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General control line discussion => Open Forum => Topic started by: Mike Griffin on December 26, 2022, 12:45:09 PM
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This is the third Ringmaster 576 I have built. Thought I might do a build thread on it but be patient with me. With everything else going on in my life at this point, it might take me a while to finish it. Kit was bought from Pat Johnston.
What you see in this first picture is the bones framework of the fuselage. At this point, I have assembled the framework, glued on the doublers and am getting ready to glue the cutout 1/16 balsa fuselage sheeting to one side. Then I will flip it over and insert the foam filler and glue the other side on. I would have preferred to use 1/64 ply for the sheeted sides but it is just too expensive right now. The past two I built, I used 1/16th hard balsa and had absolutely no problems with warping or twisting.
Mike
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Looking forward to your thread!
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are you going to have flaps> I think it comes in doth versions.
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are you going to have flaps> I think it comes in doth versions.
Hi John,
This is the non-flapped version.
Mike
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Looking forward to your thread!
Thanks Crist. I have a lot going on right now so the build will be sporadic. Just bear with me. I have followed yours with great interest as well.
Mike
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Mike I built 2 of Pat's 526 Ringmasters with flaps, one was with full body of a Super Ringmaster They are great flying planes both power wit LA-46 y1 #^ #^
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I'll be watching.
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A couple of more of the fuselage. The top picture shows the foam inserted in the framework of the fuselage. The second picture shows the 1/16th balsa sheeting applied over the foam. At this point sanding of the fuselage will begin.
Mike
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Mike I built 2 of Pat's 526 Ringmasters with flaps, one was with full body of a Super Ringmaster They are great flying planes both power wit LA-46 y1 #^ #^
That is what I want to power this one with.
Mike
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At this point regarding the fuselage, it weighs 5.13 ounces and have not sanded anything yet. The fuselage measures 30 3/4" long and 6" high at the highest point of the canopy.
Mike
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It is always so satisfying to get the fuselage framed up to this point. With this method, the size can be quite chubby without much of a weight gain. It would be interesting to do a side by side comparison of flaps vs no flaps. I suspect there may not be all that much difference.
Also, if any of you have a decent LA46 and would like to make a donation to Mike’s build thread, I would thank you for your generosity on behalf of Mike. That would be a fun way to have a community project build. This is the best group of guys anywhere.
Pat Johnston
Idaho Skunk Works
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A couple of more of the fuselage. The top picture shows the foam inserted in the framework of the fuselage. The second picture shows the 1/16th balsa sheeting applied over the foam. At this point sanding of the fuselage will begin.
Mike
I like your foam filled fuselage...but aren't you the same Mike Griffin who got busted years ago playing baseball with a corked bat...? ...... H^^
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I like your foam filled fuselage...but aren't you the same Mike Griffin who got busted years ago playing baseball with a corked bat...? ...... H^^
Well, Uh Chuck, No, today is my 75th Birthday and I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about since I never played professional baseball. However, I did win a shuffleboard tournament in Boca Raton, Florida in 1974 when I lived there.
Signed,
The Babe.
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At this point in this picture, I have done some rough sanding to the fuselage and one thing I always try to do on a profile fuselage is finish the edges so it will finish out nice and hide the laser burns and imperfections. What I am showing here is the 1/16 x 1/2 balsa that I wet and formed around the edge of the fuselage and the next step will be to glue it on and do some finish sanding. After that, I will proceed to drill for the landing gear, the engine and apply the 1/4" tripler to the inboard side of the fuselage.
Pat shows a really neat landing gear mount on the plan for using 1/8" music wire but I have never liked wire gears period, just a personal preference. I will be mounting a flat aluminum gear instead.
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Neat idea!
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Neat idea!
Thanks Crist. Sanding is the least favorite part of building for me and this saves some of that and gives a nice smooth finish to sand lightly and finish.
Mike
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I am looking forward to following you progress! Thanks for doing this.
Phil Spillman
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I am looking forward to following you progress! Thanks for doing this.
Phil Spillman
You are welcome Phil. I enjoy doing it.
Mike
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Mike
Enjoying your thread. I have a Bearcat kit from Pat that uses the same construction for the fuselage. Which type of adhesive did you use to glue the fuselage sides to the foam?
Thanks,
Michael Shipman
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Mike
Enjoying your thread. I have a Bearcat kit from Pat that uses the same construction for the fuselage. Which type of adhesive did you use to glue the fuselage sides to the foam?
Thanks,
Michael Shipman
Michael,
I used Zpoxy finishing resin and it worked very well.
Mike
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Mike,
Thanks for the info.
Michael Shipman
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Made a little progress today on the 576 Ringmaster. The inboard tripler is applied, cut out for landing gear, tail wheel wire is installed and some sanding done. Weight at this point is 6.16 ounces. Still have to fill in some dings with Super Fil and do some finish sanding. The pads to mount the motor on have 1 degree offset.
NOTE: Someone asked me how I installed the tail wheel wire. There is a small block of balsa wood that I placed where I wanted to insert the tail wheel wire. I cut away a little of the foam for this before I applied the 1/16 skins. Take a 3/16 drill bit and using your fingers, slowly drill a hole at a slight angle in the bottom of the fuselage that the tail wheel assembly will slip into. You drill a small hole lengthwise through a grooved 1/4" dowel pin about an inch long. Prebend your wire for the wheel and then insert the tail wheel wire through the hole you drilled in the dowell. Make sure before you do this that you cut a small notch in the top of the dowel so the tail wheel wire can be bent and nest down in the notch to keep the wire from spinning. Cut off the excess of the wire. Mix up some epoxy ore JB Weld and take a toothpick and fill the
hole and insert the whole tailwheel assembly and let it dry overnight.
