My bubble is busted.

[RC Storick]

Tonight I set the I beam on the scale it was 581 grams 20.5 oz, now remember this was for a .40 and then I set my P-47 for the .75 on the scale. In the same state of build the thunderbolt is lighter by 1 oz. So I am scrapping the I beam build. Back to work on the T-bolt.  Bummer!

[Bill Little]

Tonight I set the I beam on the scale it was 581 grams 20.5 oz, now remember this was for a .40 and then I set my P-47 for the .75 on the scale. In the same state of build the thunderbolt is lighter by 1 oz. So I am scrapping the I beam build. Back to work on the T-bolt.  Bummer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whoa, Dude!  Where did all that extra weight come from??

Billy did say that it was easier to build a bigger plane light.............

Bill <><

[Greg L Bahrman]

Tonight I set the I beam on the scale it was 581 grams 20.5 oz, now remember this was for a .40 and then I set my P-47 for the .75 on the scale. In the same state of build the thunderbolt is lighter by 1 oz. So I am scrapping the I beam build. Back to work on the T-bolt. Bummer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just because the T-Bolt lighter now doesn't mean it will be at the end ?

[RC Storick]

Trust me its too heavy. I know these things!

[Bob Reeves]

This weekend at the Tulsa contest I had an interesting conversation with Bill Wilson from Texas. Bill is an expert builder, finisher, flyer and typically ends up in the top or wins most every contest I have seem him compete at. He won Expert at our contest last weekend.

One bit of info that came out of the conversation was he purposely builds his airplanes so they end up at around 13 ounces per sq ft wing loading. To most of us this is pretty heavy, I am usually happy if I make 12, 10 is out of the question, I just can't build that light.

Anyway he says his heaver airplanes just fly better and for sure handle the wind better. Me, I am just another middle Advanced flyer so not sure what to make of this but thought it interesting.

BTY: He is running a swap meet $25.00 70's Fox eagle 60 on an aluminum pipe and you can't tell it from the PA's and Jett's when he is in the circle.

[john e. holliday]

You have to remember Robert and some of these guys/gals don't fly in wind like we have in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.   DOC Holliday

[Ron King]

Trust me its too heavy. I know these things!

Sparky,

I feel your pain, but it's much better to discover this now than to spend months and months creating a fine gem only to discover it cannot fly well. 

I spent eight months last winter creating a beautiful semi scale P-51, then discovered that it had "grown" 8 ounces more than I planned. It looks great out on the lines, but will not turn a square corner.

I now have a nice Fun Scale plane, but wanted a stunt ship. 

Life goes on.

Ron

[Randy Powell]

>>I feel your pain, but it's much better to discover this now than to spend months and months creating a fine gem only to discover it cannot fly well. <<

This is certain. I did the same thing. I knew it was a bit heavy, but kept thinking I could make it up in the finish. It was a waste of time. A pretty plane that flew like a brick.

If you can make it lighter at this stage, great. If not, salvage the parts and move on.

[wwwarbird]

Bummer.
Does this mean that with wood weights or densities being equal, that an I-beam wing design is naturally heavier than a Geo-Bolt wing of the same size?

[RC Storick]

It should be lighter. But the techniques use are different in the construction of the fuse. The Thunder Bolt has no doublers and the beamer has 1/8 balsa doublers with CF sandwiched in between. Epoxy is heavy. Another thing is The motor mounts are longer. Plywood doublers and triplers in the spar and the way the LG clips are is heaver.

I am sure i could finish it at 60 oz but that is not what I had in mind. So as Randy said better to find out now than later. Back to the T-Bolt.

[ebonbetta]

So how much over was it and what was left to do on the wing ?
Was the leading edge still square ?

[RC Storick]

So how much over was it and what was left to do on the wing ?
Was the leading edge still square ?

Wing finished. Leading edge is shaped. Its just the construction methods I used.

[RC Storick]

up to a .65 will fit

[RC Storick]

Thats not what I am after. I want to fly on .015 lines. More power is not the answer.

[Jim Pollock]

Robert,

1/8" plywood for a doubler sounds like too much - really - I would think 1/16' would be more than enough.  Tom Morris does ladder crutch fuselages and they are really - really light!  You might try adopting a ladder crutch fuselage on an I beamer and see what happens.  You know Tom's number so give him a call, he's always glad to come of with solutions to problems.

Jim Pollock

[RC Storick]

Robert,

1/8" plywood for a doubler sounds like too much - really - I would think 1/16' would be more than enough.  Tom Morris does ladder crutch fuselages and they are really - really light!  You might try adopting a ladder crutch fuselage on an I beamer and see what happens.  You know Tom's number so give him a call, he's always glad to come of with solutions to problems.

Jim Pollock

There was no plywood used. Quote from my post above.

It should be lighter. But the techniques use are different in the construction of the fuse. The Thunder Bolt has no doublers and the beamer has 1/8 balsa doublers with CF sandwiched in between. Epoxy is heavy. Another thing is The motor mounts are longer. Plywood doublers and triplers in the spar and the way the LG clips are is heaver.

Plywood used in the spar