WolstonFlyer Posted July 24, 2013 Author Share Posted July 24, 2013 Hi MikeYes I have cut them to fit the width. The pilots shoulders have been cut so they slightly step over the side rails as I should have made the sides another couple of mm higher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 How's it going WF? I know you have been on hols - but managed to get back at it yet? BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Winks Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 He should be starting to progress a little further Dave I do know he has a complete U/C set now at least Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Great! Won't be long now then! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Winks Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 would've thought so james's U/C set Now how did I get that pic I wonder lol Edited By Phil Winks on 17/08/2013 00:05:51 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 Sorry guys, I have been flat out at work all week trying to catch up after being on holiday. I have also been taking my son to evening cricket games so I have not got anything done (the local clubs arrange an evening floodlit series each year and play it over a week).I have to say a massive "thank you" to Phil for making the above set of U/C legs, complete with very neat soldered on washers and brass collets. The quality of them is superb!!Remaining woodwork jobs are to hinge the control surfaces and do the wing fillets....but not this weekend as it's my Mums birthday.I hope to get cracking in the evenings next week..... will I ever get this done??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Winks Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Hi james just a small point here don't glue your hinges till you've covered her mate but then I'm guessing you knew that one re the U/C no worries your more than welcome regarding wing fillets have a look at the recent posts on the general chat thread as in retrospect I think Mike hardy's idea of using a top and bottom sheet and fixing to the fuse is prob the easiest way of achieving a neat finish Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Well, it has been a while and the Tumbleweed has blown through here a few times!! The good news is that I am still building (slowly) and last night things started to go together, I had a very late night of building and a couple of hours this morning. Phil - the undercarriage that you made for me is a perfect fit - thanks again. I thought the screws were going to go through the top surface, but they don't, they must be very close. A pair of wheels, looking great and nice and straight And finally she is looking like a Tucano The canopy is not a perfect fit, it is a bit too wide at the front (1.5mm at each side) and I somehow got the angle of the back of the canopy different to the angle of F5 so I need to make some small adjustments, perhaps remove F5 and put in a new one that is thicker and sand it to the same angle as the canopy? Anyway, progress is slow, building on the Kitchen table doesn't help as I have to tidy up and put my tools away all the time Seeing the progress has spurred me on to get it finished though so that has to be good news More from me later! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Winks Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Thats looking superb James, really glad the U/C legs fit well as for the screws they are indeed close approx 0.5mm from the top surface at maximum but at least they've got a proper grip kinda essential if you fly from a field dotted with hoof prints like me lol. the issues with the canopy fit at the front is much the same on mine, a little less on mine but to be fair it doesn't detract from the appearance on the ground and once she's of the ground not many will be able to see it, and if they do they must be desperately short of something to do Keep plodding on mate Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Thanks Phil, it is taking shape The next complicated job is the wing fairings, is it better to have them fixed to the wing or the sides of the fuselage? What is the easiest to make? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Winks Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Hi James no good news here I'm afraid, they're a bit fiddly either way, I fitted mine to the wing but in retrospect I think fitting them to the fuselage hides the joint better, so more room for minor errors. start with a card template then using that draw a line on the fuse and wing where this touches, this will give you the bottom and side profile, then use these to mark the bottom and inner edge of some suitable soft block and carve / sand away, use sanding sticks made from various dowels to sand the concave curves. Don't go for too small a profile as covering small tight concave profiles is a nightmare, and don't try to continue the fairing beyond the LE it just looks wrong at this scale in my opinion Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Thanks for the top tips Phil I have had a go at making the fairings and I am quite pleased with the results. I have sanded them from solid wedges of 10mm soft balsa that was left over from making the wings. I wrapped some sandpaper around a length of 1" dowel / brush handle, I hope my wife doesn't notice I cut a bit off the yard brush I then installed the wing and glued the fairings in place with a bit of cling film to stop them sticking to the surface of the wing. and from underneath: I have also closed up