Tom T Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Hi all :D I may of already posted about my trainer on another thread. Anyway, its been a few weeks since I passed my A exam and I now don't know what to do. The day after I passed my exam, all three of my airplanes decided that they would have something go wrong with themselves. Cessna, servos on wings do not work, chipmunk, engine does not start and fuel tank it not not draining properly. Finally the trainers front gear broke and it glitches. I don't really know what to do, because i don't have the engineering knowledge as being only 15 to sort it out. I don't really know what I should do and frustrating me slightly missing all the good weather. Theres something i'm not doing right but i don't know what it is. I don't think i'm getting the hang of it just yet. Sorry for the rant haha :D What should I do? Cheers Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W-O Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Choose which one to do first and forget the rest for a while, thinking about the whole lot gets a bit too much. These thinhs happen, it's life, but break the job down into manageable pieces and it won't seem so bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codename-John Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 what servos are in the cessna ? if your fuel tank isnt draining properly then you may have a blockage in the pipe from the pressure nipple on the exhaust and not letting air fill the void left by fuel, or something up with the clunk and that pipe, this would explain engine not running either, fuel not being let out to carb, you can get a noseleg for a few quid from any model shop, easy to replace, the glitching may be down to connections etc as described in your other thread sometimes this hobby can get you down when things dont go perfect, things are gonna break, you are gonna crash, its gonna cost you money, but youve gotta be a soldier, take it on the chin and persevere Edited By Codename-John on 02/04/2012 14:11:22 Edited By Codename-John on 02/04/2012 14:12:43 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Bowker Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Once you have decided which plane to get back in the air seek some help/advice from somebody else or even from here on this forum (photo's help). If you are a member of a club I'm sure somebody would be more than willing to help with advice, tools and maybe some materials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom T Posted April 2, 2012 Author Share Posted April 2, 2012 Thanks, I think i'll start with doing up the trainer but as in the other thread, I may still just sell it and get a wot 4 some say i should some say i shouldn't. I'll need to fix it before selling it anyway, so might aswell keep it. Then i'll move onto the chipmunk, get that fixed. I was trying to start it in the garden the other day and just yellow goo came out of the carburettor, not even mad a sign of starting, I changed the glow plug, took out the glow plug and spun the prop to clear the engine, but it still didn't do anything. I'll need to swap the throttle cable for a push rod aswell sometime this week. The cessna is the only electric I have, I think it may of been connected to the receiver wrong. I'll double check that. I do ask club members for advise, but i feel bad asking to many questions, like wise asking to many on here. I don't want to start annoying people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly P Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Indeed, the first thing is to decide on which airframe you want to repair - for me the servos seem the easiest to fix. I'd start by looking at the servos, see if anyone nearby has a servo tester, or connect them to a known good channel on your radio and test them. if they are no good ask around at the club, and on here I know I have a few spare servos in various sizes I could donate if you needed them. Olly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly P Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Tom, the advantage of the internet is people don't want to answer they just won't bother. if you need a hand ask! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 As Olly P says ask away Tom.....we were all 15 once & we all have to learn....heck I'm still learning even after 2 of your entire lifetimes playing with toy aeroplanes!!!! So, as others have said....choose one model to sort out & concentrate on that......which one would you most like to fly tomorrow....tell us the problems & prepared to be buried in replies.....everything is fixable. It's only by doing that you will learn....& hey when you're as old as us lot you can help a few 15 year olds yourself eh?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 TT........ask as many questions as it takes to sort out the problems you are having...anyone worth their salt will chip in with some advice...thats the point of the club,forum and all the rest...... to assist and help like minded aeromodellers...........when i was 15.... i needed a lot of help and advice..... ken anderson ne..1 salt dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom T Posted April 2, 2012 Author Share Posted April 2, 2012 thank you but if i do ask a dumb question and if it does get annoying then please say :D I'm not sure whether my ability to fly is good enough just to move onto the chipmunk yet or I will have to stay with the trainer. I would propbably have to ask a member who has seen me fly to decide that one. My Dad said he will take me into town so I can buy a push rod sometime this week, so the chipmunk can wait until I have that. I'm going to order a better field charger for use on all my planes tonight and also a new battery for my cessna. The battery i am using at the moment is a 3 cell 11.1v 1300mah lipo battery but its some make i've never heard of so i think to be sure i'll buy a new one. I think i'll start with doing up the trainer, i've got to remove most of the firewall, the front gear, the lead weights and then rebuild it all back up. I'll go take some pictures of it now. A club member temporarily fixed it at the field, but I was told i will need to fix the firewall. Be right back in a bit with some photos Cheers Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 I wouldn't worry about the make of your battery Tom....doesn't mean its not a good battery....save your money...if it doesn't perform very well then thats a different matter but don't chuck it out just because of the name!!! You're trainer is IC powered yes? If the firewall is loose then try & keep everything clean & aviod getting oil onto any bare wood. Oily wood does not stick very well & we need a really good joint between firewall & fuselage.