stunthanger.com

Building Tips and technical articles. => Building techniques => Topic started by: Robert McHam on April 08, 2009, 07:13:13 PM

Title: Soda bottles for canopies, sure! How about a cowl for Half A planes?
Post by: Robert McHam on April 08, 2009, 07:13:13 PM

I have seen a few threads regarding forming canopies by using a two liter soda bottle and an oven or heat gun.
Really looks good!
A cowl, even a small one for half A models sounds like it might be a bit trickier methinks.
I can make a plug, no problem there. 
 
My thinking is that there needs to be proper positioning fo this to work properly.

Help! Robert

 

Title: Re: Soda bottles for canopies, sure! How about a cowl for Half A planes?
Post by: Robert McHam on April 08, 2009, 08:18:33 PM

To help give a visual for this particular project here is what I am looking at.

First, the original was to use a flat aluminum sheet formed into a cowl shape.
Looking at the drawings, I just cannot see how to form, with your fingers, the nose shape where the spinner will meet. At least not out of a sheet of flat but very thin aluminum. Unless you simply made roughly, a "U" shape with the bottom left open completely from the firewall to the nose.

 This is the biggest reason I thought a 'molded' cowl would be best.

Here is what I am seeing:

Robert

Title: Re: Soda bottles for canopies, sure! How about a cowl for Half A planes?
Post by: Wynn Robins on April 13, 2009, 06:24:55 PM

make the buck - chuck it in a pop bottle and shrink it!!!!


you will be surpised how easy it is and how much the PET shrinks.  your cowl will conform to those shapes easy enough using the bottle trick

Title: Re: Soda bottles for canopies, sure! How about a cowl for Half A planes?
Post by: jim gilmore on April 25, 2009, 01:45:58 AM

I remember seeing a seafury someone built and the cowl on the nose waqs the bottom of a plastic bottle of some kind. I believe it was 1/2 a.