Paul Williams

I take it this is electric iron what wattage?

Hi all I am just about to glue the cannons onto the leading edge of my spit and I cant decide how to set them so they point straight when all is together. The easy way to glue would be to stand the wing on its trailing edge and set guns with plumb line. but which part of wing should be vertical. GRRRR the guns are 7" long so I need to get this right any ideas.

Posted by Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 29/11/2012 13:02:10: If you make enquiries Paul could you let us know any general (non-personal obviously) information. BEB 10k of cover is quoted at £70ish my home insurance gives 75k for £119 so its a bit on the expensive side, I have wrote to them asking for a bespoken policy I will let you know the reply

Hey that bmfa looks ok I will read the small print thanks

did they cap the final claim to £2000 my problem is I cant get insurance above that limit.

I'm sorry your order was incorrect but in the interest of fairness to HK I ordered a turnigy 50cc engine which just stopped while bench testing, it seemed to have lost all compression. I emailed them (uk wharehouse) and returned it. They inspected it and I had a new replacement within 5 days. I am happy to say that one run fine. So I was pleased with after sales service.

Has anyone managed to get fire and theft insurance for their wookshop? Having just spent 15mins on the phone trying to increase my outbuildings ins I have failed to get insurance above £2000. It hit home the other day just how much of a disaster it would be should the worst happen. years of buying workshop tools and equipment now amount to far more than I could ever claim for and thats not including the models. I have tried to obtain a seperate policy but no one wants to know. Any ideas ?

mustangs had a drop tank food for thought

Your losing the plot fella, but hey I love outside the box things what about cutting a foam block to shape then use an old tank neck fibreglass around it all than when dry fill with petrol which will disolve the foam please tell me if it works I will write to the pope and get it on his miricle list

I could not swallow the £150 estimate to weld up the exhaust so taking advice I decided to silver solder it. I got some MAPP gas which burns hotter than normal butane and fingers crossed tried that. First joint done I was so chuffed at being able to fabricate it I forgot to take any pics of the end result I will take some later (after its painted Ha Ha) The best news is I took the spit out for a ground run and it not only allows full revs but sounds great not to noisy. I also discovered it is far to easy to nose over while taxing I will have to canter the retracts forwards to avoid embarrassing landings. We were going to test fly at this stage but even making the worlds most heavy muffler and having a spinner that weighs in at a sack of spuds its still 600 grams tail heavy. I am beginning to believe the only way to get this to balance is to put in a full size griffon engine. Back to tea and biscuits Brain waive the fibreglass exhaust stacks supplied are a bit delicate and I envisioned them getting hanger rash before long. So in a bid to get more weight up front lets change them for copper ones. A quick trip to the plumbers shop and bought some 45 deg elbows next unscrewed the managers door plate to get some brass plate and bingo. Dill through holes in plate so air can still exit cowl and using lead solder this time (no heat here) join up to make stacks. Screw to fuse with another ally plate on inside these will not damage easily. I cant believe it still does not balance! so I removed them and filled the first stack on each side by melting lead into it with a blow lamp. At last it sits on the balance beam correctly at 5.5 in from leading edge. Yeppee. I will pack up the retracts on one side to canter them forward and then I have run out of excuses it must fly before the paint job.   Edited By Paul Williams on 27/11/2012 11:32:53

Titan bench size bandsaw about £60 never stop using mine great for soft alloys as well, blades £5 each on the bay, have a look here the best thing I did was make workshop L shaped, I need to finish this thread with the finished photos but I am very happy with end result. Do not scrimp on insolation I have a small oil filled electric rad which keeps the temp at 23 deg no problem. Its lovely to be in there and makes all the difference when it aint costing a fortune to heat. Oh yeh cool in summer also. I put a roof window in over the working area which is great you cant beat natural light. One wall is covered with a racking system made from cheap 2x2 and brush stales there is nothing I cant hang out of the way and safe, I will send pic if you interested how I did it.

does anyone have or know where i can get a pitts style exhaust for a zenoah 38cc. Anything but standard system considered. Thanks

