Author Topic: Volunteers needed for Stunt News (Read 3424 times)

Scott Richlen · « **on:** April 18, 2018, 07:22:33 AM »

One of the reasons that people do not submit "build" articles to Stunt News is that they are unable, or reluctant, to draw up their plans (in the case of design articles) or they can't draw up the supporting figures or schematics to go along with their building article, or they are not good at the keyboard and can only submit hand-written notes. The availability of volunteers who would be willing to draw up plans, draw up the supporting figures for an article, or type up the article from someone's hen-scratch might expand the content of Stunt News considerably.

Way back when, we had some Stunt News columnists who would mail in an envelope filled with hen-scratch notes and loose pictures. It was a pain for our over-worked editor to put together, but it gave us some interesting and off-beat columns. More recently, Bob has repeatedly asked for input and maybe the availability of some additional volunteers could help us going forward.

As the PAMPA District IV Rep, I offered to post a "volunteers wanted" to this effect and Matt gave me the thumbs up. So, if you would be willing to volunteer, please send me a PM.

Just think: if we had someone who could do drawings in CAD we might be able to not only have a lot more plans available, but also offer laser cut short kits of any of the plans in the PAMPA plans library and also of any plans going forward. There are still a lot of designs out there that need publication.

Scott

Guy B Jr · « **Reply #1 on:** April 18, 2018, 10:58:04 PM »

The following is what I posted on Stunt Hangar.

More content could be had by going back to the 1990s and 2000s issues and recycle some of the great "how to" articles of those issues.

Scott Richlen · « **Reply #2 on:** April 19, 2018, 05:45:29 AM »

Quote

More content could be had by going back to the 1990s and 2000s issues and recycle some of the great "how to" articles of those issues.

Thanks Guy. I think that that is a good idea and hopefully will be done since there is always a new member looking for the kind of "helps" that have been covered in the past.

What I am trying to do here, though, is a little different. I think that there are still a lot of designs out there that have never been published. I suspect that part of the reason is that the designer (or his friends who would like to see the design published) does not have the drawing or writing skills and recognizes that. I'm thinking that with a little help we could get these things written up and into stunt News. Plus if we had a volunteer who could do CAD we could also offer laser-cut short kits of those designs (and even go back and do the other plans already offered by PAMPA.)

Dave_Trible · « **Reply #3 on:** April 19, 2018, 07:23:50 AM »

Unfortunately CAD doesn’t usually translate well into full size plan sets. Usually a mess of wide dashes. Plans really need an old-fashioned draftsman to draw them by hand full size to begin with..

Dave

Scott Richlen · « **Reply #4 on:** April 19, 2018, 11:42:00 AM »

Quote

Unfortunately CAD doesn’t usually translate well into full size plan sets. Usually a mess of wide dashes. Plans really need an old-fashioned draftsman to draw them by hand full size to begin with..

Of all the people reading these posts, I probably know the least about CAD or drawing up plans, particularly with an eye to being able to then laser-cut them. Thus my request for volunteers. I figure that whoever volunteers would do so on the basis of actually knowing how to create plans so they can also be laser-cut.

As Bob noted, we don't seem to have a lot of willing authors (or plan designers) out there. But, if a few people stepped forward to volunteer, maybe we could help some of our non-authors actually contribute.

Dave_Trible · « **Reply #5 on:** April 19, 2018, 11:53:04 AM »

These things are somewhat demand/market driven. 40-60 hours to draw and ink plans, then printing cost then set up for lazer cutting to make 4-6 kits a year isn’t very appealing.

Ken Bird · « **Reply #6 on:** April 19, 2018, 01:35:44 PM »

Scott,

I'd be happy to help PAMPA however I can with CAD drawing. I know several others, such as Pat Johnston and John Miller, have set the bar high in terms of knowledge and capability when it comes to their craft. I would never consider myself to be "the" CAD guy but I can certainly be "a" CAD guy.

