Christmas vacation?

[Curt Diggs]

Anybody working on a new model over Christmas? I took some vacation (use it or loose it) and between the honey-do list and Christmas shopping I got to work on the Fancherized Twister some. It started life as the SIG kit but like most Twisters it got some modifications. Per Ted F.'s original article and what I've read others have done to the Twister, here's some of the mods I did:

- Extended rear fuse 3".
- Changed control surfaces from 3/16" to 1/4" ( mostly because the wood in the kit was either way too hard or soft).
- Revamped side profile to something I find more appealing.
- Replaced lite-ply fuse doublers with 1/16" birch aircraft ply. Added a 1/4" doubler on the inboard side.
- Spruce spars.
- 1/4" Balsa Tips.
- Adjustable lead-outs.

Initial power will be the OS Max 35S but I probably will replace it with a OS .46LA that's waiting in the wings for break-in. I made a replaceable motor plate already pre-drilled for the .46 LA as well as the 35S. I can change motors out in minutes.

Weight in the bones is 34 oz so to keep it within Ted's article weight of 38 to 40 oz I'll have to go easy on the finish. Wings and tail will be Monokote and fuse will get finishing resin and Nelson's paint which is very light.

Some pics attached...

[Tim Wescott]

My boss is a self-centered a**hole, so I have to work this week.  But I'm putting the finishing touches on a pair of Reniger ET-1's, one of which I need to get into the mail by December 10th if I want it to get to Hawaii in time for Christmas (Happy January 15th, Zach!).

Then it's back to work on my Fancherized Twister.  (I wish Sig would revamp their Twister -- wouldn't a genuine laser-cut Sig Fancherized Twister be kewl?).

[Mike Lauerman]

Hi, Curt.

Fuse shape looks great! A likeable improvement over the Twister... What are the tank straps made of? They compliment the immaculate engine plate...

[Paul Taylor]

Curt
 
Very nicely done. Please keep us posted.

I a ARC Force in the works. Polyspan on and blushing on the clear. (it's raining here). 

[Matt Colan]

I'm finishing up my Thundergazer. It's just about ready for clear and weighs 62 ounces, which I'm very happy about!!!

[Avaiojet]

Curt,

Great looking Twister and thanks for the photo!

I'd like to see a few more Twister wings in the bones.

I'll still be working on The LOSER over Christmas vacation. Actually, I don't get a vacation.

I used Twister ribs for the second wing on The LOSER. All I had was ribs that I ordered from Sig a few years ago.

Our wings are similar in some ways.

I made 3/8" x 1/4" spars and a 1/2" x 1/2" TE tapered for the use of 1/4" flaps.

You must have done something similar to get 1/4" flaps?

I used 1" x 1/16" TE tops and bottoms also. LE is 1/2" sq. stock rounded.

I know the wing has half ribs, found that out after I made my wing.

I see you opened your ribs up for weight saving, good idea. I may trim a bit away.

34 oz. is really light, don't know what I'll come in on with weight?

No one has guessed The LOSER's weight that low.  

Kudos on your workmanship.

Charles

[Curt Diggs]

Hi, Curt.

Fuse shape looks great! A likeable improvement over the Twister... What are the tank straps made of? They compliment the immaculate engine plate...

Thanks! At this point the tank straps are Velcro two-sided strips I had on hand. I'll replace them with something a little more permanent after finish is applied.

[Curt Diggs]

Curt,

Great looking Twister and thanks for the photo!

I'd like to see a few more Twister wings in the bones.

I'll still be working on The LOSER over Christmas vacation. Actually, I don't get a vacation.

I used Twister ribs for the second wing on The LOSER. All I had was ribs that I ordered from Sig a few years ago.

Our wings are similar in some ways.

I made 3/8" x 1/4" spars and a 1/2" x 1/2" TE tapered for the use of 1/4" flaps.

You must have done something similar to get 1/4" flaps?

I used 1" x 1/16" TE tops and bottoms also. LE is 1/2" sq. stock rounded.

I know the wing has half ribs, found that out after I made my wing.

I see you opened your ribs up for weight saving, good idea. I may trim a bit away.

34 oz. is really light, don't know what I'll come in on with weight?

No one has guessed The LOSER's weight that low.  

Kudos on your workmanship.

Charles

Thanks!

I found the stock TE on the Twister wing actually just right for 1/4" flaps. You'd just have to sand it down more for the stock 3/16" flaps. The stock elevators actually live on as the wing tips. I was not real impressed with the wood selection in the kit but used as much as I could. Being somewhat OCD, I weighed the ribs after hollowing and reinforcing then arranged them by weight with the heaviest at the right tip and lightest at the left. The heaviest weight four times what the lightest weighed. I don't think I'll need any tip weight...

