Scruffmeister

I'm looking for a reliable but hopefully not too expensive power setup to suit a 54" wingspan model that should come in with an AUW of 4-4.5lb. I will be used for sport aerobatics so I was thinking 130W/lb would be about right giving 600W requirement. What prop/motor/ESC/LiPos would you recommend? I already have a 40A ESC, but am happy to obtain another ESC if this is under-spec. The model has room for 4 or 5s 3200 batteries. I've have a look in the electric flight database, and there are some good starting points, but wanted to poll opinion too please! Thanks in advance.

Yes, that is same as the HobbyKing stuff - apparently very good. I need to find a paint match for it though...

I thought I'd give the HobbyKing covering range a go for my latest build. I'm going to need some matching paint (yellow) for the cowl - has anyone got a chart showing how this covering matches up to paint ranges available in UK?

For my latest build, I wanted to try out some checkered covering - but I've got a nasty feeling it will show up all my covering errors and end up with lots of wonky looking squares. Are checkers a lot harder to get looking OK?

Thanks all for advice and esp. Bob for the tip -- will give it a try as the threads do look a bit poor on closer inspection!

It is indeed an ARTF AcroWot. I'll certainly replace the nylon bolts... not sure how easy it will be to replace the captive nuts though ... don't they need a good hammering into their former which would damage an assembled airframe?

Hi - prop and sinner balanced on a good balancer. All bolts double tightened and thread-locked. Only thing I can think of is the engine is a Saito 82 still running in, perhaps producing a little more vibration than normal. Notwithstanding that, are there any good ways to secure nylon bolts?

I'm finding the nylon wing bolts on my AcroWot keep loosening in flight. I've reduced vibration as much as I can! Any tips to keep them in place during flight? I did thing maybe a rubber washer between bolt and wing might help but haven't tried it yet.

I disassembled the pump last night. Couldn't find any issues with the gears or the pumping mechanism. So I wiped a small amount of oil from the inside of the case and put it back together. It worked again - no idea why as I didn't change anything apart from perhaps tightening some screws, but then as I say - nothing appeared wrong with it! The actual issue I was having with the pump was two fold. Either the handle was skidding around without any noticeable friction even when under vacuum, or it would go around with some friction but would not pull liquid. I'll give it another chance, but maybe I'll buy an identical spare just in case

Managed to break another (Prolux) hand crank fuel pump today. Can anyone recommend a hand pump that is reliable enough to endure a couple of tough seasons at the field? I've heard the six-shooter from Dave Brown is among the toughest, but not clear to me if it will strap nicely onto a normal plastic fuel bottle without sliding down it - is anyone using these, if so what are you experiences? Edited By Scruffmeister on 15/04/2013 21:29:31

Can anyone recommend a nice, reliable tacho that works well outdoors. Less worried about price, more interested in accuracy or at least consistency. My Turnigy cheap one gives readings all over the place, don't trust it at all!

  Hi guys - struggling tuning my Saito 82B engine, appreciate any help those more experienced with four-stroke engines can offer (this is my first).     Propeller is a Graupner 13x7. Fuel is 15% nitro, 20% synthetic oil from Souther model craft.     I've followed the (extensive) run-in procedures to the letter, but in a nutshell I can't seem to get a nice reliable low-speed idle. The best I can manage is something that stutters and coughs, occasionally resulting in the engine backfiring and restarting backward!     I took a video of it showing speed through the range, effect of quick throttle change. At end of video (around 25 seconds in) you can see what happens when I close the throttle and let it idle ... not good.     Any advice where to go from here? I haven't touched the low-end needle at this point as was my understanding that is was fairly well set at factory. High-speed needle is open 3.5 turns which (with my unreliable tacho) gives my an RPM of around 9500.     Here is the video!   https://vimeo.com/63751899     Thanks in advance. Edited By Scruffmeister on 10/04/2013 18:34:23

I'd like advice on the various Spitfire kits (and plans, but prefer pre-cut parts) out there. Size is not an issue, I'd like to hear about anything you recommend up to and including the top-end (Mick Reeves?). Have built a couple of kits and not being in a rush, ideally I'd like to build one .46 size spit (as have a spare engine) to gain more building and flying experience, building up to creating a much bigger "all singing, all dancing" model with 1.20+/30cc+ engine with fully working flaps, retracts, lights etc. Not really looking for ARTF, so what's good in kit/plan world?

Thanks chaps - agree with the points above. In this case the tank is silicon sealed with a normal clunk so I don't really feel like dismantling it to fit something inside tank since is one of my "winter hack" models. But maybe I'll just skip the fuel filter since I use a Sullivan crap-trap on my filler line anyway.

Can anyone recommend a very compact fuel filter to go between tank and carb? I've got a very limited space and finding it hard to get "normal size" filters into the fuel line without causing kinking...

Some great inspiration, thanks chaps. I'd like to know more details about how you made the rigging posts, and especially if you made them removable?

Wow @jeff2wings - that is lovely... I was thinking about adding rigging, but wanted to make it removable and don't yet know the easiest way to do that...

Yes should have mentioned that the ailerons are no problem here as top-covered. It's only the rudder and elevator that might be troublesome

It's an IC one, currently covered in Solartex. Thanks for the advice!

Hi Chaps, Have a second hand Maggy that is looking a bit sad and I would like to re-cover. Before I dive in, is the fact that the tail/fin are permanenty attached to the fuselage likely to hamper things (I presume they would have been covered prior to gluing in place by the original builder). Also, I'll have to cut the cyano hinges, but hopefully I can just re-slot in a slightly different place. Any tips on approaching this kind of job? Cheers

Anyone fitted an OS 46LA in a Wot 4 ARTF? I have the engine lying around and was about to buy the airframe until I read this about the mount spacing being too wide. Doesn't look like a show stopped, but I'm not too keen bending the motor mount to make it fit - any experiences chaps?

I've heard of people using Turtle Wax or similar on fiberglass/spray finished models. Does anyone apply a wax or similar over a solarfilm/oracover finish to make cleaning easier/keep it looking new? If so, any product recommendations (and does it really work)?

The length of this thread tells me that metallurgy is close to the modeller's heart Thanks for all the tips chaps. I'm going to try alu + soap + heat followed by the K&S springs! Now just need the postman to show up...

Does the annealing apply to both brass and alu tubing? Edited By Scruffmeister on 06/03/2013 20:27:59

Thanks all - I've bought some of the K&S ones. @David - I tried the wax idea. I now have wax all over my heavy vice With small internal diameter tubes I was struggling to get enough (any) wax to enter the tube before it cooled...