The copper arrived and I tried to braze a scrap piece thats the plan out of the window I simply can't create enough heat with a plumbers blow torch. I rang round some fabrication shops and found a place happy to weld it up for me. So I will have to swallow the cost Grrrr. Making it up as I go along I followed the foam template shape and ended up with several pieces The next problem was how to hold it all together so it could be welded. I figured small self tappers so starting with the baffle plates I cut out the exhaust port and drilled the flange holes bolting them together for brazing, I bent some strip for brackets and screwed them on Now you can see how the system will work boncing the gases of the side walls before exiting the chamber will I HOPE silence the engine enough. Because there is no restriction it should not effect engine revs. Well thats the plan. I cocked up making the top forgetting I would lose lenth after bending so without enough materal to make another I had to make another small section to close the bottom. the exit tube 22mm copper elbow looks just about right.

cowl fitting is easy enough I will cut out more so the engine gets better cooling but fit some mesh. I have to address the exhaust problem and it is going to be a nightmare. There is nothing I can find on the market that will fit. I could draw up some thing and have it fabricated but that is going to be expensive and if my drawings are not spot on no doubt will interfere somewhere. So make it myself is the challenge ! It would be great to finish with the exhaust gases leaving via the stacks on the fuse. I dont know much about exhaust systems other than the more you restrict the flow the more the engine suffers and straight away there is the first problem. I have only 25mm clearance from the engine port to the cowl and to leave some clearance so the paint don't blister that brings it down even more. I can only think to come straight off the port into an expansion chamber as wide as I can get it. So I cut out a foam block to use as a template. The next problem is without a tig welder what is the best way to fabricate the shape and get it gas tight. Weight is not a problem with this model it will need lead up front so the more heavy the exhaust the better. With that in mind I ordered some copper sheet offcuts from ebay. The theory is I can cut it with tin snips and braze it with a gas blowtorch. Plus any pipe work to the stacks can be done with copper elbows cheaply. That is the plan so far please jump in if you feel I am out of the ball park with this.

To be honest he was putting off day trippers when I last spoke to him, trouble is he makes his money selling the accomodation try ringing him.

Going to look into a HVLP spray gun, if any one has information please get in touch. OK the turnigy engine has now run for 45mins I am happy with it starts great always within a couple of flicks. Time to show it its new home. The weight in the huge spinner is concerning me, it will act like a flywheel the engine will tick over about 500rpm ! but will it prevent it from getting up to max rpm or worse still make it over rev? I keep wondering how the hell am I going to get an exhaust in there? Might as well finish the spinner whilst I ponder that problem. First up drill out back plate to suit prop bolts. I have seen one or examples of spinners where the attempt to cut out the prop clearance is terrible. I figured out a way to keep things looking ok. Using a cheap profile finder B&Q or most hardware stores get the prop shape (make sure this is the largest prop in the engine range) Transfer the profile onto a bit of sticky tape lay the prop onto the backing plate centred and mark where the leading edge will be. Remove prop and position spinner on plate mark where both leading edges of prop should come to. Going back to your sticky tape cut out the profile and stick to the spinner. Mark around the tape with a marker pen then remove tape to reveal the scrap section needed to be cut out. I then chain drilled using a 2.5mm drill staying 2mm on the inside of the line. Then using a file saw cut out File or grind back to the line and hey presto I can live with that result. I now have to fix the spinner to the back plate and try to remember every prop fixed must have the drill holes in the same place or things will not line up.     Edited By Paul Williams on 03/11/2012 12:08:04

Sure your right spraying will bring a better finish might try the outside thing. had a go at fitting the carb intake I thought it would look naff, but a quick coat of primer and I was quite pleased.

I can see your point but 300 quid or more for a weeks use of a flying field could be very useful for some clubs struggling in hard times. We very rarely get visitors to our field probaly because the access involves a lenthy walk. Yet we still have problems with members disregarding rules and flying restrictions. My point being its not the visitors that are the problem, if you are of such a character no doubt you will behave in such a manner and simply wait till your field is vacant. I feel it a shame to have to travel abroad because of such an attitude. It would be interesting to conduct a pole of how many offensives have been committed by members and compare it with visitors. I doubt the visiting team would be in the same ball park. I disagree also the money is the only upside, to meet fellow modellers and see other aircraft flying is a big part of our hobby maybe we should stop having flyins and club events incase the bad men come.

