MooSey

Smashin' bit of kit there. Enjoy

It's not essential! I just find it easier to tweak a big slider with my left hand rather than thumbing a button or slide with my stick hand. Launching can be interesting..... Hold aloft, feel it want to lift and 'put' into the air. A javelin type lob might see it smash at your feet or whip over your head!!

You really want to read and apply those instructions....................... The c of g range is incredibly small. If you decide to go further fwd for safety the M60 will simply not fly! A fwd c of g requires larger elevator throw. Assuming it remains airborne the nose will probably hyperstall and she'll loose height. As you apply more elevator it will happen even more. Even if the c of g is nearly right the M60 will fly like a dog. Slow, lame, no energy and awful turning. Do yourself a favour, set it up exactly as stated in the instructions. Set reflex to neutral and have it assigned to a slider or something as reflex is very dynamic. That way it's easier to tweak. Well I think so but your tranny may have more ergonomic trim sliders than mine. Many like to set reflex on their throttle stick but I like a slider. Set up the c of g to 1 13/16th's and the throws as stated. They are right and you won't be sorry. Sorry to bang on but I've heard people complain about M60's and planks then find they are simply not setup properly.

Hello Andy   I think an other publication covers the scale scene and flat field competitions quite well. If yer not involved personally it's going to be harder to convey any news with any form of passion? I think we like looking at the bling and lead sleds, I enjoy news of the racing scene too. I think maybe some snippets about some of your building, tuning and testing techniques would be good. One of the things I like are pics and a few words straight from the hillside about slopes, the people that fly them and the models they have. Bit like when you go on your slope tours. There's so much variation on kit, old classic stuff and new shiny stuff, mad folk and people just good for a laugh. I'd like to see your column and a glider review every month, but im not sure the majority of the readership would be so interested in gliders!! Good work though and despite the internet age I still love a good column or review in a glossy mag

Posted by MooSey on 18/08/2010 14:24:18: Do 4 compression hinges per elevon then use the Diamond tape as a gap seal and to seal the thick edges of the compression tape.     Hope that helps   Mike     Like I said ...................

Posted by Slopetrashuk on 18/08/2010 18:51:36: Scotch 3M Book Tape makes a better hinge for a moth. Diamond tape is great for holding nosecones on.   Buy it online.   Andy        Is it a stiffer tape that prevents the hinges drooping Andy? I've tried all sorts but not that.

Standard sellotape 'diamond' is what you want to hinge. You will want to use a compression hinge tape technique as well to stop the elevon hinge dropping and forming a step. Do 4 compression hinges per elevon then use the Diamond tape as a gap seal and to seal the thick edges of the compression tape. If you only use a tape or film edge the hinge will get loose and sag and cause a bevel edge meaning drag.   A compression hinge is typically made from 1" cross weave tape. Each hinge is formed of 3 seperate strips about 1/2" wide and 2" long. Each strip is made of 2 seperate lengths stuck in the middle (sticky side to sticky side) to give you the 2" length. To form the hinge you have a central strip stuck to say the wing TE upper then under and stuck to the elevon LE lower surface. You should make each strip so the bit in the middle (where each half is stuck to the other) is as wide asthe hinge bevel. The central hinge then has 2 flanking hinges but sticking to the opposite surface. So it goes from say left to right looking down on the wing- LHS hinge - stuck on lower wing TE guided thru hinge to stick onto elevon upper. Middle hinge - stuck  on upper wing TE thru hinge to stick onto elevon lower surface. RHS hing - same as LHS. You need 4 of these (ideally) for each elevon so you need 12 strips 1/2 x 2 opposite stuck in middle and 24 strips 1/2 by 1and a bit inches for each side so get your sharp scissors out!!   Here's a pic I've just found showing you (1000 words and all that!!)   Hope that helps   Mike

Definetely an Easy Glider Cheap, easy to build, easy to fly and tough. flys in next to nothing up to alot more than you'd think (if ballasted as described above). It has a particularly fine manner in flight and is very well harmonized. It will literally fly itself once trimmed. The good thing is in light wind it will always fly better than an elevon controlled wing. The conventional airframe layout offers the most in terms of pitch and roll authority and stability. The other good thing about it is you can dive down from any height you attain and it's impossible to break! Try that with a built up structure wing and it'll flutter itself into oblivion. It's light weight will allow you to try all sorts of things you might think twice about and the toughness of elapor foam lets you get away with it. If you do manage to break or bend it the CA glue or boiling water make it all better again. I had one for learning with. It got horribly battered but did it's job. I ended up using it as a toy in light lift until I allowed it to die with honour on the slope. Wish I still had one, in fact I know I will end up getting another soon.