I've definitely drawn (and inked) my fair share of plans by hand but I much prefer the modern tools that CAD provides.

Hopefully, you'll see the snapshot of my work in the attached picture.

Ken Bird

Scott Richlen · « **Reply #7 on:** April 19, 2018, 03:10:13 PM »

Ken:

Thanks for stepping forward! Your drawing looks terrific and I am sure that you will be a tremendous help to Stunt News. This is fantastic!

Scott

RogerGreene · « **Reply #8 on:** April 19, 2018, 06:53:57 PM »

Hey Guys,

This is the first time I have seen this thread. I would be able to do CAD drawings too.

Have used AutoCAD since 1984 doing architectural stuff. I have been using for TurboCAD about 20 years since I am retired and work had the autocad software. I don't have a drafting board big enough (24x35) to hand draw plans.

I too would be happy to help PAMPA do plans.

~ Roger

Paul Walker · « **Reply #9 on:** April 19, 2018, 07:10:27 PM »

Quote from: Bob Hunt on April 19, 2018, 08:42:20 AM

Hi Guy:

Some of that can - and should - be done. But, where are the new ideas and the new authors/innovators? No one seems to want to contribute these days. I spent the lion's share of my time at the helm of Stunt News trying to get people who had good ideas and designs to actually prepare articles for publication. A few, like Dave Trible, Wes Dick, Tom Hampshire, and a few others responded, but many just told me that they didn't have the time to write articles and/or draw plans. Many of them were the same ones complaining that the people who do volunteer to write stuff and do stuff for PAMPA/Stunt News weren't doing enough! I've been asking one particular PAMPA member to allow us to publish his very neat original design for many years, but it seems to have fallen on deaf ears...

I can sleep very well at night knowing that I gave blood to PAMPA/Stunt News and went far beyond what I should have in failing health to keep it going. If Stunt News and PAMPA are to survive (and that's the correct word to be using here...), then everyone in PAMPA is going to have to take responsibility to contribute SOMETHING! I made a plea while Editor there to all PAMPA members to write and submit an article about "Why I fly Stunt." I received three...

There were many times when I had to stop working on getting Stunt News out the door and write one or two articles for a particular issue just to fill the pages. If you want to know what "burned out" looks like, I'll send you a personal photo taken at the end of my tenure at Stunt News.

If no one cares anymore, then just let PAMPA die a dignified death. All good things finally come to an end. If, on the other hand, the members want it to continue, then they have to take ownership of the organization as if it were a child who is dependent on their constant care. If everyone in PAMPA waits for "someone else" to do the heavy lifting, then it will surely die. This is just sad, and it makes me mad and sick at the same time.

Just one final note: I anyone wants to take me to task for anything I've written in this post, they had better be someone who has actually contributed to PAMPA and/or Stunt News in the past. If you are a PAMPA member and haven't been part of the solution to the PAMPA and Stunt News issues, then you are part of the problem.

Bob Hunt
AMA 1114 HOF
PAMPA HOF

Well Bob, I contributed AND would like to take you to task!

Bob....you went way to far.....you spent way too much of your time doing this. I for one totally appreciate your efforts. I don't know how you kept it going a little while ago when your back issue flared up. I could not do that. That was an amazing "task".
You obviously have a deep love for this endeavor of ours.

We will always be greatful for your efforts with Stunt News.

Tom Niebuhr · « **Reply #10 on:** April 19, 2018, 08:02:31 PM »

Bob,
I too want to thank you for the thousands of hours of your life that you have given to Stunt News, Flying Models, and Model Aviation. You have helped to make our small world of CL Stunt better for us all.

I believe I was of the three that wrote about how I got started in CL and stunt. I would be glad to expand on that in the future.

I have contributed several articles for stunt News, and will in the future as things come up. My articles always include the Cad drawings, and the photos.

Since my second hobby is photography, I also suggest that you use flash when people are wearing a hat. There way too many pictures where the face is in the shadow of the hat.

