Harmony Begins

[Peter Miller]

I am so pleased that you are happy with Harmony. You certainly do sound over the moon with her.

 

I always set my engines with no side or down thrust, With my normal aerobatic models this always works for me and you have proved that it works for other people.

 

Mine doesn't hang about on the Thunder Tiger 18 which cananot be described as a powerful engine in any way so I can imagine how she goes on the .25.

 

I have to say yet again, SC engines are my favourites. They always start easily from new and they last and spares are cheap if needed. About the only time I buy another make is if it is a bargain on Ebay.

 

What is next? Well, Melody, the biplane is with RCM&E. Not a lot bigger but it needs a .48 to .52 FS or a .40 two stroke.

[ntsmith]

I am trying to remember a model that was either in RCM&E or Radio Control Model Flyer which was also a free plan. It was for an electric aerobatic model that they also mentioned was good for small glider towing. It had a high wing layout and I think was for 4S. apart from finding that my next project is a Gordon whitehead design which is the flybababy. I had one years ago before I stopped flying models for a few years and only takes a .15  - or less.

The benefits of these small engined models  to my mind are they give oodles (now there is a lovely word) of fun for a very small amount of outlay, both in construction and fuel requirements. - dont have to charge those darned batteries either.

[Peter Miller]

I can't place that electric model.

 

I know what you mean about the small models. I normally like mine slightly larger than .15s but have done a few.

 

One of my favourites was my Macchi 202 Folgore. A lovely little aircraft but not for the faint hearted. The other similar one was the Kawasaki Hein

[Anders Ostlund]

Thanks for sharing the experioence from the Harmony! Sound like I shall bump up the Slingsby in the building list to fly before the Harmony... Maybe I'll do that... This would be my 3rd low wing and I would not say I'm experienced, more curious...

 

Again, thanks for sharing, a video would be fun! :D

 

Regards,

Anders, Sweden

[David McEwan]

Hi

 

can anyone recomed me a place to look for a rx that will match my code 4 35m transmitter i feel like i am going around in circules i want to start putting my harmony together now??

 

thank you

[Peter Miller]

I have just been trying to find Code 4 radios on the Internet, Nothing!

 

Who make it.

[David McEwan]

Hi Peter

 

This came with my spitfire the only markings on it is BYCMO but when i look at the website no mention of this type of equipment.

 

I was hoping to just buy another rx unit that would work with this but it seems everyone sells 2.4 nowdays.

 

I think i have hot a slump need to pick myself up become more positive, cant seem to get an answer out of the local flying club will soon have two planes that have never flown or been set up and now i cant find a rx unit.

 

Not giving up but i need a crash course i think on all this i think so glad you guys are here to support .

 

 

[Peter Miller]

May I suggest that your two models really need proper radios. Radios that you can buy spares for over the counter.

 

If you are going with 35 Mhz then you also need to be able to buy the correct crystals.

 

It might seems big step but they will last for years.

[David McEwan]

Well its saturday night and instead of being out i have be breathing life in to Harmony, the wings are all but complete now.

 

Body is coming on and i have started to cover the wings, however i must confess i did rebuild the whole body again i was not happy with the centre line.

 

Peter your right much easier to build it flat down with the help of a set square all went without a hitch.

 

On the point of the reciever i have one now although the crystals i bout for it are not the correct ones but Mr Model shop owner seems to be getting more chatty these days and has stated he will take back anything that not right wow!!!!! happy days.

 

 

all i need do now is finish the wing coverings add the rods and then its all down to the body.

[Peter Miller]

Well done.

 

Make sure that you have soft sheet for the rolled sheet top. It is a knack but not hard to do.

 

Don't forget to remove the covering from the tailplane in the areas to be glued  before gluing down.

 

Glad that you are getting the radio sorted and that your model shop owner is being helpful.

[kc]

Balsa can be bent round much more if the outer surface is covered with masking tape, Solarfilm, tissue, etc....anything which stops it bursting on the tension surface.  Try a sample!

 

[David McEwan]

I special selected it for the job, i did a roll on the spitfire by wetting the balsa and wraping it around a can to dry gave me the perfect fit.

 

i will try the solar film trick though as the roll on this is tighter thanks guys. My plan today is to work on the back section forming the blocks to fit on the rudder and tail to shape.

 

I will need to start thinking about forming the wheel struts soon too question though is there a special item for testing the centre of gravity or is it an item i can make.

 

 

[Peter Miller]

There is a special tool for checking the CG but you don't need it.

 

Mark the CG location on top of the wings at the fuselage side. Turn the model upside down and support it on your fingers at the marks and it should hang level or very slightly nose down.

 

If you want to get sophisticated buy two pencils and those erasers with a chisel tip that push on top of the pencils. Take a piece of board and drill two holes for the pencils about 6" apart and stick the pencils in. Now balance the model on the rubbers on the pencils and see where they are in relationship to the marks.

 

Does the same job as the expensive toy!