You can fit a 2200 3s into an older Easy G. I had the pure glider version and did exactly as you propose. I lopped off the nose and stuck an outrunner on. I had a something like a 1600 Kv which meant I was running only a 8x5 prop. Wasn't a good combo. Get a lower Kv and run a bigger prop. A 2s battery is going to need either a high C rating or larger capacity as it'll be pulling 30 odd amps. Giant Cod do some nice cheap outrunners. How about this for less than 13 quid?? http://www.giantcod.co.uk/221716t-1050kv-220w-brushless-outrunner-motor-p-402408.html (10x6 prop recomended) A 1300 3s should fit with room to spare. http://www.giantcod.co.uk/loong-tipple-1300-3s1p-20c30c-lipo-battery-p-404426.html You can use a lighter lower current esc with a 3s pack too. http://www.giantcod.co.uk/black-mantis-30amp-speedcontroller-p-402905.html   There ya go, less than £40   Puffin do a great range of spinners and folders.   Try asking these chaps Esoaring at their forum. It's the site for the 200m (30 sec max climb) comp. Easy Gliders are really popular in the 2m class so they will know exactly what combo you want to run an Easy G on

Good lord! I knew the Steve Drake models were complicated but didn't know they were that fussy! You certainly seem to be cracking into it though. Interested to see how it turns out and flys??   Me personally I think I would have looked for a 2nd hand Mini Air One as they pack small. I'd rather pay a bit more than muck about with all that glueing   Did you look at the Ubercraft Raven? They can be made as a 2 piece wing and I'd like a go on one.

You could try a Windrider Bat HERE. Moulded foam, standard size (TOUGH!) servos and goes like the clappers! It's quite a good middleman between combat wings and dedicated EPP60 racers. If you build it non spec it's a very tough, fast acrobatic plank. The yanks and ozzies love them for DS trainers. Check out RCgroups and search for "Predator Bat". A host of mods can be embodied that really improves them. If you are interested I'll embellish for you.   A good cheap intro to the world of planks. It will take any abuse given and makes an ideal platform to learn with before building a 'proper' plank. Once you put the time in constructing an EPP60 foam racer you won't want to stuff it in I guarentee!

OOh count me in An ideal starter to set me down the path to bankruptcy!

Garry is kindly posting me a pile of RCME back issue  'Give it a Whirl' series and other reviews. Top bloke In the meantime after a bit more internet research and sim time I reckon I'll go for a Century UK Neon Blaze V2.4. It's a good size for indoors and out when conditions suit. It's a CCPM head. It's available at not much more than a Blade MSR. It's on 2.4GHz. Spares are plentyful and cheap. The vids and reviews I've seen commend it. I think it should be a good intro to rotary RC without splashing out much moolah and finding out it does'nt light my fire. If my fire is indeed lit then I think the best route then would be join a club and get a 2nd hand decent sized nitro. Of course my mind may change like a chick on a shopping spree........ But Ill be sure to let you all know what I get and how I get on. Ta very much for all your suggestions.   Mike

Bear in mind I plan to learn in a hanger with the option of playing outside when the sun is out and the wind is down.   I think like most choices it's easy to get confused trying to work out what you want on paper and through research. I think a trip to the model shop is in order. I only hope im not overcome by bling as I am attracted to shiny things!   So far suggestions are:-  CCPM, contra, Blade 400, Neon Blaze and anything above 500 size!!   Going back to what I mentioned about cheapo supplied trannies. How good is a DX6i? Or should I say is it future proof for upgrading to larger heli's and even nitro if the bug takes?  

I've read a lot about the Blade 400. It seems to divide opinion. I obviously cannot coment but despite it's desirable accompanying Tx it's a bit pricy for a first model.  

£175 preorder at Sussex model centre.

Thanks for the advice chaps. Keep it coming!   With regards to coaxials are they still fun once you feel you have mastered them? Are they purely a training aid or do they have a place once you've trained?  I'd hate to pay good money for something I'd only use for a short while then let it gather dust. Equally if they remain fun and worthwhile I'd rather get a decent one with good spares backup and components that don't wear out in a few flying hours.   With an emphasis on making learning enjoyable and fun, is a small CCPM heli something I should or should not consider? Bearing in mind once I feel confident I would like to progress to a kit I can build myself and learn about the programming and rigging procedures.   My budget is up to £200 for a first heli.  The JP Twister Gold (ccpm) and CenturyUK Razor CX (contra) both fall into this at around £150. I would prefer what works out to be a better investment in money and potential fun.

