the cut out but unshaped rudder, I can see it's going to be sweet looking. Sure is little, though.

Claudio Chacon · « **Reply #51 on:** August 25, 2009, 01:14:27 PM »

Quote from: Randy Powell on August 24, 2009, 09:49:41 AM

Claudio,

As it sits there in the picture, it's something under 8oz. But it doesn't have the tips or flap horn on. My guess is it will be a bit under 10oz when completed.

Edit

Having built similar structures several times, I'm pretty good at guessing all up weight prior to finishing. My best guess at this point is the airframe, with engine and accessories, ready to fly but prior to finish will be in the 38-40oz range. This gives me a finishing budget of 10-12oz. If I can keep my finger off the paint trigger, that should be pretty easy to make with a 600 square inch wing.

Randy,
10 to 12 ounces of finishing margin gives you plenty of room to unleash your painting skills!
Which engine are you going to bolt on this one?

Randy Powell · « **Reply #52 on:** August 25, 2009, 01:54:51 PM »

Claudio,

Well, a small block V-8 won't fit, unfortunately.

A RO-Jett 65. Considering it's only about 600 square inches. (actually, I calculated it last night. It's closer to 595) that should be enough juice. Should be a cool little plane --- with a bite.

Claudio Chacon · « **Reply #53 on:** August 25, 2009, 04:57:25 PM »

Quote from: Randy Powell on August 25, 2009, 01:54:51 PM

Claudio,

Well, a small block V-8 won't fit, unfortunately.

A RO-Jett 65. Considering it's only about 600 square inches. (actually, I calculated it last night. It's closer to 595) that should be enough juice. Should be a cool little plane --- with a bite.

Let me see

:
- Estimated airframe weight.....................................................40 oz.
- Finishing (considering that "extra" colour touch, Randy style).......13 oz.
This totals a mere..................................................................53 ounces!

With that weight and a RJ .65 in the nose you should be able to fly in the middle of a quarter scale tornado with ease man!

Randy Powell · « **Reply #54 on:** August 25, 2009, 10:03:01 PM »

Claudio,

Yea, should be OK. Here are a couple of pics of it sort of looking like a plane.

john e. holliday · « **Reply #55 on:** August 26, 2009, 09:04:02 AM »

It is looking great to this point in time. If this one doesn't work for you when can I pick it up. Just kidding I just love seeing your art work. DOC Holliday

Matt Colan · « **Reply #56 on:** August 26, 2009, 02:39:38 PM »

It's looking good Randy! Looks like you'll have a pretty long cowl there.Be sure to keep us posted

Randy Powell · « **Reply #57 on:** August 27, 2009, 08:36:11 AM »

Matt,

Yea, the cowl will be interesting. Not as long as you might think.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #58 on:** September 02, 2009, 03:07:14 PM »

Update:

Well, it's all mostly in one piece. Need the cowl, control surfaces and landing gear and it's ready to finish. I've been dithering over the cowl layout. I really don't want to have a two piece cowl, but I haven't yet figured out a way to get the pipe in it without having the forward part of the bottom block removable.

I'll post some pictures later.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #59 on:** September 03, 2009, 06:45:00 PM »

OK a couple of pictures of the structure in mostly one piece. As noted, I'm currently building the cowl and control surfaces.

Not too bad on weight so far. Not as light as I would have liked, but quite a bit less flexible than the last one.

Matt Colan · « **Reply #60 on:** September 03, 2009, 07:17:17 PM »

It's looking GREAT Randy. What are you going to name it?

Dennis Adamisin · « **Reply #61 on:** September 03, 2009, 10:00:31 PM »

looking HOT HOT HOT!

Randy Powell · « **Reply #62 on:** September 04, 2009, 12:05:38 AM »

Matt,

I'm not sure yet, though I do have a paint scheme more or less worked out. Right now it's Slider v4.0

Claudio Chacon · « **Reply #63 on:** September 04, 2009, 05:17:35 AM »

Cool Randy....VERY cool

...
There's no doubt you just LOVE jet style stunters...