the gap at the back of the canopy by cutting and sanding F5 to the correct angle and then facing it with some thin lite ply - job done! I just need to shape the back of the fairings in to the fuselage and install a small block on the underside to meet up with the trailing edge. That will have to wait for another day as the workshop (kitchen) is needed to make dinner and there is balsa dust all over the place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bott - Moderator Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 That's looking excellent WF. Glad to see you got going again. It looks like it's going to be a good 'un Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Thanks Chris Our chat over PM's the last couple of days about the 2014 mass build models has given me the incentive to get on and finish this one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Winks Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Nice tidy job James, if i'm honest better than mine I think. As for the missing length of broom handle my good lady aint noticed hers yet and thats from april or may this year just shows who sweeps the yard lol Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Looking very nice WF - not far to go now - I'm looking forward to seeing the finished article. All your efforts will be rewarded with a very nice flying plane. GDB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Thanks Phil and Caveman, I really appreciate the feedback Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Tweddle Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Hi WF I can see me at this time in 2015 doing the next years DB Barn/Bi Stormer my problem Bachelor Pad Kitchen only used for building Andreas for the cooking + a bit of that. Looking good mate. David. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Hofman Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 I see you have instrument panels in your cockpit. Where did you get them from? Regards, Lucas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted October 15, 2013 Author Share Posted October 15, 2013 Hi Lucas I posted the instrument panel picture back on page 11 Here it is again: Download image Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted October 21, 2013 Author Share Posted October 21, 2013 Just a quick update but I have started covering - wow this is tricky to do and keep it nice and tidy So far I have covered the moving surfaces (rudder, elevator, ailerons) , the underside middle section of the wing and the underside of one wing...... it has taken me 5 hours so far Anyway here is some "evidence", sheesh - black seems like a hard colour to work with, it shows every little mark in the balsa - a bit like painting black cars I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Great stuff WF. The thing I always find about film covering is that at first it all looks like a badly wrapped parcel and you think "This is a disaster"! Then quite suddenly, as you shrink it, everything transforms into a thing of beauty! Don't worry about the odd mark in the balsa - when you are building something its very easy to hung up on tiny tiny defects that no one but you will ever notice! If you do discover a "ding" - remember, a bit of spit works wonders at getting them out! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted October 21, 2013 Author Share Posted October 21, 2013 Thanks BEB Perhaps my technique is wrong I have the iron set to 120 degrees (it seems to activate the glue at that temp) and I am trying to smooth the piece of covering down to the balsa to make it stick - working from one end and and pushing it out to the other end of the piece I am covering, pulling it tight to get rid of crinkles. Is that right or is there a better way to do it? Thanks Edited By WolstonFlyer on 21/10/2013 00:19:54 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Hi again James, That does not sound quite right to me. Taking, say, a rectangular item you should first tack to the centre of a short edge, pull only lightly and tack the other end then the long edge centres. Working outwards from these tack down the rest a section at a time until the whole outer edge is fixed down lightly. Increase the temp. and pull the edges over to seal all round then trim leaving an overhang which is sealed to the under surface. Reduce the iron temp. and do the other (top) face of the surface. Only then do you shrink by going over with a warm iron very lightly to start with, I bit on each side at a time to avoid warps. Increase the temp. and seal to the wood all over. A heatgun is useless since although the finish may look great it will soon wrinkle. Re read both my Tucano threads and you will see this in pictures. Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim C Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Hi James, I find with the 'Chinacote' coverings that the glue will activate from about 100c, I find that an iron at 110 - 115c is a good starting point to adhere the covering without undue shrink, and then ramp up the iron in 10c increments to help shrink the more difficult bits, building up to 140 - 145c particularly on the edges and wrap overs. The material will take higher temps (unlike solarfilm which just burns holes!) (I have gone up to 170c or so) but shrink tends to get excessive and pulls the edges, I tend to avoid the heat gun. There is no one technique, everyone I know uses a different approach!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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