Hello chaps. Due to poor weather, work, young family etc etc I haven't been able to get my fix of slope soaring since November. I've been doing some thinking and in order to get maximum fix with minimum disruption that means flying at work Luckily I work in a hanger. Even luckier I work on full size heli's! So I have decided to dip my toe into the world of RC choppers. Something that was inevitable but I thought rather expensive for my present situation. I've been researching now since xmas and found indeed it's far more affordable for electric heli's than I thought. Annoyingly I given away all my RCME back issues that featured the 'Give it a whirl' series of articles. I have found some forums overloaded with beginners questions. Some a little quiet so hopefully here I can get some sensible advice.   So situation. Requirement for a first heli. To be flown indoors (hanger size but not empty) and outdoors in the evenings. I've never flown a heli except a PicooZ. I do fly slopers. 3m to 60" mouldies and EPP racing planks. I do have a heli sim that I've been practising on. Can do tail/nose in hovering. The sim physics make circuits harder as the perception of range and boundaries is not very good. I can even do loops, rolls and inverted but it's easy when there's no financial consequence!!   I've been researching an ideal first model which is hard. Most leccy starter outfits come with a tranny. Fair enough but I'd rather not pay for a rubbish tranny. I ve a MPX  Profi 3030 for my slope use but it's 35MHz and I don't know if it's set up for throttle curves on an electric motor. A Spectrum DX6i looks to be the perfect electric heli tranny that will see me up to the bigger outdoor models. However im jumping the gun! I accept that a tranny will be part of a deal for a first model which is ok as it means it's programmed. So do I want a contra first or proper mini ccpm? Most of the contras appear to be toys. The ones that are'nt are titchy! I've found a Century Uk Razor CX 25" contra but have found no info on it. The CCPM outfits for beginners are a minefield. I think I have found a good model in the JP Twister gold outfit. (sadly not 2.4 though). I've looked into the E-flite Blade 400 package which has enormous amounts of  advice. I think I would like to build a kit of that size and learn to rig it myself for a 2nd model if the bug bites! The new E-flite Blade SR looks good but under the hype it's only available with the supplied Tx and it's beginner friendly stability looks like nothing more than Tx induced settings.   So if you had to start again what route and model would you choose to lead you up to a 450 size ccpm leccy?  I am trying to look at the bigger picture wrt spares, fun to fly and learn on and it's future when I've upgraded? Money is an issue so I'd like to start heli's properly but with an eye on a budget.   Many thanks                 Mike   (im sure I've got a million other questions but have to go to work now!)   p.s   There is a club where I work but it's on weekends and I have a long commute. I am looking to join it to fly larger models outdoors if I really like flying model heli's.

EPP60 racing aint over till the fat lady sings! The position of co-ordinator looks like being filled so there will be a series next year. The problem is getting sufficient entries at some venues. Ie the ones at extremes of the north/South divide and sometimes the bwlch as people are scared of loosing their racer over a cliff...... It's just a long walk, or scary climb!! There's a race on this sat (5th Sept) at Whitesheet in Wiltshire. email Steve Clarke if you can make it or just come and watch if you're close.   The stated NCFM c of g 1 13/16th" is spot on. Balance for that then add a couple of sticky weights to nose for first flight. I don't set a fixed reflex. I find reflex on a plank is no more than trim and changeable for conditions. I use a mpx 3030 which allows much tomfoolery and set my reflex as a variable by adjusting it with a slider. No different than a trim button but it's big and chunky and I can change the resolution. You only need a perceptable amount of up when the c of g is right. Maybe so the top of the wing looks flat. If your slope is grassy give a few test glides into wind. It'll either nose in, balloon up or fly! Good luck!

Lovely job Tom. My favourite colours. What about the bottom? 29oz is a nice weight. M60's go in virtually nothing. Add ballast and if you can chuck it you can fly it. Beware the maiden launch smack into deck! Unlike combat wings etc M60's need to be 'placed' with a little shove. I tried the manly hoik first time and creased my freshly covered new nose! Owners in the know put me right.