 

[Curt Diggs]

My boss is a self-centered a**hole, so I have to work this week.  But I'm putting the finishing touches on a pair of Reniger ET-1's, one of which I need to get into the mail by December 10th if I want it to get to Hawaii in time for Christmas (Happy January 15th, Zach!).

Then it's back to work on my Fancherized Twister.  (I wish Sig would revamp their Twister -- wouldn't a genuine laser-cut Sig Fancherized Twister be kewl?).

Ummm, hope you made that Dec. 10 deadline... 

Actually, there is a laser-cut Fancherized Twister kit available. Can't remember where I saw it but since I had the wood and enjoy the kit-bashing challenge, I opted to do the mods myself. I made patterns of everything of course (actually CAD patterns), so I can cut out another one pretty quick.

[dave siegler]

My boss is a self-centered a**hole, so I have to work this week.  But I'm putting the finishing touches on a pair of Reniger ET-1's, one of which I need to get into the mail by December 10th if I want it to get to Hawaii in time for Christmas (Happy January 15th, Zach!).

You are self employed right?

[Dave Denison]

My boss is a self-centered a**hole, so I have to work this week.  But I'm putting the finishing touches on a pair of Reniger ET-1's, one of which I need to get into the mail by December 10th if I want it to get to Hawaii in time for Christmas (Happy January 15th, Zach!).

Then it's back to work on my Fancherized Twister.  (I wish Sig would revamp their Twister -- wouldn't a genuine laser-cut Sig Fancherized Twister be kewl?).

Tim.
I had a Boss just like that....for over 17 years.  Then I sold the my business and retired, now it's on to building airplanes ( don't let my wife see this post!)
 So I'm now putting the finishing touches on my new FinessE, there my be a build thread coming.
Happy Holidays.

Dave.
ama41041

[Sheldon Hartwell]

Hi everyone,
     I'm lucky enough to have some of this time off between the holidays, and boy, is it great ! I'm working on a Brodak Oriental right now and it's nice to have some down time.
     I'll tell ya, my new build, leftovers from Chrismas, DVD's, and surround sound in my shop, it doesn't get much better than this !
                                                                                           Sheldon

[Tim Wescott]

You are self employed right?

Yup.  This is my store front: http://www.wescottdesign.com/

[john e. holliday]

The build looks great.  Don't worry if you get into the mid 40's with weight.   Just don't let it get into the high 50's.   Even tho I did see a Twister fly in St Louis one year that was all  hardwood construction.  I think the ones I did when Tad came out with the MA articles, were in the low 50's ounce range and flew great for me at the time.   They were powered with Fox .35 Stunts.

[Curt Diggs]

Thought I would update this thread since I finished the Fancherized Twister. Final dry weight is 38 oz. so it should fly pretty good with the OS .35S. Still haven't broken in the .46 LA yet but that'll happen soon.

Here's some pix:

[Paul Taylor]

Sweet!

[john e. holliday]

Yes, that does look nice.  I like it.

[Dennis Heckel]

Nice looking plane Curt, but I got a question to ask. Why is your grass green?  I haven't seen green grass in months.

Dennis Heckel

[Curt Diggs]

Nice looking plane Curt, but I got a question to ask. Why is your grass green?  I haven't seen green grass in months.

Dennis Heckel

Thanks!

That's cuz it ain't grass! My back yard is mostly moss because of the tree cover. I don't mind. It's easy to cut!

Curt

[Grady Widener]

Scope following for improved engine run on profile:

Engine will be much happier if spongy tank is ditched and replaced with hard tank rotated 90° from  yours shown. Replace mounts with massaged Home Depot wood screw eyelets and adjust tank by filling with sized and epoxied in toothpicks then re-drilling for new height as needed. This makes for clean mount and minimizes centrifugal loading on fuel.
Stopper is plumbed as pictured. The uniflow vent will be just in front and outboard of filter....keeps it wet while bobbing to and fro. Loop needs to be larger than silicone vent tube to permit sliding and free clunk movement.
Use Du-Bro sintered bronze filter and solder 1/32 music wire loop to trap singing uniflow vent.
5/32 extension tube needs soldered to filter to provide enough real estate for loop and hook-up.
Fuel surface tension won't allow filter to suck air.
Uniflow @ 9 Overflow @ 2 and pickup @ 5.
Use cheap silicone caulk (GE blue white and gold tube) and wax paper on flat surface to build slight vibration dampening fuel locating wedge after assembled. Tank bias is rear outboard.
Rough up and clean inboard side tank prior to building silicone foot.
Clunk must fall tank middle just shy of hitting outboard wall when is held vertically and have the same sling when positioned upright and inverted. Vent should be centered and dead outboard of pick-up while juggling around also.
Mount tank 1/8 above engine center for starters.

Best,
Grady