Jump to content

EPO what's the difference??


Spice Cat
 Share

Recommended Posts

Advert


I expect the reason for the high cost of EPO models is mainly due to the design and production of moulds and other tooling.
Back to the early days of plastic kits (Revel,Airfix, etc) I remember reading that the mould costs were in the order of £10K whilst the actual plastic used for the kit cost pence.
Perhaps a reader who is currently employed in the plastic moulding industry could do a write-up on the subject?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted by Spice Cat on 12/02/2012 22:08:27:
Not being a chemist but what is the difference (if any) between Elapor and EPO.
And is it so different from the packaging it's delivered in??
If not, why is it so expensive?

Expensive compared to what? There's a misconception that just because a plane is made of ''foam'' that it needs to be very cheap. Like has already been mentioned, the moulds are extremely costly to produce and this financial outlay has to be recouped some how. If you compare the latest Chris Foss ARTF Acro Wots, the built up version is about £126 and the foamie is about £135. Although the foamie is slightly smaller, it does come with all servos, motor, ESC, prop etc, where as the trad built ARF doesn't and in my book that makes the foamie version significantly cheaper.

Another question then; Which is more enviromentally friendly, a wooden kit or a foamie??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Expensive compared to what? There's a misconception that just because a plane is made of ''foam'' that it needs to be very cheap. Like has already been mentioned, the moulds are extremely costly to produce and this financial outlay has to be recouped some how. If you compare the latest Chris Foss ARTF Acro Wots, the built up version is about £126 and the foamie is about £135. Although the foamie is slightly smaller, it does come with all servos, motor, ESC, prop etc, where as the trad built ARF doesn't and in my book that makes the foamie version significantly cheaper.

Another question then; Which is more enviromentally friendly, a wooden kit or a foamie??

you`d still have tooling to make i expect for kits, the dies for cutting parts, programming the laser cutter etc plus the labour for building the ARTF, with the foam you have 1 lackey at the beginning of the line inserting carbon rods, wood bits etc, press a button, bish bash bosh couple of seconds injecting the foam, out pops a plane.

And "environmentally" wood comes from trees, foam comes from chemicals wink 2

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

Still hesitant about which glue to use to attach the tail surfaces on my EasyGlider (Elapor/Epo).I've tried tests on poundland /"toolbox" superglue ,UHUpor and have some BELI-ZELL 10 min and 20 adhesives.I tried getting info on the Beli stuff but unfortunately don't understand german.UHUpor seems to work quite well but not having any scrap pieces to really test on ,all I've tried is the end of the rudder locating lug stuck to the inside of the canopy - approx an area of 1cm X 5mm.Which would you experts advise please . I'm a bit cheesed off with having to research all these (new to me) products but afraid to use the wrong stuff .Another headache I see forthcoming is to fasten the lipo over the wing internally so that I can get it in and out .It says mount the Rx in the front directly behind the motor.Never put an Rx in front of any heavy battery before! Help put my mind at ease so I can get it up sooner rather than later and might survive unexpected arrivals .

Myron

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As I mentioned yesterday, Myron, normal medium cyano and kicker is recommended. I used it on mine about 3 years ago and it is still fine (apart from when the dog kicked the fin off on landing) and even then it was the foam that broke and not the joint..........smile

It's the kicker that's important - using cyano alone doesn't seem to work.

Apply the cyano to one side, the kicker to the other and the job's donethumbs up

You haven't much choice with the battery position, so 'Use the Force, Luke', believe in your flying abilities and if you still have an arrival with the EG sufficient to mash the Rx with the Li-Po, you'll have done very well, believe me!

It is a pussycat, take my word for it!!!!!teeth 2

Now stop fretting, stick it together and get it up there whilst there's a bit of summer left......thumbs upsmile d

Pete

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Myron,

one thing not mentioned is that there is a release agent on the surface of the foam which helps prevent sticking! Wash the areas you want to stick first and let them dry and you will have fewer problems. Uhu Por is also good used as a contact adhesive ( if you don't want to use cyano ) but will slow down your build ,waiting for it to dry, and you only get one chance to get it right.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah, no kicker......have you got a hot glue gun, or some Gorilla Glue? As TPP says, you only get one shot with UHU Por and it has to be used as a contact glue to work.

The 60 miles is a pain - much easier and quicker to order online from one of the quicker suppliers and wear the postal charges, or make the order worthwhile. Could be there by Wednesday....

Pete

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pete

Job done with Belli-Zell .Incredible stuff that I was given by Ashers some time ago to test .It's more like a welded joint than anything else I can think of .Now to programme my Futaba 6EX 2.4 GHz to include spoilerons & differential on the ailerons .A job for 'er indoors tomorrow .Am putting the FrSKY TFR6 Rx in the hollow in the underside of the canopy .It's so small .

Myron -foam & electric newcomer dept. Quite impressed actually !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's more like it!teeth 2

Differential is essential on the EG - the downgoing aileron is very draggy. I have about 1/3 of the upgoing throw on the downgoing, IYSWIM.....smile

Spoilerons - don't put too much to start with and put in a little up elevator, as without it, it comes down very quickly!smile o

Gain a few hundred feet before you try it out for the first time......

Looking forward to the maiden....thumbs up

Pete

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 years later...
Posted by Myron Beaumont on 14/08/2012 19:30:55:

Pete

Job done with Belli-Zell .Incredible stuff that I was given by Ashers some time ago to test .It's more like a welded joint than anything else I can think of .Now to programme my Futaba 6EX 2.4 GHz to include spoilerons & differential on the ailerons .A job for 'er indoors tomorrow .Am putting the FrSKY TFR6 Rx in the hollow in the underside of the canopy .It's so small .

Myron -foam & electric newcomer dept. Quite impressed actually !

I checked this stuff out but it doesn't seem to available any longer, this could be why...

"Contains diphenylmethanediisocyanate, isomeres and homologues.
Follow the manufacter´s instructions. Harmfull by inhalation. Irritating to eyes,
respiration system and skin
"...

Isocyanates have been mentioned as harmful on the fuel-proofer thread.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...