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Tony Harrison 2

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  1. Tony Harrison 2
    Posted by Steve T on 11/12/2014 14:30:28: ....some are still flying 50's models and living there as well. I think you're right Steve. I'm in my '60s but I've been using PCs for around 25 years and other computing before that: I know guys quite a bit older than me who are thoroughly IT literate. But I get the impression r/c flying is in general an "old bloke" game and I fear many of those my age, or younger, really don't have the communication skills (IT and otherwise) to match their flying skill or the positions they hold in clubs.
  2. Tony Harrison 2
    Interesting thread, since during the past one year plus I too have been looking to join a club and start r/c flying. On the whole I was greeted in a friendly enough way at each of the four (?) clubs I visited, though it varies - as does the character of the clubs. I know the score, since I've been a member of various types of club over many years, on the committee of several, know how tricky it can be to keep everyone happy. I've found a way into tuition through making contact with particular individuals who are not even necessarily formal club "trainers" - it can be difficult making contact with the latter, I find, turning up repeatedly at the field to find them not present, or even to find no-one at present! But what stands out in my experience is the remarkably poor communication of some clubs. I'm a professional communicator, a freelance journalist and photographer, I work from home, and my email, social networking, phone and text facilities are on all day until late at night; I use email an awful lot! So it amazes and disappoints me when I can use a club's official email address, and fail not only to get a prompt reply, but fail to hear anything for weeks or even months... In the 21stC I find this so very odd it's hard to know what to say. It isn't good enough to say one is busy! We are all very busy - especially those like me who work for ourselves. We have a duty to respond to messages - it's common sense, and plain good manners. I located one club I liked a lot, and which will take me on: it's all taken a bit longer than I expected! But I'll be training in 2015 - in the meantime I'm building a glider...
  3. Tony Harrison 2
    Posted by Masher on 04/12/2014 12:27:13: Posted by Peter Jenkins on 04/12/2014 12:25:40: Sabre Flyer, I invested in a twin canister mask from B&Q and that solved my problem with superglue. I used to be poleaxed if I breathed in superglue fumes! It should work for fumes from most things as the canister uses activated carbon - same stuff as is used in gas masks. The same solution worked for me also. I wonder what this mask is like? Must check B&Q. A while ago I looked into masks, for airbrushing especially spirit-based enamels, since even with an air-extraction booth those fumes are dangerous and unpleasant. Cyano glue, and sanding balsa, also create health hazards. But it's a big problem for spectacle wearers! Difficult for glasses to fit ptoperly, and even worse, they steam up because of the hot exhaled breath emerging directly beneath, through the filter packs. Has anyone found a quality mask that avoids this difficulty? How is the B&Q model in this respect?
  4. Tony Harrison 2
    Posted by kc on 03/12/2014 16:24:30: Branded PVA such as Evostik Wood Glue is stronger than the wood ... I haven't tried that for modelling, but it's my standard wood glue for DIY etc, and it is indeed very good, very strong. rgds Tony
  5. Tony Harrison 2
    Posted by kc on 03/12/2014 16:08:54: 1525 x 1525 is a strange size for ply as it's usually only 1220 wide in one direction, interested to know what it costs and if it's any good though. £29.52 incl VAT, = around £13 per sq meter - which sounds good to me when I've seen it from modelling sources at around £15 for a third of a square meter... rgds Tony
  6. Tony Harrison 2
    OK, thanks chaps - buying from a show is always a good idea I agree, but I want one now! Will see if my local model shops handle this stuff, or just get one from Ebay. rgds Tony
  7. Tony Harrison 2
    Gentlemen, many thanks, too many useful contributions for me to respond individually but I appreciate your input. Re quality, I've been in contact with Travis Perkins, and my local branch can get me this stuff at a couple of days' notice: Birch Aircraft Plywood A/B Grade 1525 x 1525 x 1.5mm – "Ideal when a quality thin panel is needed for joinery" Which suggests it's reasonably good quality and not the rough 'n' ready stuff some of you rightly warn against. Thanks too for the input re skinning my glider's fuselage: it's flat sided so curvature would be no problem, but I take the point about unnecessary weight. I was thinking that this is an old design and built very lightly for the relatively inefficient motors (and heavy batteries) that would have been used a few years ago, so with a modern 3S battery and reasonably pokey brushless outrunner it might handle the added weight of 0.8mm or 1.5mm ply quite well. However, perhaps since this is (after all) my first build I should follow your advice and not get too ambitious. I just find it hard to resist the urge to tinker, whether it's with modelmaking, or cookery recipes, whatever... Glad to hear it confirmed that very thin ply can be very useful rgds Tony
