More pictures...

What material-technique are you going to mold the pats?
Here is a stupid question. I understand that you are copying the original predator. So most likely there is a central box with the molded parts on top and bottom nose etc. My question is wouldn't it be easier to just mold two halves with parting line in the vertical plane and have a whole fuselage? With that you mold 2 parts instead of 3 and you make it easier for the end user to make the plane and eliminate most of the formers aft of the wing trailing edge.

Rather than flood this post with too many pictures, so..
let me jump to the leading edge mold which is the part
that I used two different types of materials

Here I used thick styrofoam and at the wingtip end of the
one mold I used thick insulation. I got this stuff from Lowes.
It came in a 4'x8' sheet and has an outer layer that I stripped
off the foam. 

I think this stuff was actually the easiest to work with when
considering that I don't have a foam cutter.

Here are some views of the T.E. parts and assembly

When I buy the kit will it have molded parts or will I have to carve the bucks from templates in the kit. I'm trying to understand what the end user has to do.

I have carved my own bucks for a leading edge sheeting just like you're doing and, as you may already know, you have to be very careful not to get the sanding board sideways and create a scoop. Mine came out ok but it was tedious work.


Thanks,
Motorman

Hi MM,

You are right; it has been somewhat tedious making the completed bucks for the molds but then again it is my 1st time making them, but then again I did not have instructions to go by. Now I do believe that I have learned a lot already by just doing them. I used a longboard sanding block plus some long thick pieces of wood as sanding blocks, so I am hoping the finished molded parts will be okay.

As far as me pre-making (molding) the parts, I am sorry to say that I don't plan to include the parts pre-molded. My thoughts here are mainly cost effectiveness because I think it would take an awful lot time on my end to make them for each kit, plus it would take a bigger or even a separate box and then a bunch of protection to prevent them from getting damaged in transit plus, there would obviously be extra postage, so basically I am not planning to pre-mold the parts for these reasons.

Because I have to still figure out what the overall cost of the kit is going to be I have not decided if I am going to include the molds with the kit or offer them as an add-on to the kit.

I hope this post doesn't change your mind about getting a kit.

and some more

Here I am working on the inboard side.

Here's more.

 and some more.

May I make a suggestion here?
If you added tabs to the rear side of the ribs in places where there is no LE or TE sheeting then you can make a simple plan with only the rectangular spots where the ribs go. The idea is 3M77 the plan with rib location to a building board (particle board). Glue the ribs directly in position and after that there is access to finish the whole thing including the leading edge sheeting (minus cap-strips and center sheeting on the building board side)  without any additional fixtures. I hope it makes sense. For sure it will use more material but the build will be greatly simplified. 

More progress pics...

more pics...

Hi Walt,

That is one terrific job you are working on.  Lots of engineering and manufacturing decisions to
be made....great job.

One thing that has me puzzled, is how the landing gear wire is supposed to be captured in the
landing gear block.

In your photo #....161425.jpg, the landing gear wire is not clamped in anyway, and is easily
removed.

I'm wondering if the laser cut parts were intended to be assembled in a different sequence, i.e.
the LG wire being in the middle of the 3 piece sandwich, with a solid panel on either side of it.
Please see my crude sketch below for what I had in mind.

Am I missing something??

Keep up the great work, Walt....it's inspiring, and I learn a lot besides.  You are a major
asset to this hobby.

Cheers.

Warren Wagner
Clay, NY

Hi guys...

I know it's been a long time since I've been able to make any progress on the Predator prototype
but I caught a little break from making kits this week end.

That said, here's a few photos from the past two days I have been able to work on it.

here's a few more photos.

Next will be to drill the torque block and then the sheeting...

More photos to come.

Okay..

Here are the torque blocks drilled out, make sure your's can be removed easily.

Afterwards I noticed that the front L.O. wire had the potential to jam if it would flip over the gear mount wing while I would
move the wing around, so I added a small piece of thin ply as a blocker/wall to help keep the L.O. wire from jamming up.  why but


Okay, I don't know why but the the first two photos are rotating when expanding them, so I posted them backwards rotated to see
them correctly when expanding them.

Go figure...

More Pics..

Wingtips are next.. I am starting with the outboard first and will also just show it first for clarity and less confusion.

I am adding some thin ply centers to the prototypes wingtip and would really appreciate some feedback on whether
this would be a welcomed add-on to the kit since it is not already a part of the kit.