HiTom F   I've done M60 wings with and without Laminating film. Without:- Tape exactly as per instructions. Thinned good is ok on LE and tips to toughen up. I used PU foam on the tips as well. Apply and spray with water. as it foams squash it back down with a credit card. Keep at it and you get a higher density foam. Means you get harder tips which sand nicely but if you cartwheel it they crease. Use 3M77 spray adhesive then pro-film. You should get a very nice light finish this way as intended by NCFM.   Laminating film:-  No need for X weave tape but a strip down the LE does'nt harm. Use no higher than 125 micron. Do bottom then top. Overlap at LE. 125 goes around the tips ok with a bit of cajoling and pleating. no need for 3M77 spray or spackle. (Since you have spackled use 3M77). You should only need 2 lengths of film - top and bottom. Use coloured packing tape to make pretty. You can pro-film but it's hard to achieve a good finish and not required. The result is a wing that feels much much stiffer spanwise and torsionally. I would use this method as it adds minimal weight for a longer life. You'll also get a smoother stiffer wing capable of more performance.   WRT the fuz. Thinned goop first after sandage. x weave tape. (narrow stuff) . The pattern comes naturally. Run the tape lengthwise. Take off the release agent with scotchbrite then coat again with thinned goop. Put another layer of tap on only at rhe nose and the sections over the wings. Make sure you use a cross over pattern at the top LE partwhere the fuz meets upper wing surface. (Tis weak spot as Tom mentioned. Ask me how i know!) As long as you don't go behind c of  g with lots of tape it's all gravy. Use a shrink iron to smooth tape as you go (pre-goop) Put another layer of thinned goop on. The composite layers of thinned goop and tape are incredibly tough. I had to remove mine after smashing the nose in (long way down to the bottom of the great 'back of the wrecker'). Nearly destroyed fuz in the refurb process. Use Solatex not pro-film. Start at the tail and work forward. Use small sections to deal with compound curves and overlap. The multiple overlaps give more strength. Use about 5 layers of thinned goop when done. You should have a shiny smooth fuz when done that looks like a dolphins skin. Very tough and as good as foam gets. This is the tried and testedmethod refined over years by yanks with rocky LZ's.   Hope that helps.

Ref the ballast tube. NCFM expect you to use the one they sell (inc slugs) hence lack of dimensions. I used 15mm plumbers pipe as a mandrel and made a carbon ballast tube to reduce weight and act as a further spar. I then used the copper pipe as the ballast slugs once lead filled and cut. The given C of G (1-13/16") is pretty spot on. The ballast tube you fit may snug up against the mainspar when installed. A hatch at one end of the tube makes a neat shotgun loader. Like the subspar you have to source your own sparcap material.  Expanding PU glue (Gorilla Glue etc) is goods here as it fills the gaps around the ballast tube perfectly and is much lighter than epoxy. I would plan for 1lb provision of ballast. Much more seems to really kill a M60's turn ability even in big winds and turning is what an M60 excells at.   Build is looking good so far. They are certainly worth the effort.    

I have the misfortune of working with MEK. Nasty stuff. I'd would'nt even put the vapours near foam but you never know?? PU varnish is loverly to apply but will crack off first landing. (tried water based, floor and marine) The whole point of Goop is that it is flexible and rubbery in nature but very resilient. The foam structure of an M60 will bend and flex. The Goop goes with the flow. Varnishes, lacquers etc etc won't. I tried to get clever and used RS PCB lacquer. It's for, well PCB's!! Spray on, clear, flexible, and UV proof. What more could an EPP basher want? First go, first landing and the whole lot had crazed even though it was a nice enough landing. I use Goop now and God bless the stuff! Like I said have a look at RC groups in the slope section. Search for Goop, M60, plank, foamie etc etc. The yanks really take their performance foam seriously. The fact that NCFM state the use of Goop in their instructions implies that it's the best stuff for the job.

You can get Goop equivalent HERE or Ebay. On the M60 you'll use it to adhere the wings to fuz and for the radio bay. You'll also want to thin it. You need a toulene or xylene based thinner. Nasty stuff so you might be able to get cellulose thinners. Regardless it needs to thin the Goop to a syrup consistency without the thinner eating the EPP. The syrup like goop is painted on. You use it on the bare fuz and wingtips, maybe LE if you want. It toughens the EPP and gives a good base for your film. Once you've done your strapping tape give that a layer of thinned goop before the covering. Use Profilm on the wings and solatex on the fuz. When the fuz is nicely 'texed use several thin layers of your thinned goop. Let it dry and keep building up layers. Basically you use the thinned goop between layers to form a flexible nuclear bomb proof finish. If the outer coat gets a bit ragged just re-goop it. Search on RC groups and you shall find a wealth of info on all things goopage. If you want more info on building your M60 just ask. Many here have build EPP racers to a tried and tested method.  

I think the point Woodstock is trying to make is that whilst the Blizzard can fly in light lift it is not it's forte and there are better models for doing so. I don't think anyone here could ever say in seriousness that a Blizzard is better than an Easy Glider in light lift? In my opinion the point of the Blizz is that in good lift it really is fun. In light lift, sod the soaring and use the fan upfront it was designed for, for some modest hotlining.   And in comparison to chevron foamies in light lift, well they're just not that good when the wind drops off. An M60 plank however is superb in slermal conditions and I know what I'd chuck off a cliff first and expect to get it back........... and it would'nt be a Blizzard!!