  8. Tony Harrison 2
    Posted by Keiran Arnold on 03/12/2014 10:36:42: Tony, at the risk of stating the obvious try the Perma-Grit website. Yes, I looked there, but couldn't discover their actual shipping costs without lots of complex logging-on etc. I can get the wedge coarse/fine on Ebay for £14.99 + £2.50 p&p but I was just wondering whether there was a particularly good source for this sort of thing - always looking for the best combo of pricing & service... rgds Tony
  9. Tony Harrison 2
    Late to this thread but very interested in these Permagrit tools, especially the Wedge Block - I've just been sanding down the edges of multiple balsa (+ ply) sections forming the upper & lower fuselage covering, and sandpaper wrapped around a bit of wood just doesn't offer enough precision... So where is the best/cheapest place to buy Permagrit products? Thanks, Tony
  10. Tony Harrison 2
    With my first build I can already see how useful thin ply is, as an addition to balsa. In fact I'm thinking of beefing up this fairly lightly built electric glider by skinning over the fuselage with thin ply - and I want to strengthen the internal floor between the servo and battery compartments. I've had good advice about "liteply" which sounds useful and I'll get some. But as a not wholly inexperienced DIY type & hobbyist, I wondered about commercial alternatives. For example, I see lots of thin ply being offered by model shops and on Ebay - but at prices that seem steep to me... Already found I can buy a large (1.5m square) sheet of 1.5mm (approx 1/16" birch ply from my local builders merchant for very much less per square metre than smaller sizes/packs from modelling sources or Ebay. I wonder which thicknesses of ply people find most useful? And where do you buy your plywood? rgds Tony
  11. Tony Harrison 2
    I can offer no suggestions for an epoxy alternative, but I've been using epoxies and other glues for a long time. I just wanted to acknowledge the valuable advice here about various glues - I'm a recent returner to model aircraft building so I need all the advice I can get. On advice from a dealer, I tried some aliphatic glue for balsa & ply - DeLuxe's "Super Aliphatic" - and am very impressed, excellent to use and forms a very tough bond. In fact it seems, for most purposes on a model aircraft at least, a good substitute for epoxy... rgds Tony
  12. Tony Harrison 2
    Posted by eflightray neath on 30/11/2014 15:30:02: Doing a search I found some videos on Youtube on building an Aquarius. Galaxy Models Aquarius Build - Part 1 to 8 This one Part 7 mentions the motor used -- Ray, thanks a lot - I rarely look at Youtube so it didn't occur to me to search there. The young man's videos (I just took a quick look) will I am sure prove useful, though in #7 he doesn't give much detail about the motor. He says it's an "Overlander Thumper V2" but a quick Google produces a list of motors in that range, varying from 720kv to 2700kv. Going by Pete B's advice, perhaps one of the 2-3 models spec'd at 900 - 1100kv will do. Or maybe a motor from E-Power or Keda, brands I've seen recommended at modest prices. It's very interesting to see how someone else tackles exactly the same model one is building - especially when I've just about finished the fuselage without reference to anyone else! Hope I didn't make any major errors... rgds Tony
  13. Tony Harrison 2
    Posted by Pete B - Moderator on 30/11/2014 13:01:35: Easier done than said until you have a few behind you to be honest, Tony I can't immediately think of an all-in-one 'how to' but the Electric Flight Database is worth a browse to give you a ball-park' idea for the type of model you're looking to power. Briefly, when I'm looking for a suitable motor for a model, my first consideration is the AUW. Depending on that, I then apply the type of aircraft and the level of performance I'm looking for. A good average for a sport flyer is about 100Watts/lb, so a 3.5lb model will need 350W for a reasonably good performance. For gliders and vintage models, you may be happy enough with 50-80W/lb. For more aerobatic performance or EDF etc, you'll be needing 150-200W/lb.....................r of looking at the motor specs on the web and choosing one to suit. Pete Pete, many thanks for taking the time to assemble this handy summary plus links - I appreciate it. Physics was never my strong point at school but I'm reasonably handy & practical, so will work hard at getting my head around these electronic/electrical definitions... I thought I had a reference somewhere to the AUW of this glider but can't find it - from what you say though, a motor of around 1000kv might suit. I'll be studying your info and following links too - off into my cold garage now, to sand some balsa... rgds Tony