Cad drawings do convert easily by creating a PDF.

I have been grounded recently with my broken femur, but I will be back. I am currently working on two never published airplanes that are candidates.

I will also be rebuilding the Galloping Comedian that I flew at the 25th anniversary of OTS in 1995. The airplane is in sad shape. It is stripped and the rudder, stab/elevator are broken off, the wing tips have bent up slightly like dihedral. This will certainly present a challenge.

Talk about your new builds or rebuilds. These always present pitfalls that could help other people. To put it bluntly it's ok to write about your screw-ups!

Remember that the only people that haven't made mistakes are lying. This includes people that have been building for 30 or 40 years.

Dave_Trible · « **Reply #11 on:** April 20, 2018, 05:09:58 AM »

Ken Bird · « **Reply #12 on:** April 20, 2018, 06:26:05 AM »

Dave,

That is not a CAD (vector) format. That is a raster (jpeg, bitmap, etc) image of a vector which demonstrates the limitations (pixelation) of digital picture file formats. I am sure there are plenty of experts in that world that could explain it better than me. CAD drawings are every bit as smooth as those done by hand. A CAD file can be scaled (in its native format) without the problems of line weights changing. This is the type of file required for any machine requirement e.g. laser cutter, cnc router, etc. See pictures of my plotted drawing.

Ken Bird

Dave_Trible · « **Reply #13 on:** April 20, 2018, 07:04:14 AM »

If they can be done such that you can walk into Kinkos and reproduce a set of plans you can readily cut accurate parts from then so be it.

Dave

I have a set of CAD-drawn Russian plans I’ve been trying to decifer for three years until I get a headache and throw back in the closet. I’d like those ‘fixed’.

Scott Richlen · « **Reply #14 on:** April 20, 2018, 08:07:02 AM »

Quote

Hey Guys,

This is the first time I have seen this thread. I would be able to do CAD drawings too.

Have used AutoCAD since 1984 doing architectural stuff. I have been using for TurboCAD about 20 years since I am retired and work had the autocad software. I don't have a drafting board big enough (24x35) to hand draw plans.

I too would be happy to help PAMPA do plans.

~ Roger

Roger:

Great news! Thanks for volunteering!

It may take a little time to get organized, but this is shaping up pretty nicely!

Scott Richlen · « **Reply #15 on:** April 20, 2018, 08:13:36 AM »

Quote

I am currently working on two never published airplanes that are candidates.

Tom: I'm hoping that you will be publishing them in Stunt News! It will be great to see them.

Also sounds like you know a bunch about drawing up plans. Can we count on you for some help from time to time? If we can put together a bunch of volunteer helpers we should be able to shake a bunch of unpublished designs out of the trees and into Stunt News.

Scott

Tom Niebuhr · « **Reply #16 on:** April 20, 2018, 01:43:13 PM »

Scott,

Cad drawings require a lot of time to coordinate with the designer to avoid the errors that were common in old magazine plans.

I will, however, write articles for Stunt News about the rebuild of the Galloping Comedian that I built for the 25th anniversary of OTS in 1995, and a build of a Carousel. (see thread on the twin boomers)

Scott Richlen · « **Reply #17 on:** April 20, 2018, 03:18:47 PM »

I'm really looking forward to seeing your write-up on the Carousel. That has to be one of the prettiest planes ever built.

eric rule · « **Reply #18 on:** April 21, 2018, 02:26:54 PM »

Hey Scott;

I know a bit about transferring CAD drawings into laser cut files for kits. I would be happy to work with any CAD person to translate drawings into laser cut parts. If PAMPA wants to offer short kits I am sure that RSM Distribution would be happy to assist in the projects.

Scott Richlen · « **Reply #19 on:** April 21, 2018, 02:50:24 PM »

Thanks for volunteering Eric!

What excites me about this is that we potentially could get plans made for all of those cool planes we've seen over the years whose owners "just weren't good at plans" or "just weren't good at writing articles."

