scuba steve Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 ok so crashed by balsa extra 300 today the front motor mount is smashed off. my LHS says i cannot get parts for Seagull....is this correct ? apparently i need to fix it myself....i've never worked with balsa before so: where can i buy it fromwhat do i stick it together with (? epoxy but so many types)and if 2 bits of balsa are stuck together....how do i get them apart (without a hammer) is there a solvent i can use ? newbie questions i know but hope someone can help. thankssteve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigelH Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Check out the J Perkins web site Edited By NigelH on 28/07/2011 16:39:25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom T Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Do you have any pictures of your wounded seagull? If so, people will find it easier to tell you what to do by seeing some pictures or a video. I use general epoxy resin that you can buy from places like Wilkinsons or from most places. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scuba steve Posted July 28, 2011 Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 i'll get a photo on tonight where can i buy balsa from on line ? any advice on working with it..... Edited By scuba steve on 28/07/2011 17:04:28 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom T Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Ok thanx, You can buy balsa all over the internet like Here. I wouldn't buy from a model shop not unless you know its reasonably priced because I made that mistake and spent £36 when I could of got the same and more for £16. I'll give you some tips on the Balsa repair later, I'm rubbish with everything else and repair, but Balsa and I seem to get along. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Whisky Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 I really feel for you - the Seagull Extra 300 EP was a beautiful model. Somehow its replacement, the Edge540, is not quite the same flying experience - although I still like it. I crashed my Extra when I lost it in the sun, and a friend repaired it for me as I have no building skills. Then later a tree jumped out and grabbed it and shredded it on a landing approach, so this time I gave the corpse to my pal who repaired it again and still flies it. However I recently did my first major repair job on a Seagull Decathlon EP. Don't be fazed by it. I was at first, but then I just treated it as if I'd bought a new kit and was putting it together. The part I dreaded most was recovering it with Oracover film but this was the easiest part of all with a decent temperature-controlled iron (Irvine) and heat gun. But you won't just need balsa - you'll also need some light ply and some Oracover film covering (and a thermostat-controlled iron). Thin Zap cyano is very useful for tacking balsa/ply parts together and you can strengthen the join later with thicker cyano or epoxy. Think before you stick, and you'll be fine. Best of luck with it - the sense of achievment when you've done it will be well worth the effort! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cantwell Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 in any repair, it best to collect ALL the bits, then start the jig saw, use cyno to tack them together, then, when you have a structure, start cutting out and replacing, cyno works, but i prefer yellow aliphatic resin, i also recomend actually building something from a kit, or a -plan, to give you the skills to tackle any repairs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scuba steve Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 ok thanks guys. any suggestions as to where i get get these from on line (UK) : epoxy (which one)thin zap cyanoirvine iron also - how can i get 2 pieces of balsa apart that are epoxy together ??? is there a solvent or the likes ? steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Giles Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 All your glues can be bought here. For gluing components that take alot of load (like a motor mount) i use 30min epoxy as it is a stronger glue as opposed to 5min epoxy. Unfortunately there is no real way of getting apart balsa that has been epoxied together, other than brute force. Even then the wood will give before the glue does. Best thing is to make a new piece to replace the one that has broken and then glue it in the same way in the same place (if that makes any sense ). Have you considered taking the broken mount off altogether so your left with a flat firewall and then retrofitting an aftermarket motor mount? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Harris Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Steve, This is where I get my balsa and lite ply etc from Balsa The CA I use can be bought from here as its cheaper and works well. Glue Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Grigg Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 When I start repairing my[ crashed model,I look for a join to start from and work from there.Mind you this normally is because ive got to parts of fuselage to join together.Yes it seems the cheapest way to buy spare parts for an ARTF is to buy a new kit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Hi Steve...sorry to hear about your crash. The extra has been discontinued but you can still get spares from Perkins (order via your LMS). See here. Scroll down to Seagull Extra EP. They only list complete assemblies though....wings...fuselage...that sort of thing....if its individual parts then its up to you to make 'em!!! Not to worry though...its all part of the fun!!! Can you post up a picture or two so we can see how bad the damage is? As others have mentioned a good way to repair it to collect all the bits & put the jigsaw back together with cyano....then draw around the part (firewall, battery tray or whatever) & cut it out from new wood. You're LMS will sort you out with a bit of balsa & some decent ply for a few pounds.... Now comes the good news.....I have in my loft a brand new, un-opened Seagull Extra....No you can't have it...I bought it off Ebay some time ago when my Extra crashed & I didn't think I would be able to repair it & I'm keeping it for the day when my existing model does die..... However I would be more than happy to draw around bits for you or send pictures of how it should look if this will help you..... Treat this as a whole new project.....attempt the repair...all the help you could wish for on this forum & if in the end it doesn't work out you've only lost a few pounds on wood & glue. But if it does work out......ah ...then my friend you are well on the way to becoming a true aeromodeller.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myron Beaumont Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Just looked at the price of those spares ! Cor blimey ,it would cost you a fortune to build one from bits bought individually .I bought mine about 4 years ago I think it was from the LMS in Whitley Bay (Ken NE1 territory)before they went bust and it cost me £90. It is still going strong and if it wasn't for transport problems ,I might consider selling it with or without the Irvine 53 installed as I'm gradually going over to everything being 4 st powered. However,carry on the repair as everyone recommends & good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Silly Myron..... Scuba Steves model is the ELECTRIC version...42" span or thereabouts.... the one you have is the IC version.....63" span I think it is....& probably blue!!!!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myron Beaumont Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Steve You are right I think -Beg your pardons .There are so many variants aren't there?.Yes ,mine is the Extra 300s.60. I'll get mi coat . Suitably admonished Myron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 5 minute epoxy can be bought from hardware shops as Araldite Rapid. But its expensive! White PVA glue is easier to use and a brand such as Evostick Resin W is easily obtainable. ( its similar to Aliphatic resin mentioned above ) Best bet if you are a newcomer to building and repairing is to go along with the model to your local club and ask who can show you how to repair. I would bet you will get help and advice even if you are not a member! The people who can build usually can be spotted from a distance.............they are the ones with grey hair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Proper covering irons must be available still but before they were sold everybody used a normal clothes ironing iron ( thermostatic type ) A bit less manouverable but it works and will do for a small repair job. Ensure you clean the iron before returning to domestic use or you will get strange aircraft colour streaks on your best shirt! Even worse if 'she who must be obeyed ' gets her clothes damaged, so best to see if there is an old iron lurking unused.Use the lowest heat setting ( silk ) for a start. You might also recover fully sheeted parts with tissue or Solartrim to save buying expensive iron on film. In Peter Miller's articles 'Dont Bin It Fix It' RCME June & Aug 2009 he says some ARTF film does not like heat and it's better to use Solartrim self adhesive trim. Try to read this article on repairing. Surely this article should be one of the archive articles for newcomers to refer to. What about it Mr Ashby? Edited By kc on 29/07/2011 17:15:27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scuba steve Posted July 30, 2011 Author Share Posted July 30, 2011 thanks for all the links guys. all suitable noted. i took the model along to my LHS and he told me how he would fix it and sold me all i needed for £7.....not bad i though i just need to do it now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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