  14. Tony Harrison 2
    I am aware of very helpful advice on this site about motors and their characteristics, but I was sure I'd seen somewhere a sort of "how to" on selecting motors for specific models and purposes. I'm building the Aquarius electric glider about which I posted in the "Traditional Builds" section and to expedite this build, I want to get a motor and other electric bits so I can build the bird around them. It will be my first motor purchase and I want to get it right... Thanks, Tony
  15. Tony Harrison 2
    Posted by kc on 28/11/2014 16:33:53: Liteply is the soft ply that is lightweight and often very white in colour ( not always) Stronger than balsa but not a lot heavier, much weaker than Birch ply and DIY shop ply.. ........................... Balsa floor would probably not take the strain of the velcro straps holding a Lipo during aerobatics. Edited By kc on 28/11/2014 16:36:25 Thanks again kc, very interesting. I shall certainly get some of this stuff - but a quick look around reveals that (rather to my surprise since I've worked with ordinary ply for years) one can get very thin birch ply too. Travis Perkins has a branch near me, used them for years, and see this: Birch Aircraft Plywood A/B Grade 1525 x 1525 x 1.5mm, Product code: 407000 Don't know the price but it might well be cheaper/better value than similar from a model shop. rgds Tony I am pleased and grateful for the valuable information contributed by you and others here.
  16. Tony Harrison 2
    Posted by kc on 27/11/2014 12:52:35: The liteply tray has holes for velcro straps& XT60 plugs all cut with a Stanley knife. Extra holes allow plugs and wires to go in several ways if it turns out to be easier when Lipo is positioned after final CG checks. . . Lipo goes on top while ESC goes underneath and has it's own small hatch with cooling slots cut in the 1/32 ply. In this case the motor has a shaft projecting from front and is backplate mounted. Some models need the shaft the other way around so they are internal and fix behind the front bulkhead ( maybe yours will need this) so buy a motor with the wires and shaft the right way round. Shaft can be moved but it's more trouble and best avoided. Note that, as someone correctly pointed out before, I should have shortened the motor bolts so they won't penetrate the Lipo in a crash. Thanks kc, most helpful - I'd come across this term "liteply" previously, and din't know what was meant by it - you prompted me to Google it, and now I understand. Sounds very useful indeed - I shall visit the model shop and get some. My glider kit specifies balsa for the internal floor separating the RX/ESC etc from the battery but I think liteply is a better bet. rgds Tony
  17. Tony Harrison 2
    Posted by Pete B - Moderator on 27/11/2014 12:33:19: To add to Andy's comment, arming are certainly worth considering but not always essential, particularly if you have easy access to the battery by way of a top hatch or the cockpit. All my 'power' models with an underside hatch or where the wing is removed to fit the pack have arming sockets, for which I've used Deans or XT60 connectors. My sailplanes, with easy battery access, are armed by connecting the battery to the ESC directly. I also have a throttle cut setting on the Tx for additional safety. The Tx is programmed to warn me if this switch is not set on switching on................ As you can see, the system will probably take up a fair bit of space in the narrow fuselage of a leccy glider and adds weight which isn't always wanted. More about arming sockets here. As you'll read, inline switches are not an option due to the amps they need to pass - and a 30A+ switch is a bit big for us! Thanks Pete for explaining this item and for the advice. rgds Tony
  18. Tony Harrison 2
    Posted by Andy48 on 26/11/2014 22:54:51: ... route the motor wires and the ESC to the lipo before the build gets too far advanced. Sometimes the ESC can be a right pain to position, it might not be a problem with a small low powered glider, but it could be with a mode powerful motor. Sometimes the ESC has a ferrite ring near the receiver end of the signal lead. You need holes through the formers big enough for this unless you want some very awkward fiddling to remove the ferrite ring first. Don't forget to allow some form of cooling airflow though the fus for the motor and ESC too at this stage. Also think about adding an arming plug at this stage for safety. Thanks Andy, valuable details. I think I must buy a motor, ESC and other bits as a priority, so I can follow your advice. The plans usefully suggest apertures to facilitate airflow, and I was already conscious of the need for this. I imagine an "arming plug" is some sort of instant disconnect feature? Maybe a microswitch accessible directly from the outside? rgds Tony