Got to see that cowl finished!

Mark Scarborough · « **Reply #64 on:** September 04, 2009, 05:01:10 PM »

Randy,
hey it looks like you kinda know what your doing here

,,, nice work

Randy Powell · « **Reply #65 on:** September 05, 2009, 12:13:59 AM »

Claudio,

yea, I spent the day with yard work and chain saw work. I'm so sore right now I can hardly move my arms.

Hope to get on it tomorrow. I suspect the cowl will be interesting. I chickened out and just glued the bottom block under the wing on and worked out a vent to let me install the pipe. I'm trying to save all the weight I can. I have an idea for some more work on the bottom block that should be interesting. I've been on a jet style kick lately, but the next one I plane to return to the 30s air racer look. That project is already partially underway. And my next classic plane will be the Colossus. That one is pretty conventional.

Mark,

Some days I do. Other days I only think I do.

Mark, take a close look at that rudder. It's actually hacked out of 3/4" sheet balsa. I carved the fairing in. Now that was interesting. Never tried that before.

Mark Scarborough · « **Reply #66 on:** September 05, 2009, 11:51:53 AM »

Randy,
while a cool idea, isnt that kind of, well, a sacralidge coming from you,, I mean you have the spider web wing, and then you glue a big old block on the tail, tsk tsk,, lol
actually kind of a cool idea forming the fairing and all from one chunk,,,

Looking forward to what "simple" paint scheme this one comes out with,,,

Randy Powell · « **Reply #67 on:** September 06, 2009, 12:37:26 AM »

Got the cowl roughed out today. It's at least interesting. Unlike the last plane where I did a bunch of cool woodwork then screwed it up by overcomplicating the paint, this one WILL have a simply paint scheme. Looks pretty cool right now. I'll finish up the cowl tomorrow and start on the control surfaces. Lot of sanding ahead.

john e. holliday · « **Reply #68 on:** September 06, 2009, 07:39:39 AM »

Only four colors this time?

LL~DOC Holliday

Randy Powell · « **Reply #69 on:** September 06, 2009, 11:53:30 AM »

doc,

I'm actually considering 1 color.

Dennis Adamisin · « **Reply #70 on:** September 06, 2009, 12:06:08 PM »

Quote from: Randy Powell on September 06, 2009, 11:53:30 AM

doc,

I'm actually considering 1 color.

Yeah right. I MIGHT believe one at a time..!

Randy Powell · « **Reply #71 on:** September 06, 2009, 02:47:58 PM »

OK two if you count the painted canopy and some very thin black trim.

Actually, I have no real idea at this point. Just a couple of vague notions.

Spent most of the day on the cowl and pipe tunnel stuff. Got so carried away that I got just a touch of Jim Aron disease. It will be interesting, anyway. I probably shouldn't get artsy-fartsy. But hey, I'm an ARITSTE.

I'll shoot some pics when it's done. I have some clean up to do and still have to figure out how I'm gonna actually hold the thing on.

Matt Colan · « **Reply #72 on:** September 08, 2009, 04:26:33 PM »

Randy, with your artist skills, the two colors of paint you use will look like 5, and the colors you pick should be interesting. Why don't you do what I do if you don't know what to paint the plane in. I take the plans and shrink them down to regular sized paper. Of course every plane I'm building has plans available on Pat Johnston's website. Anyway I do that, and start coloring. Before I came up with a paint scheme for the Cobra, I made over 30 different schemes. Before I decided on the paint scheme for my Oriental Plus, I came up with close to 15 paint schemes.

Should be interesting what you come up with

Randy Powell · « **Reply #73 on:** September 09, 2009, 11:22:49 PM »

Hi Matt,

I do largely the same thing. But I just sketch out the basic shapes and doodle. Truth is, I don't really have much of an idea at this point. My original plan was just to keep it simple. The last plane I got too cute and it didn't come out very well. Really over thought it and I think it took away from some of the details. This time, I have a fairly clear idea for the scheme or color layout, just no idea of the colors or process. A lot of time, you have an idea and that's great, but it takes some thought to figure out how you can lay the colors down without adding a ton of weight. Backmasking can be very labor intensive.

