Lindsay Todd Posted January 6, 2013 Author Share Posted January 6, 2013 CS you are quite correct but old habbits die hard should read motor mounting. Very much hope this will be a free plan assuming she fly's! Bit more work last night on the bottom wing starting by adding the leading edge made again from 6mm balsa strip. Incidently I use a slec balsa strip cutter for all my strip wood simple to use and certainly works out cheaper. On with the second panel. The first job was to jig the first panel so that the main spar joiner sat flush to the work surface so the second panel can be built flat. Job number one was to glue the spruce lower main spar to the 3mm marine ply joiner. Follow the same process as the first panel of adding rear lower spar, ribs and then top spar. when dry trim the spars to the end rib position but leave the leading edge so that it extends past the length of the wing tips which we will add later. I now added 6mm balsa joiners between the centre ribs, full depth to the front of the rear spar and to the front of the main spar. When all was dry the trailing edge can be sanded to match the rib profile ready for sheeting to be added next. More soon. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ton van Munsteren Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 Linds, Great build and great pics keep up the good work, also love the structure of the design. Sometimes I say to myself why design my own models, seeing all those lovely designs passing by in the RCME as a freeplan. Was thinking of designing a biplane myself but iam thinking of waiting for yours to be finished, because it looks like its going to be a lovely model. Ton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted January 6, 2013 Author Share Posted January 6, 2013 Thanks Ton, we do it because we enjoy it, simple as that I guess, but yes we do some some suberb designs and inspiration from this forum. More work on the lower wing this afternoon starting with the 1.5mm sheeting to the top rear of the wing working from trailing edge forward. I am leaving a centre panel apperture for both weight and cosmetic reasons but the centre section will remained sheeted out to rib number 2. Trailing edge all glued up and pinned so time to sheet the leading edge from the rear of the top spar to the leading edge. I left the sheet full width and will cut this back when the glue has dried. The centre region is then also sheeted. Now for some important details which are the 3mm ply plates double up to 6mm that will be the anchor points for the outboard wing struts. These are glued into position and then the top sheeting is added around. The wing tips will be added later in the build. I still have the centr wing dowel to sort out which will require some ofthe sheeting to be removed at the centre section but I'll complete the top surface sheeting first and then deal with the wing location and wing bolt positions at the same time. More soon. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 Looks workmanlike and strong, Linds. tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share Posted January 8, 2013 Ok well I got a chance to get some more work done last night starting by completing the bottom wing top sheeting and then adding the 32mmx9mm trailing edge section. The wing tips are next on the agenda, these made from a centre core 2mm balsa sheet, 6mm spar extensions are then glued to the end rib and taper to the edge of the tip, I then cut these back by 3mm. 3mm sheet strips are then also added to cross brace and create the diagonal pattern. These again are cut back from the edge by 3mm for a strengthening piece to be added later. I also added a 3mm strip to the edge of the aileron edge. More soon. Linds Edited By Lindsay Todd on 08/01/2013 13:32:24 Edited By Lindsay Todd on 08/01/2013 13:33:05 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 Little bit more done so latest update starting by flipping the wing upside down and adding the 1.5mm balsa sheet to the trailing edge, then 6mmx 6mm strip chamfered and glued in line with the rear spar out to the wing tips. Next job whilst the wing is still open structure underneath was to locate and fix the front dowel. This was done by marking up a 3mm litply plate to sit and line up with the fuselage dowel plate, the location of the dowel was measured and then drilled. The dowel is 6mm diameter and cut long enough so that it rests on the front face of the rear spar brace in the wing, passes through the 6mm balsa,through the ply front face and extends 4-5mm further so that it passes through the fuselage dowel locating plate. The hole assembly was first dry fitted by cutting out a region of the top wing sheet so that the dowel could locate and pass through both ply plates. The wing was then squared up to the fuselage and then the wing front ply plate was tack glued to the leading edge of the wing with medium cyno. After a few minutes the assembly was removed from the fuselage and the dowel glued in place with pva glue. The front ply plate was then more securely glued by use of more cyno. To finish a piece of 1.5 balsa was glued around the dowel onto the wing surface and a couple of 3mm medium balsa added to brace the front ply plate. Now the sharp eyed may have noticed the notches cut in the ribs that were to carry the u/c blocks. Well I have had a change of mind on the u/c purely on cosmetics and easy of use so have decided to go with a bolt on aluminium and piano wire assembly that will bolt onto the flat sureface just forward of the bottom wing. To strengthen this up a 3mm marine ply plate has been set into the apperture, this is reninforced on three sides with triagular section hard balsa and then an additional 3mm marine ply plate is glued on top to make up a strong laminate. When dry this will be sanded to blend in with the fuselage sides. Tomorrow I hope to get the u/c made up and attached, jig the top wing struts and make a start on the top wing so more soon. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Concorde Speedbird Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I do like built up wings, that was the only thing I missed during the Domino build (but foam wings are quicker!). Looks lovely! CS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 many thanks cs, the wings always take longer than you think but its quite a satisfying build in the end when it all comes together. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Linds, Agreed on the fuselage-mounted undercart! So much simpler in practice. tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 Keep it simple they always say so a bit more today firstly by fixing the u/c final ply plate, when dry this was sanded to shape. The U/C is made up from two pieces of 3mm aluminium dural plate cut and folded to shape, drilled and then mounted onto the ply plates. The reason for the u/c being in two parts was simply the size of the plate off cuts I had however is plenty strong enough and has yet to have the piano wire added. For the moment it is just screwed in place but will be later bolted as I plan to add some more cosmetic touches later. Back to the lower wing and the 1.5mm sheeting has been added to the underside, just the tips too complete. The trailing edge has a 1mm ply plate glued on centre line forthe wing bolt fixing. A 3mm ply plate has also been glued into the fuselage. The wing was then a placed on the fuselage checked for square and then a pilot hole drilled through the wing and into the fixing plate in the fuselage. These were then open up to give clearance for a nylon bolt and captive nut fixed to a 6mm balsa plate glued to the underside of the fuselage bolt fixing plate. Finally got a chance to bolt the lower wing to the fuselage, almost looks like a plane for the first time. More soon.Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riverlandgirl. Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Looking GREAT, as always... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 Compliments will get you anwhere RLG! I actually got the top wing main structure built up last night and first thing this morning had a chance to loosely assemble everything together, ie both wings, tail, fin etc. Firstly I was shocked everything fitted as it should but more than that I was really please with the look and proportions of the model. Their is still a good deal of work to do but she can now be called an aeroplane. I'll get some more pics posted this evening. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Brilliant progress..how do you do it. My Stampe build has hit a brick wall at the moment as I am having the wing ribs etc cut again as the kit ones were really awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted January 18, 2013 Author Share Posted January 18, 2013 Well been bug hit all week but did do a little before it hit so latest with the build of the top wing, done as a single piece albeit with a spar joiner. Lower spar is spruce with spruce joiner in 6mm squae, top spar hard balsa. Construction follows a very similar procedure to the bottom wing however the centre region will have oval section built up from soft block at the trailing edge. With leading and trailing edges glued in place the wing was turned over and ply plates glued in place for the centre and outboard wing struts. some local balsa reinforcement added. These will later have captive nuts located and drilled to match the struts. My method for getting the wing square and level is to print a copy of the plan and glue to a flat ply plate, drill the fixing positions and then screw the plate to the wing. Check the levels and make a note of shims required if any. Luckily none! Tailplane square and so is the wing, Next its time to test fit the wings and take a look. More soon Linds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted January 18, 2013 Author Share Posted January 18, 2013 Final bit for now, a couple of shots as she looks now. Linds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted January 20, 2013 Author Share Posted January 20, 2013 Well time to get a few more updates on the progress starting by drilling out the ply plates in the top wing to take 4mm captive nuts. I used a dremel cutting disc to remove one side of the flange as it gets rather close to the ribs plus it will stop it rotating if the glue joint ever fails. these were epoxied in position and bolted into place whilst drying. I did a quick check with the incidence metre having first checked level on the tail plane. It reads about + half a degree and it should be at zero so I will add a shim of timber to adjust under the rear bolt holes. With the centre section sorted the outer strut fixing was started with the top forward fixing point. Using a hacksaw blade I cut the ply plate in half, a metal plate with a hole drilled and the end bent over by 90 degrees was then slotted in place and glued with epoxy, a piece of hard balsa was then glued in over the top. The rear fixings will follow a similar system but I will deal with them a little later as the wing now can have its top sheeting added following the same process as the bottom wing. The trailing adge oval cutout will be completed once the wing is sheeted both sides. more soon. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 Had a chance to get a little bit more done so a few more pics and updates on the progress starting with the completion of the underside sheeting of the top wing. The trickiest bit being to measure mark the bolt fixing positions. I will add some thin ply may to these later to stop the struts digging into the balsa or remove the balsa so that the struts sit against the ply plates, either way its a job that needs doing as it will have an impact on the top wing incidence. I also added the 30mm trailing edge section either side of the centre cut out. Made up from 3 laminates of 6mm soft balsa the centre section rear radius cut out is glued together before being glued into position. When dry everything will be sanded to profile and it will be ready for the interplane struts to be made and then time to start thinking about the radio installation more seriously. More soon. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Very neat work, Mr Todd! There's going to be many who'll be convinced that this is a scale model. tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 looks great Linds, very nice lines indeed Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ton van Munsteren Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Iam sure that is will be a hit as a free plan. Ton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted January 25, 2013 Author Share Posted January 25, 2013 Thanks for the kind comments guys, I'm really enjoying this build, its been a couple of years since I designed a biplane so it makes a nice change. I like the idea of making things look believable. If she fly's well then hopefully will become a free plan. This one was a few months in the design stages and has proved it's worth as I have not really had to re engineer much at all, hence the speed of the build. Bought the covering material today as not too far away from making a start on some of the components such as tail surfaces, fin, rudder etc. Linds Edited By Lindsay Todd on 25/01/2013 21:35:09 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 This is a great looking model and cracking build. Love to have a go at this one although at my building rate it will take about 12 months to get this far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 I know the phrase.." if it looks right it will fly right". The omens are good L.T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 I like it , Looks a real scale job and i dont normaly go for bipe`s Well done Lindsay , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted January 27, 2013 Author Share Posted January 27, 2013 Well spent a couple of hours doing a bit of sanding in prep for covering and also on setting up for and designing the shape of the interplane struts. The metal fixings for the interplane struts had to be tweaked to set the angle for the strut which is parrallel to the centre struts. You can't believe how long it took before I was happy with the shape of the struts, small subtle changes but I am now ready to cut these out from 3mm ply. The parts will be butt jointed and then faced with 1mm ply around the joints and fixing points, then probably varnished. more soon. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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.