It looks like we are getting together a pretty strong team!

Tom Niebuhr · « **Reply #20 on:** April 21, 2018, 03:29:44 PM »

Scott,
Warren Wagner just posted this elsewhere on the forum. This is Linda and Me with my Galloping Comedian. It was actually for the 20th Anniversary of OTS (1980)

The airplane was cream and orange plyspan with black in stripes. I couldn't find Banner wheels at the time, so I used 2 1/2" Kraft wheels.

The Comedian is a great flying airplane.

Tom Niebuhr · « **Reply #21 on:** April 21, 2018, 03:35:15 PM »

Found the color picture of the comedian. It is partially faded.

Scott Richlen · « **Reply #22 on:** April 21, 2018, 07:03:34 PM »

What a great-looking plane! How'd it fly?

Tom Niebuhr · « **Reply #23 on:** April 22, 2018, 04:53:43 PM »

Scott,
The Comedian is a great flying plane. It tends to be sensitive, but is easily tamed down with a long horn and/or less line spacing at the handle

Tom Niebuhr · « **Reply #24 on:** April 22, 2018, 05:55:44 PM »

Laser cut the Carousel ribs today.

Scott Richlen · « **Reply #25 on:** April 22, 2018, 06:55:14 PM »

They look "thin" don't they?

Tom Niebuhr · « **Reply #26 on:** April 23, 2018, 12:04:16 PM »

hey Scott,
Remember it's from the early '60s. If not on paper before that.

Add the sheeting and it's not too bad.

John A Miller · « **Reply #27 on:** April 23, 2018, 02:39:11 PM »

Quote from: Tom Niebuhr on April 23, 2018, 12:04:16 PM

hey Scott,
Remember it's from the early '60s. If not on paper before that.

Add the sheeting and it's not too bad.

Hey Tom, Good to see you posting. Like I should talk.

I'll throw myself into the ring, and volunteer to "CADify" some plans.

I think this idea could be very successful for PAMPA.

John Miller

Scott Richlen · « **Reply #28 on:** April 23, 2018, 08:41:58 PM »

Thanks John!

We are getting up quite a cadre!

Next step: we start flushing out the game.....

Right now I am trying to get the info on 4 airplanes that should be published. I'm sure there will be more.

Scott

eric rule · « **Reply #29 on:** April 24, 2018, 07:28:55 PM »

Hey Scott:

I had a couple of hours free on Sunday afternoon so ran this off. If this is what you are looking for I think we can help. It will only take me a few more hours to create the actual laser cut files and be ready to create short kits for PAMPA.

Let me know if this is what you are looking for.

Eric Rule

Scott Richlen · « **Reply #30 on:** April 24, 2018, 08:08:19 PM »

Eric:

Yes!

(Right about now Matt is probably wondering: "Yikes! I thought I was PAMPA President. I've been lighting the fire under everyone, but Wow!!
Richlen and Rule are starting to sell PAMPA kits!?!")

Shows what can happen when we get people excited and the energy level comes up. I guess I better make sure that I don't get too far out in front of the parade. But Thank-You! This shows that we can make some great things happen for PAMPA!

I better get moving on beating the bushes for unpublished designs now that I have a team forming and people warming up their drafting boards (like I said, everyone on this site knows more about doing Cad plans than me!)

Scott

Scott Richlen · « **Reply #31 on:** April 26, 2018, 06:05:56 AM »

As a progress report - we have 5 volunteers to do CAD drawings for Stunt News.

We have 5 volunteers who have offered to write specific articles on building techniques or specific designs

And, so far, we have 2 volunteers for ghost-writing. Hopefully we'll get a couple more.

Things are looking good!

And a big Thank You to all of you who have volunteered.

We'll get back to everyone soon and start getting things organized.

Scott

Author Topic: Volunteers needed for Stunt News (Read 3424 times)

John A Miller