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General control line discussion => Open Forum => Topic started by: Doug Moon on January 17, 2014, 03:01:54 PM
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A while back, mid fall, my son and I went flying together. He was 5 years old at that time and I stand with him in the circle and hold the handle with him. The profile we have been messing with is just too big for him.
I decided to draft up some plans for a 15-25 sized profile for him. I spent a couple of nights and came up with the Mini Bear. It was originally designed by John Grigsby and sports an OS20-25FP.
The basic design and build concept copies that of Bill Bischoff. Years ago he came up with some war bird profiles that used gotcha 400 foam wing cores covered with low heat ultra-coat and painted fuses. External BC mounted on a tongue plate through the fuse. Very simple design and can be built very quickly. I have built several of these over the years and they are a blast.
My son saw me working on the plan for a couple of nights and got pretty excited. A few weeks pass and he comes to me on a Saturday afternoon and says “Dad, I sure wish we were working on that plane.” I said “Ok, l let’s get started.” Little did he know I had already cut most of the parts so we could basically build it like a kit. Right off the bat I put the sanding block in his hands and it was off to work we go. Sparky should be proud! We worked for a short period of time sanding and gluing some parts together. He would either hold them and I glue or I hold them and help him glue showing him how to hold things and where to put stuff. He catches on fast. Our first building session ended with us in a cloud of sanding dust and he seemed to be having a very good time and asked about 10,000 questions along the way.
About 4 or 5 days later he asks again about building the plane. Off we go to the shop and work some more. This time we sand out some hinge slots and fit some hinges. I helped him use the K&S wire binder to bend the 3/32 wire for the elevators.
Next time we are in the shop we glue in the BC mount and spread on some filler. I tell him there will be more sanding and he says “When are we putting on the wings?” I don’t know if he is too keen on sanding….Hahahaha!
As it stands now we have all the parts cut and glued and ready to go into one piece. We need to sand the filler out and put some dope on the fuse before we glue the wings on but we are getting there. As a 6 year old, just had his birthday in December, his attention span is about that of a gnat. But this project is on his mind and I am letting him push the building of the model. He told me yesterday we are going to really work on it this weekend. He likes building and making things that is for sure, Legos are all over our house.
I have never taught anyone to build before. I am usually the one on the learning end of things in this endeavor. This is going to be a lot of fun!
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Really nice!!
Marcus
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Doug:
That is fantastic that your son is interested. I assume that you are avoiding CA use while he is present and that you have him wear a dust-mask while sanding? You want his building career to be long-term, but both of those things (CA and dust), depending on the person, can apparently cause health problems in the long-term (a couple of my building buddies can't be around CA in any form without getting sinus congestion and headaches and I notice that if I don't wear a mask while sanding, my nose starts running, etc.) In working with Junior High kids I only use aliphatics (e.g., yellow carpenters glue).
In any case, I think it is great that you are introducing him to building.
Scott
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Man is that GREAT! Way to go, Dad.
I have a Stuntman 23 that I hope to build with my 4yo grandson - hopefully by the spring. Probably going to use either Aliphatic or white glue. He is also the kind that likes to build things - or take them apart...!
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Good stuff Doug. Flight video's this season please. Mike
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Cool!
Let him come up with the paint colors. ;D
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Great stuff Doug. That sanding block looks like a 2 fister for him!
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Man is that GREAT! Way to go, Dad.
I have a Stuntman 23 that I hope to build with my 4yo grandson - hopefully by the spring. Probably going to use either Aliphatic or white glue. He is also the kind that likes to build things - or take them apart...!
Yeah Dennis.........I know the story! There's no shame in admitting that you're going to build the Stuntman so you can play with it too!! #^ I can't wait for my 2 year old grandson to get there either!
Keith R
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I built a swing-plane for my Grandson. I made it out of wood from a clementine box (those midget oranges in the grocery store) and some dowels, knobs, and hardware from Home Depot.
Scott
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Doug-
This is one of the happiest threads I've seen. Congratulations on a great project, but even more on super teaching techniques. You've allowed him to buy into this project, and now he values it personally. You've also chosen a very attractive plane. It's wonderful to see his enthusiasm, and since you've allowed him to choose his "dosage" of labor and time spent, his attention span will grow. He's thinking about it outside of the shop. I think you've hit it just right; you've allowed him to build his own excitement, with an expert and loving hand. I love this!
SK
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Doug, what Serge said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #^ #^ #^ y1 y1 y1
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We might be seeing the birth of a future National Champ here. ;)
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My son came into the basement and helped on a couple of planes and even built one all by his self when he was a toddler. But, he decided that flying them was his thing and not building. It hard to believe it has been that many years and now with his band, no time to fly. As Serge says, don't push and don't have excuses when he does want to work in the shop. Now if all us old fogies would take the hint when a grand child ask or even you younger lads too. Thanks for the great pics.
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I took an old HLG and attached a string to it and a dowel on the other end. Added a few weights in the right spots and off it goes. For weeks on end my kids and other kids in the neighborhood flew that thing and crashed it over and over. I bet it has half a bottle of medium CA on it! I saw my daughter looping it!
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Thanks for the kind words and the safety tips too. I will keep you updated as it comes to life.
I cant wait until he can hold his finished product.