Mike
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Finally have a little time to do some sanding. The fuselage weighs 6.5 ounces at this point. It just needs to be primed. The tail feathers are tapered and sanded. I always use dacron hinges so those will be applied soon.
Mike
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Looks good!
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Thank you Crist. I just wish I had more time to build. I just do what I can when I can.
Mike
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What's taking up your time? I know if I would get off the computor, quit watching dirt car racing and also watching Chiefs plus KU basketball I could build more planes or work on the plane related stuff. But my body says I need sleep once in a while while not telling me first. D>K Z@@ZZZ H^^ Z@@ZZZH^^
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What's taking up your time? I know if I would get off the computor, quit watching dirt car racing and also watching Chiefs plus KU basketball I could build more planes or work on the plane related stuff. But my body says I need sleep once in a while while not telling me first. D>K Z@@ZZZ H^^ Z@@ZZZH^^
Well Doc, tell you what, I retired 17 years ago thinking I would have all the time in the world to do things but that was not true. I joined the Civil Air Patrol several years ago and flew on an aircrew and then help develop the drone team for CAP. I also serve as the Emergency Services Training officer for the Louisiana Wing. I am also the Co-owner of Take Flight Photo Works, an aerial imaging company and we have partnered with a forensic engineering company and they are keeping busy with aerial inspection work. This was supposed to be a sideline job but has grown much faster than I expectd.
Just got home from a week long stint in Lake Charles, LA photographing (Drone footage) Hurricane Laura damage which was over 2 years ago and the towns on the gulf coast down there still are running diesel generators for electricity.
In addition to this, I work as a drone operator for the Cajun Navy.
I have to build models when I can get to them.
Mike
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Started the Wing tonight.
The Finished yellow and blue 576 is the one I built a couple of years ago. A member in our club now owns it.
Mike
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TE Sheeting being applied
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Mike looking forward to you finishing it. Will bring my flapped on to Zachary you are welcome to fly mine to see difference . I bet not much will change between them. Very happy you are building. Look forward to seeing you.
Joe Gilbert
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Mike looking forward to you finishing it. Will bring my flapped on to Zachary you are welcome to fly mine to see difference . I bet not much will change between them. Very happy you are building. Look forward to seeing you.
Joe Gilbert
Sounds like a plan Joe. Look forward to seeing you too.
Mike
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Trailing and leading edges are now applied.
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Got the bellcrank installed today. I decided to follow the plan that Pat drew and go with the platform mounted bellcrank rather than a suspended one. I am trying to stick as close as I can to the plan. It has been quite a while since I have done a build and it amazes me how much you can forget if you do not build on a regular basis.
Mike
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Looks good Mike!
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More progress on the Ringmaster 576 Build
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Looks good Mike!
Thank you Crist.
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Some more pictures to share. This kit has really been fun to build.
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A few More. I have some reinforcement to do on the adjustable leadout guide and a lot of sanding to do yet. And no, that is not the correct setting for the leadout guide before someone tells me it is too far back. LOL.
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Your workbench is cluttered with that glue and tip weight box on it!
Nice work Mike.
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Got the bellcrank installed today. I decided to follow the plan that Pat drew and go with the platform mounted bellcrank rather than a suspended one. I am trying to stick as close as I can to the plan. It has been quite a while since I have done a build and it amazes me how much you can forget if you do not build on a regular basis.
Mike
I hear you Mike! It's been a few years since I have had the opportunity to start a new build, I still have a few to finish, hopefully soon!
I am really enjoying this build too. Did you aquire an LA .46 yet?
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I hear you Mike! It's been a few years since I have had the opportunity to start a new build, I still have a few to finish, hopefully soon!
I am really enjoying this build too. Did you aquire an LA .46 yet?
Thank you Phil. Yes, I was able to locate a really nice new OS LA.46. I am making some progress slowly but surely.
Mike
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Wing at this point weighs 9.3 ounces and is ready to cover.
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Looks nice Mike. The LE sheeting looks like it needs a bit more sandpaper at the LE?
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Looks nice Mike. The LE sheeting looks like it needs a bit more sandpaper at the LE?
I am going to go over it again with some 600 grit. The leading edge of this wing is made up of two pieces of 1/8" balsa laminated together. Where the sheeting meets the leading edge pieces, there is a fine crack that has to be filled in and sanded. I have done some of that but not all.
Mike
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Took very little sanding for the wing to fit into the fuse saddle.
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That's looking good!
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Thank you Phil. Yes, I was able to locate a really nice new OS LA.46. I am making some progress slowly but surely.
Mike
I recall after asking this time, I already asked you about it. Very glad you have what you need. I will be tuning in frequently for this build! I am thinking about acquiring one at some point!
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Looks pretty good Mike!
I have been wanting to build one of these for some time now.
You might consider adding 3 more tip ribs....from the l/e tip rib about 45 degrees fwd, another in between the existing ribs then another 45 degrees behind the t/e tip rib.
This will help with covering the tip and look good too.
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Hi Mike,
What tank are you using on this plane that's large enough to pull an OS LA 46 through the pattern, in the limited space between the wing and the engine?
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I have one of these kits being delivered tomorrow. It's nice seeing how Mike's has come together so far.
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I apologize for not getting any further with this build. I had a heart attack in March and have laid off building for a while. I hope to resume work on it in the near future. I appreciate all of the nice comments.
Mike
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With that style of trailing edge rib it's easier to to get a piece of balsa wide enough and score the center of the sheet, fold it in half and then push it onto the ribs. The fold will be straight.