Harmony Begins

[Jimbo565]

Tony,

 

I have some spare 8g wire ,If you send me a Pm with your address i'll bend the wires for you and pop them in a Jiffy bag and send them off to you.

 

No probs.

Jim

 

[Tony H]

Just a quick one for Peter, please can you confirm that this is the right canopy from Vortex Vacforms?

 

CN46

BUBBLE

200   40    55

7.00

[Peter Miller]

Yes, I think so as it is the only 8" canopy on the list and I used an 8" canopy

[ntsmith]

After I saw  the completed model on here with the open canopy I wish I had saved my money and gone that route instead. Its the right one by the way and quite thick it is too. Not your usual ARTF thin stuff.

I'd like to put some pics up here where I have got to but not sure how. Can anyone enlighten me? Do I have to load them up to my library first?

[Jimbo565]

Nigel,

If you go to the forum home page and under   " using the forum " it tells you how to insert pictures into your thread,it seems complicated at first glance but once you get the hang of it its a doddle.

 

JIm

[kc]

Wire bending is a fundamental skill in real aeromodelling, so buy a bender or find someone at your club who can bend the wire for you.   ( wouldnt it be nice if someone offered to sell the ready bent wire u/c for the RCME designs when you buy the canopy?)

 

You need to wear safety glasses when dealing with wire.  Also beware leaving wire sticking out of the vice which might injure someoene.  It might be you! ( I think Peter said years ago in one of his safety columns that putting a bit of rag on the end is the professional way  )
Leaving the wire long is the easier way to bend it , then cutting to length finally.   Filing a nick either side and snapping off in the vice is one way of cutting thick piano wire.
The U/c does not always end up the length you expected  ( due to ignoring ‘Bend Allowance ‘ ) but just making both parts in the same way is sufficient for sports models.



Lots of the basic building points covered here are in the books by Peter Miller and also by David Boddington.   I see that Peter’s book ‘High Flying on a Low Budget’ is still available from Traplet and is worth having to refer to  Unfortunately aeromodelling books go out of print and then are only available at ridiculous high prices….see what people are asking for Gordon Whiteheads great book RC Scale Aircraft for Everyday Flying.  So buy them whilst available. 

[Peter Miller]

I use a Dremel heavy duty cut off disc in a Dremel drill to cut the wire. WEAR SAFETY GOOGLES ALWAYS The heavy duty ones are miles stronger that the standard ones.

 

Just to mention that my other two books, Essential Tips and Techniques Vols 1 and 2 are also still available from Traplet. And NO, I don't get royalties. I do get a small fee from Public Lending Rights.

 

I am lucky if I get two almost identical U/C legs. I mark the wire withe spirit marker at the start of the bend and then position the mark in the middle of the bending rod on the wore bender.

[ntsmith]

With regards to identical legs, if you mark and bend them both together and there is an error in measurement at least they remain identical

I mark all the bends on both legs and then make the first bend in from the axle, leaving some excess and immediately do the same with the other; the object is to acheive at least symetry even if there is a bend allowance error. Use engineers blue to mark around the bend as you can make a mark on it with a scriber which can be clearly seen.

[kc]

It is difficult to mark the wire, however scratching a mark with a scriber will cause a weak point which would ( in theory ) start a fracture.  A felt tip pen might be better but not as precise.   In any case ink from a marker pen is a good (cheap )substitute for engineers blue when marking out on metal.

 

So, Peter you are better off if we borrow your books from a library rather than buy them!

[ntsmith]

Unless you are paranoid, scratching 8g piano wire and then bending it is simply never going to start a fracture. In any case, the idea of the "blue" dye is that it is simply removed to leave an exact location - even if it is in the wrong place like mine usualy turns out.

[David McEwan]

I tryed bending wire just so that i can put the wire onto the bell cranks, seems i may have to practice a little my first attempts have been very shall we say messy.

 

Looks like a wire bender is for me, i did see at the model shop i visit some preformed undercarrige with wheels that may also be an option.

 

However were would the fun be in that

[Jimbo565]

Tony,

Posted your u/c this morning.should be with you tomoz.

 

Jim 

[Peter Miller]

You need a Z bender for bending the wire for the bellcranks.

 

Lets face it. Buying tools is always worth it when they make life easier. I have tools that I may use once in half a dozen models but they are still worth their weight in gold.

[David McEwan]

Ok Peter

 

Z bender it is i shall look them up, seems pointless to me to strugel when there somthing that can do it in seconds in stead of trying for an hour to get it right.

 

Shall look it up on the net. With a bit of luck i shall get back to building on friday so i cn start to look to finish the wings.

 

 

[Tony H]

Thanks very much Jim you are a saint! the perfect wire U/C arrived in the post today. Thanks again

 

Tony

[Jimbo565]

That was a quick delivery. Glad to have been able to help. feel free anytime, that's what the hobby is all about.

 

 

Jim

[Peter Miller]

I mentioned buying tools.

 

Invest in some catalogues.Ripmax, J. Perkins. Sussex Model Centre. You will find tools of all sorts, materials and accessories.

[David McEwan]

Thanks peter i have seen they have a z tool at ripmax that will do me. I have made a mistake this week.

 

Got home and decided to do a little and have just relised i started to build the second wing in exactly the same way.

 

Down side i will have to left wings what an idiot???

 

Hard lesson to learn but never the less it has been learned

[ntsmith]

Well you could make a biplane

[sparks59]

Posted by David McEwan on 15/07/2010 20:49:15:

Thanks peter i have seen they have a z tool at ripmax that will do me. I have made a mistake this week.

 

Got home and decided to do a little and have just relised i started to build the second wing in exactly the same way.

 

Down side i will have to left wings what an idiot???

 

Hard lesson to learn but never the less it has been learned

 Hi David

I'll bet that most people reading this will have made this mistake before, its a real bummer when you have done it! You then have the choice of a biplane, spare wing or, if it it possible, deconstruction.

sparks

[Peter Miller]

The more common mistake is to build two fuselage sides the same (Done that!!) but I have also seen two wings the same. In one case the model had parallel chord wings so the builder just joined them anyway. The give away was the two ribs close together out at one tip!!

[kc]

Z bends.

You don't always need a z bend.  A right angle bend can be made in a vice & used with a SLEC swing in  keeper is a safe fixing and is removed easily if required.  see http://www.slecuk.com/catalogue/Control-Fittings.html

[David McEwan]

Hi well the weekend allowed me to do a little more and also correct the little error i made with the wing.

 

To be fair i did attempt to strip it out but it just did not look good so sadly i started again however with a little experience behind me i was able to complete the parts short time and restart.

 

I have put some pics in to show its progress.

 

Peter if your reading this can you sugest which servos i should be using for this please i think i have the plane going in the right direction so fingers crossed next week i shall be looking at engins.

 

I know KC that you do not always need one but i thought what the hay and bought a z bender along with a set of verniers i will work out what wood is what

 

[Tony H]

Looks good David, Keep up the good work and the photo's it will be great when it's finished. This blog will help me no end when I come to build mine later in the year. I have all the wood, servos, engine, plan and a new Scroll Saw to build it with plus a very will bend undercarriage supplied by Jim (What a guy!). Just need a bit of time to fix my other two planes before embarking on this new project,

[David McEwan]

Thanks tony i still need to ghet the servos and engine for mine but then i am in no hurry, i have tryed emailing the flying club again but no replys as yet seems its hard to find someone to get an answer.

 

I am looking to get the servos next as the wing is drawing to an end and i want to start adding them electrics engine will be last.

 

Fingers crossed no more mistakes though haha