My gauge is usually, if Steve Helmick hates, then I'm on the right track.

Mark Scarborough · « **Reply #74 on:** September 10, 2009, 09:19:32 AM »

Quote from: Randy Powell on September 09, 2009, 11:22:49 PM

My gauge is usually, if Steve Helmick hates, then I'm on the right track.

YEAH!!!!!See, now if it were electric you could REALLY get him going,, snicker

Randy Powell · « **Reply #75 on:** September 10, 2009, 12:09:11 PM »

Mark,

Well, I was in an obscenely boring meeting this morning and I think I have the scheme and color stuff worked out. We'll see if I can restrain myself to this scheme. At least it won't be heavy.

Matt Colan · « **Reply #76 on:** September 10, 2009, 01:38:42 PM »

Quote from: Randy Powell on September 10, 2009, 12:09:11 PM

Mark,

Well, I was in an obscenely boring meeting this morning and I think I have the scheme and color stuff worked out. We'll see if I can restrain myself to this scheme. At least it won't be heavy.

Randy, care to elaborate a little bit on the scheme? I always like what you come up with

Randy Powell · « **Reply #77 on:** September 10, 2009, 02:37:16 PM »

Matt,

Well, it depends. The scheme itself, like most of my stuff, uses the lines of the plane to dictate the scheme. I'm going to use an off white base color and basically a screaming, blood red trim. Should be bright. A small bit of blue and black trim should keep the local patriots happy.

Canopy will probably be a deep metallic bronze I have kicking around (I used this for the canopy paint on the white Cobra I built) and some black outline.

Probably no wheel pants on this one. Just minimal gear doors. Depends on weight.

Matt Colan · « **Reply #78 on:** September 10, 2009, 02:40:31 PM »

Quote from: Randy Powell on September 10, 2009, 02:37:16 PM

Matt,

Well, it depends. The scheme itself, like most of my stuff, uses the lines of the plane to dictate the scheme. I'm going to use an off white base color and basically a screaming, blood red trim. Should be bright. A small bit of blue and black trim should keep the local patriots happy.

Canopy will probably be a deep metallic bronze I have kicking around (I used this for the canopy paint on the white Cobra I built) and some black outline.

Probably no wheel pants on this one. Just minimal gear doors. Depends on weight.

Sounds cool already. And from what my mind just conjured up, looks great also!

Randy Powell · « **Reply #79 on:** September 10, 2009, 10:15:52 PM »

Matt,

Well, we'll see.

We did have a catastrophe here. My main TV (in the house) died. Pretty ignominious death too. Turns on, but no picture. Anyway, the only other TV here is the one in my shop that I watch ball games on while working on the plane (and for general company, I guess). Anyway, that one had to go in the house so no TV in the shop. Sigh...

Dennis Adamisin · « **Reply #80 on:** September 11, 2009, 07:49:06 AM »

Hmmmm, sounds like the next logical step is to move the paint booth into the Family Room???

or maybe not...

Randy Powell · « **Reply #81 on:** September 11, 2009, 09:42:54 AM »

Dennis,

Ah, no. But I did get a radio.

Matt Colan · « **Reply #82 on:** September 11, 2009, 02:22:20 PM »

How about a little portable DVD player, you could watch Windy videos as many times as you want. Trouble is, the volume isn't loud enough to hear when you're grinding something or sanding something

Randy Powell · « **Reply #83 on:** September 21, 2009, 09:49:33 PM »

Hey Matt,

Well, my office manager was cleaning out some junk from here basement to take to Goodwill and found a 19" TV. She gave it to me (easier than hauling it to them, I guess) so I have a TV in the shop again. Cool, now I can babysit myself out there and get back to real work.