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Building Tips and technical articles. => Paint and finishing => Topic started by: jim gilmore on April 18, 2009, 04:56:28 PM

Title: Finishing my akromaster
Post by: jim gilmore on April 18, 2009, 04:56:28 PM
I have covered the plane and applied silkspan on the wings and horizontal surfaces. I applied johnson wax with futura 3 for 4 coat that were aprox 50/50 wax and water. Then today I sprayed a coat of clear miniwax.
I'm thinking tomorrow I'll sand it with 500 grit wet/dry and if it doesn't look too bad i'll prime it.
Title: Re: Finishing my akromaster
Post by: jim gilmore on April 18, 2009, 06:21:35 PM
Here's a photo of how it looks less any color.
Title: Re: Finishing my akromaster
Post by: john e. holliday on April 22, 2009, 08:36:52 AM
Looks good so far.  If it ever quits raining enough so I can get out side will be putting primer on the planes I have in finishing stage.  DOC Holliday
Title: Re: Finishing my akromaster
Post by: jim gilmore on April 22, 2009, 05:12:53 PM
Guess I did something wrong. After spraying primer on it the primer crazed. I sanded it a bit and sprayed more clear urathane over it. Than I sanded some more. So I may just leave it as it is and fly it.Not a great look but functional.
I did the leadout and have yet to screw the control in place though it is super glued  in. I need to a decent push rod guide since the push rod is a bit flexible. It already a little hangar rash due my clumsiness in tight spaced RV.I do not have any way to weigh it but it sure doesn't seem too bad. I think I'm going to leave the clear canopy off.
Title: Re: Finishing my akromaster
Post by: jim gilmore on April 23, 2009, 01:10:11 AM
Ok, I've decided I wasn't finished and now have 2 nice black wing walks on the top side of the w2ings. That color seemed to work well. I also took a 4" piece of a broken arrow I had and cut a slot down it. Then slipped it over the center of the push rod tapped the ends off anf filled it with as much epoxy as I could get it to hold. Hopefully that will make the rod stiffer. If not I'll cut the rod down and splice a solid carbon shaft to each  end and just have the original push rod material at the ends.
 Since the black seems to cover over the gray I may add a few more stripes on the wings.
Title: Re: Finishing my akromaster
Post by: jim gilmore on April 25, 2009, 02:11:45 AM
Ok, I think the plane is done for now. It isnt any great effort but in limited space I'm done fighting with my small rv and trying to do repairs for every mis step in here. Heres a photo of my completed model. I hope to have the engine venturi worked out in about 2 weeks and will have lines and all by then.
Title: Re: Finishing my akromaster
Post by: jim gilmore on April 25, 2009, 02:22:50 AM
better photo here....
Title: Re: Finishing my akromaster
Post by: Russell Shaffer on April 25, 2009, 08:48:19 AM
Well, Jim, I think it turned out well.  That is a nice covering job on the wing. 
Title: Re: Finishing my akromaster
Post by: Bill Heher on April 25, 2009, 11:45:34 AM
If you want to weigh it you can go to the Post office. Most of them have a Self Service mailing center that includes a digital scale that will go up to at least 10 lbs.
Title: Re: Finishing my akromaster
Post by: jim gilmore on April 25, 2009, 09:52:07 PM
Thanks for the compliment Russel. It had a few wrinkles and if I had more  silkspan on hand I might have redone it. I am a little strapped in a RV on how much stuff I have on hand.
Title: Re: Finishing my akromaster
Post by: Bill Heher on April 28, 2009, 02:58:15 AM
Hey Jim- I just noticed the drawing underneath your Akromaster, whatcha got cooking down there?
Title: Re: Finishing my akromaster
Post by: jim gilmore on April 30, 2009, 01:56:26 AM
Sorry I didn't respond sooner. I'm in town and not in the rv this week. The drawing under the Akromaster, is a possible fuselage design for a wing I built a bit ago. its about 33" span and 5.5 chord without the flaps attached on it. I'm thinking .061. When I get outta town I'll photo the wing for ya and see what you think.
Title: Re: Finishing my akromaster
Post by: kenneth cook on May 03, 2009, 08:20:45 PM
       Jim, I'd really like to know how that engine is going to work for you on the particular airplane. My test results on the stand with a Master Airscrew 7x4 was pretty impressive. My concern was the muffler. That muffler  is very quiet but its very restrictive knocking down at least 1000 rpm's. I bought my .09 used with the intent to use it on my Akromaster. I currently have an Enya.15 on it. The Enya has a bad attitude at the end of the run. It just wants to run away and believe me when I've said I've tried everything. The .09 starts remarkably easy even when hot. It doesn't seem to fuss over different fuels either. Keep us posted I may be doing some rework. Ken