 

I stick my sheet to the sides and leave it to dry, then I pet it on the outside and use a heat gun to apply heat while bending the sheet over to rest on the formers.

Edited By Peter Miller on 01/08/2010 11:24:18

[kc]

Peter,  could you expand on your method?  Presumably you meant ' wet ' not pet!  Also when do you glue and what type?  When do you trim to size?

Also as this balsa is mostly triangular do you put the grain parallel to the top or to the lower edge?

[Peter Miller]

Right. Take the 3" wide sheet and glue it to the sides with Aliphatic resin and leave to dry. Suggest you do the front section first as this is easier , the bends being wider and roughyl equal.

 

Wet the out side of the sheet and using a heat gun onthe outside work it over until it touches the formers.

 

Trim to the centre line of the 1/4" sq. spine. Repeat for the other side. Trim finally for as perfect a match as possible and then glue to formers and spine.

 

Repeat for the rear of the fuselage

 

IT is a good idea to buy some short plastic headed map pins and use these to pin the wood down while drying. These can be pushed fully home and use the large (1/8") dimeter heads to stop the wood rising up the pin.

[David McEwan]

Hi all

 

Ok i know its been a while but with work and everything i have been on a go slow, first the good news i have the engine fitted and now most of the servos are in just to add the last one for the engine.

 

Now i have come across a couple of issues bending 8 gauge wire to form the undercarage thats turned into a disaster broke my old work bench seems it was not quite strong enough to take the brute force needed to bend and shape the wire haha.

 

Any sugestions please other than build a new workbench, also now that i fitted the engine i was looking at cowling and forming ideas in my head so i went to add the silencer to check measurments problem number two it does not fit.

 

It seems my orentation and deepth dont allow for the silencer to fit its too short, i have searched but can not seem to find and extension for the sc engine Peter please tell me you can buy them or anyone got an idea that might help me overcome this.

 

I am looking to get this completed as i have now bought the bushwacker plans as my next project and training Plane.

If any one has any pictures that may help with this please feel free to send them or pass my a link i would love to see the constructions.

 

Thanks every one

[Peter Miller]

My workbench is a flatpack desk from Focus. My wirebender works on that. You could try going down to your local garage and asking if you can use their big vice and a heavy hammer. I have done that myself in the past.

 

You could try Just Engines for an extansion, they can usually supply on with the longer screws needed. They advertise in the magazines and have a good website.

 

 I have made them from old silencers in the past by chopping off some of the exhaust stack.. Modelfixings can supply longer screws if anyone goes that way.

 

[Tony H]

Hi David,

 

How is the build coming along I guess it must be close to finished now, any news or photo's?

[David McEwan]

Hi Tony

 

I do have some but if i am honest of late i have had not much chance due to work, i have just resolved my engine mount problem so i can move forward again here are some pics as it stands at the moment with the engine finaly mounted in its correct position wings are completed and covered but i am a tad unhappy with them so may hav to do it again.

I am hopping to get some time this week to start completing the electrics on the engine and the cowling i am off to the garage to get them to bend my wire on tuesday for the undercarrige thankfully my partners brother owns a workshop so as per Peters idea im off there.

 

i have also been of late looking at my next project the bushwacker so looks like im going to be busy still trying to get into a local club.

 

More pics by the end of next week fingers crossed.

[David McEwan]

Peter

 

Do you have any planes or notes for building my own balancer.

 

David

[Tony H]

Hi David,

 

It has been a while now and I just thought I would check to see how you are getting on with the Harmony build? Any new photo's? have you finished it yet?

 

Tony

[Andrew McWhirter]

Hello Peter.

I've been looking around for a winter project - your Harmony caught my fancy and I'll be starting cutting ribs and formers etc fairly soon now. Meantime, looking at the plans and reading this thread, I have a small query re the washout wedges. They are of different lengths. I presume that the thin ends start from the same line, parallel with the cord? would this be the rear edge of the bottom spar?.  

 

Many thanks Andrew

 

picking up on another aspect of this thread - has anyone posted a video on this yet?

[Peter Miller]

The length doesen't really matter, it is the angle that counts.

 

Basically, pin doown the root rib flat on the board. insert the wedges and pin down the rest of the wing. so that it is flat on the wedges from the spar back.

I think you may find that you can't get the spar flat on the board because there is some flat bottom of the rib extending in front of the spar.

 

Hope that helps

[Andrew McWhirter]

Peter

 

I'll try that.

 

Many thanks

 

Andrew

[Jon Laughton]

Just thought I would say that I am building a 133% upscaled version - with an OS 55 up front and individual small servos in the wings for the ailerons.

 

I have also used an old Spiteful abs cowl that I had lying around from a project that never got started and will use the matching canopy. The cowl required a small chin to be built up under the fwd fuselage and it fits well. I have also salvaged the wire u/c legs from an old trainer that are perfect for this larger version.

 

The fuselage build is complete - wings not started yet due to time pressures. Will post some pics when I can....