  19. Tony Harrison 2
    Posted by Levanter3 on 26/11/2014 15:45:51: Tony. Looks like you are doing fine and taking a well planned approach. Also remember that mistakes can usually be sorted out without being terminal. I rationalise this by calling it practice for the repairs that will surely come later on. I do see one glaring problem though. Where are the shavings, dust, coffee rings, pets and bloodstains! Crikey! Thanks for the encouragement. Re your closing question, my wife's away and I shifted the building board into the living room, which is lots warmer than my zub-zero garage! Trying hard not to create too much mess... No bloodstains so far - is this normal? rgds Tony
  20. Tony Harrison 2
    Posted by kc on 26/11/2014 12:59:19: .............As this is an old design I expect it was made for old motors and nicads but you will surely fit a modern brushless motor and a Lipo. This may well affect the balance as the Lipo will be lighter than the old equivalent nicad pack. So that's something to consider at an early stage. Also Lipo's need removing from the fuselage for recharging / swopping so an easy access hatch is needed. So plan for velcro straps to secure & release the Lipo pack...................... Edited By kc on 26/11/2014 13:06:48 Thanks kc - interesting that it's still available, odd that they used such a terrible photo and there are no reviews. I'm sure you're right about motor & batteries. I based the floor height on the single Lipo I own so far, an E-flite 3s I got for my Radian Pro, and it was actually the same as the nominal position marked on the plans. I'll follow your advice re a hatch and quick access. The instructions do not mention any particular motor or battery, which seems a bit vague, but I see there is lots of advice on this site, servos too. rgds Tony
  21. Tony Harrison 2
    Posted by IanN on 26/11/2014 11:43:06: If you have aileron servos in the wings you're usually pretty much committed to installing those, and the extn leads, as you go What I generally do for the fus though is to leave the top (or bottom - whichever suits) sheeting off right until the end. I'm then free to play around with the positioning of the gear to get both (a) the c of g as close as possible, and (b) also the easiest / best runs for the control surface linkages to the tail end Thanks Ian, useful suggestion that makes perfect sense to me. This glider is, as I said, quite old (1980s?), got it cheap on Ebay, and it's elevators & rudder only - no ailerons. Think I'll leave off the lower fuselage sheeting for now. rgds Tony
  22. Tony Harrison 2
    In case you spot all sorts of things going wrong here, it's my first balsa kit-build in half a century... I'm enjoying it hugely, but having to take things slowly since it's not quite like painting by numbers. Interesting challenge to turn 2D plans and sometimes less than comprehensive instructions into an accurate 3D object... Call me eccentric but as a beginner (still playing with my first r/c plane, a Radian Pro, but not actually flying it, practicing first on the PC with Phoenix) I chose to build a rather old glider kit from a firm that seems defunct: it's an Aquarius 540, 6' span glider for electric power, and I thought it looked pretty plus it seems fairly basic to build. Even at this early stage I am wondering how far to tinker with the build order. The instructions leave all the electrical & control installation right to the end, and it seems to me I'd be better advised to arrange control runs (about which I am almost wholly ignorant!) etc as I go along... What do you think? I'm blessed with two very good model shops close by in Newton Abbot - Stan Yeo at Phoenix Models, and John at Bekra, both very helpful guys with good stocks of everything - and I can go there, but I'd appreciate any tips from you knowledgeable folk too.
  23. Tony Harrison 2

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  24. Tony Harrison 2
    Posted by Bob Bertram on 28/07/2014 20:12:27: .... I do spend a lot of time in France in an area which is very rural...... The thing I miss when flying in France, (the nearest clubs are a fair distance), is the social aspect, banter and such like which only a close knit club or group of companions can give. Bob, I wonder what part of France? I'm starting to spend more time there, since my wife & I bought a house in Gard, Eastern foothills of the Cevennes, and although I'm a beginner with r/c I'm hoping to fly there as well as in Devon. There's a club quite close by, just S of Alès, and eventually I'll make contact there. rgds Tony
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