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom T Posted April 2, 2012 Author Share Posted April 2, 2012 Ok, the battery is saved its not been used for about a year, will it be ok if it hasn't been charged for that long. The trainer is IC and good point, would be look spectacular but would cost a bit to repair if the engine and the firewall fell off during flight. Pictures are just uploading now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom T Posted April 2, 2012 Author Share Posted April 2, 2012 Here are the pics, they are not brilliant. 1st one: Second one: Third one: The Lead weight has caved in where the firewall is, I think i may have to cut completely around it, I'm not sure. This is the trainer Edited By Tom T on 02/04/2012 16:34:20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 OK first things first.......strip everything off the firewall.....engine, mount, nose leg...the lot. You can't assess the damage with that lot in the way. Second....remove the lead.....the repair will add some weight so you'll need to re-balance the model anyway.....it might be an idea to cut away the lower sheeting a few mm behind the lead & remove it from the model completely. Replacing the sheeting is an easy fix & we may need acess to the rear of the firewall to add some strengthening pieces. Before you start give the model a good cleaning arounf the front....if you have some methylated spirits then pour some on a damp cloth & clean around the nose area as best you can to degrease it.....do this in a well ventilated area...preferably outside.....we don't want your Mum demanding your hard earned modelling funds to clean the carpet/repair the dining table now do we..... Now, take a look at the firewall, particularly where it joins the fuselage.....is it loose? Can you wobble it? If its not loose, can you see any gaps between the fuselage sides & the firewall? Post back & let us know....pictures of any damage will help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom T Posted April 2, 2012 Author Share Posted April 2, 2012 Sorry back, helping in the Garden Ok so i will remove everything tonight ready for repairs tommorow or may start after dinner. My parents gave me a space upstairs in the garage for a workshop area (love my parents muchly ) so will be up there out the way. Do you mean remove the lead and then cut off what ever is broken or just cut up to the lead, sorry. All of the top part of the firewall is broken and about 3cm back (upto the second line of lead) is all broken. Would it be worth just removing the lot? There is a gap thats hidden behind the front gear bar that doesn't appear on the photo. I'll remove all the gear as you said and then take some more photos. Cheers Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Chin up Tom - no-one said it was going to be easy. I mean if it was easy then girls could do it! BEB PS Boy will I get into trouble for that - only a joke ladies - honest - ow! ouch!.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 I wouldn't want to be in your shoes when Cyclicscooby reads this, BEB................... Pete ps - and I think mods should be forbidden from editing their own posts............especially if it's because they've been the author of their downfall! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom T Posted April 2, 2012 Author Share Posted April 2, 2012 haha, ouch...... good luck with surviving that one BEB haha ok, out in the workshop tommorow, to get it done. Got all the engine mount and front gear off. Ready for the spirit and then the surgery Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 Don't worry Pete....if BEB trys to sneak out of his statement by a quick edit I'll put it back to how it was...........at least until Cyclicscooby sees it..... Tom its very important we understand each other so if you are not sure about a term used then ask for a better explanation...... It's very early in your aeromodelling career for you to realise that you have stuck A to C instead of B.....there's plenty of time for you to do that later.... So to the task in hand.....by the way when cleaning the model with meths make sure that the meths doesn't run into any cracks in the wood carrying the oil with it......the meths will evaporate leaving the oil in the joint...not good..... So now, the firewall....this is the very front former of the model...the bit that the engine mount & front wheel bolt to.....as you might guess it is very highly loaded so it needs to be firmly fixed to the fuselage. From your pictures I can only see the damaged bottom sheeting...where the lead is fixed......this bottom sheet can be cut away completely. This will be around 3mm thick so cut across the bottom sheeting at 90 degrees to the fuselage sides & then cut along the bottom of the fuse sides to remove the sheeting.....we can replace this later. You say the top of the firewall is damaged? Pictures please....imagine you were stood next to me showing me the problem from every angle.....take a picture of everything you want to discuss....a picture can't replace actually seeing the thing but it comes pretty close.... By the way might it be an idea to start another thread for this repair....how about having a different thread for each model. Forumites will be able to chip in to each "fix" as we go.....it will keep them separate & easier to follow....I can move some of the earlier posts over if that helps.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom T Posted April 3, 2012 Author Share Posted April 3, 2012 Ok, I will go take some pictures, I'll use a photo editing software to show lines where to cut, to make sure thats right. Everything is now off the firewall, ready for the spirit (waiting for daylight to do it outside, haha). New thread will be open as soon as I have some more pics (going out now). I'll be right back in a mo. Cheers Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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