Posted by kc on 02/10/2012 16:11:17: The problem is that many of the people wanting a guest flight are people who want to fly models their own club wont allow or want to fly in a way their own clubs dont like. Therefore they visit and tend to cause complaints which so often lose the flying field. But of course they dont care - it's not their club- they just go somewhere else, then somewhere else. So club's take the view " no guest flights" Please, what a narrow minded atitude. Did some one take your sweets when you were young? I have been following this thread with interest, after a fantastic holiday flying in France this year we were considering what to do in 2013. One suggestion was to canvas clubs around the south coast and offer a fee say towards the site upkeep, we would then hire a cottage or caravan and spend a lovely week flying and meeting fellow like minded guys. There is no one in our party of modellers that would even consider unwanted behaviour. Like when we travelled to France we would enquire about club rules size of models ect and keep within the guide lines. Dont tar all with the same brush if you have had a bad issue with a guest.

I am still worried about putting a 5hp engine in a fuse you can see through ! I was thinking ahead regarding painting, It would be ideal to spray it but I dont fancy paint fumes and overspray all round the newly finished workshop, has anyone handpainted such a beast? Can you acheive a good finish with a brush? What about covering instead. love to hear ya thoughts guys.

Cheers Phill, could not resist having a look at the plane with the wing on. Its that gorgeous outline that draws me to the spitfire cant wait to get it painted.

I was trying to build a quadcopter dont be funny

More work done on the servo tray and control lines made up. Only the bulk head connectors to go Edited By Paul Williams on 25/10/2012 10:10:46 Edited By Chris Bott - Moderator on 25/10/2012 11:17:45

This is how to ensure your engine gets enough air cooling whilst running in.

The cockpit kit was no problem after cleaning and rubbing with sandpaper I tacked it in with cyano then epoxy’ed around a few points, it was at this point I discovered both glues had not stuck well., it took very little effort to pull it away from the fibre glass Mmmmmm. I am glad I found out now I intended to glue in the servo tray supports in the same manner. The book recommends some make of glue I have never heard of Stabilit but goes on to say reinforce with glass cloth. So a fibre glass kit from Halfords and that bonds well. I am now thinking what a pain to have to bond everything to the fuse in this manner I have got lazy using cyano. I have decided to hold on the roofy bit with self tappers its gonna need painting and a brave fella in there to drive it. All fitted well, very little fettling needed. Onto the servo tray, please take this advice, draw it out scale size first. Better still cut it out of card and take some time to weigh up where all the components are going to live, make a list so you dont forget to give any item a home. There is no more a disappointment then after you have handcrafted a support tray to discover the air canister will have to be taped to the rudder because all room is used!! Even after hours of deliberation I discovered when all the stuff is screwed on I can’t get the tray through the opening Grrrrrrr Still when I get frustrated I go see what Malcolm next door is doing. Often in the freezing cold and wet he solders on what on earth could establish such a bond of unity between man and land rover is not within my understanding. I salute you Malcolm. Oh you have set fire to your cat !! Having walked away and returned I now see if I split the tray into 2 sections I can get it in, proven by taping the stuff on first. Yepeee onwards we go. Making a cradle for the air canister. The RCGK engine arrived I could not resist firing it up, I have to make up some mineral oil fuel for running in although the instructions say it will happily run in on synthetic. Sure there is a debate to be had there but just for a short run I used synthetic at 40;1. I was impressed how quickly it started I read somewhere about priming the motor why waste all the time and energy revolving the prop a full rotation. Simply take the prop through top dead centre and back so its like operating a water pump. The pulse required is still transmitted to the pump wow it certainly worked here the engine fired first flick then off with choke and one flick had her running, well impressed. I kept the revs well down but all seems good, I will get some fuel made up and post some figures later.