John Manning

As I also do model engineering the idea of spending any money on tools that can't do their job is a non starter. Words like "touch" "barge pole" "don't" come to mind. JohnM

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I shall have to lay aside the Dawn Flyer build with the tail feathers done and the extended fuselage. I'll keep in touch via this thread, Internet in strange places willing, and I may get to Greenacres in June. So very sad face at the moment. I have even got the 3 gram servos to move the pilots head and arms. Best wishes JohnM

Well Kevin, Brothers can cause mayhem. Mine towed a glider into the ground the last time I did any aero modelling, that was 50 years ago! These Can Doo machines sound like a handful at times. Good luck JohnM

Hi, The special razor blades are available from SLEC they are called safety razor blades and are sold in packs of 4 part number SL031B-S. Sorry to go on at you Plummet but I worked in Hospitals for 30 years and I like to keep people out of them! I find that marking a line down the piece I am cutting helps me guide the saw straight. Regards JohnM

Plummet, Our A&E departments are already stretched without cutting ourselves to bits with wobbly razor blades. Either: A/ Razor saw. or jewellers saw. B/ Large scalpel blade in the correct holder. C/ last resort, single edge razor blades which have a safe thick back to hold. The saw option is best because the wood is thick and fairly hard.and the saw handles allow you to see the cutting line. Best wishes JohnM

Help. well sort of. I've started the fuselage and F4 seems to be too tall and not wide enough. I have glued it at the bottom of the slope ans indicated on the plan. The notch in the top is above the cut out for the wing bearer plate. Have I stuck it in the wrong place? Is it the wrong size? any comments would be most welcome, including a lnk to BEB's build blog! Many thanks JohnM

Plummet, well done for starting, Interesting point is that my laser cut Dawn Flyer came from SLEC. Although I ordered it from Myhobbystore it came direct from SLEC, looks very nice. my workshop has had a tidy today and another project has been progressed (lathe modification). John M

I had the self same thing happen on my Gym Star, indoor trainer. Fortunately I noticed it as the rudder had also reversed. They have stayed the same ever since. Yesterday was a fab day, I went for a family walk and wished that I had revamped the foamy cub that I have. John M

Helium escapes the Earth, it drifts off into space. The planet is losing helium which is why it's use in frivolities like party balloons is being stopped. Nobody can make helium, it is an element once lost it is gone so we have to be careful with it. America controls the stocks of Helium and has done for a long time. The Hindenburg disaster in the 1930's was caused by America not selling Helium to Germany. The Germans used Hydrogen, the rest ,as they say, is history. the American airships Macon and Shannandoah swapped helium as there was only enough to fill one at a time. It is nice to see another attempt to use airships and to re-use the Cardington facility for the purpose it was built for. Not a lot of lift from a very large ballooon. Interesting but I don't think it will catch on. John M

Well Tavina,a question like this can generate a lot of different opinions. "Budgie" likes his DX7 because it does what he wants. I like my DX8 because I now don't need to buy another transmitter because the DX8 does all that I can think of. It probably does more that I have not found out about. If this present is a surprise then I would say that the DX8 will last him for a very long time. It has enough features to handle all the usual helicopters, gliders and fixed wing airplanes. It feels solid in my hands, It feels like I am holding something special. If it is not a surprise and you want to buy the right thing then take him to the local model shop and get him to choose. You loose the surprise but you know that he has got what he wants. If he chooses the DX7 then you have enough to buy him a Blade 120 helicopter to go with it.

I doubt it. 0.1mm is quite a lot in fit terms. To get two bits to slide into each other you need the hole to be bigger by 0.15+0.35 thou of inch =5 tenths. this comes out at .00002 mm so the hole needs to be 2.4002 for a push fit. As you can see 0.1mm is a lot. Try finding a 2.4mm prop adapter. Have you tried 4max? regards John M

Hooray, Postie, well courier just delivered the CNC and wood pack. May have to do some serious building. I tried ordering the wheels (flair) from SMC I think but the site fell over when I clicked on pay. shall try telephone ordering. Next re-read BEB's build blog. John M

Kev, where did you get your wheels from? I may as well order them then I can try the undercart while I wait for the cnc and wood pack to arrive. I could try and get my pilot 1/12th scale to move his head and arm. Then Alex W. will see the pilot wave! John M

Hi Chris, If you read back through this thread you will find quite a few variations on the theme. Mine with it's extended nose, BEB with his D box front to the wing assembly and little variations among the others. I don't recall anyone going for I/C power though. The extra weight may help the balance problems some have encountered.

Just returned from the copy shop with both full size and 66% plans. The smaller plan looks good for an indoor machine. All in depron with moving canard. Cliff, I thought that applying power generated lift so the aircraft climbs, see the "What goes up articles" in the mag. There are some fantastic colour schemes about. May have to start building soon, along with the Saab J21 and the Dawn flyer for the RCM&E fly in.