Colin Leighfield Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 No doubt about it, he's found a winning formula. I'm looking forward to seeing him at Greenacres. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted May 10, 2013 Author Share Posted May 10, 2013 Thanks guysI am just fiddling with torque rod lengths and installing the wing servo. Having a late night with the radio on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 First flight in the morning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted May 10, 2013 Author Share Posted May 10, 2013 Haha, no I don't build that quick (as you can tell from this blog). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Not as bad as the 1/7 scale prototype Spitfire I designed in 1986 and I haven't finished yet. I'll get there eventually. I just get distracted easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted May 11, 2013 Author Share Posted May 11, 2013 I got as far as cutting the ailerons out, installing the torque rods and the servo. I am not quite sure where 4 hours have gone but i do have superglue all over my fingers! and with it fitted to the fuselage The plywood plate with the torque rods sticking out is to strengthen that thin area of wing, for the nylon wing fixing bolt to go through. I realised there was not much strength in the back of the wing once the groove for the torque rods has been cut. I am amazed that the thin torque rod is going to provide all of the force to move the ailerons in flight and that the wire is just pushed into the balsa aileron, do I need to apply any glue to that section of the rod when the aileron is finally installed or does it just need to be a push fit???? More questions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 That principle with the torque roda and ailerons has always been pretty much standard practice for low wing models with strip ailerons, often much larger than this Tucano. It's sensible to put a drop of glue onto the wire when you put it into the aileron, five minute epoxy is perfect for that. The wire diameter is wholly adequate, you don't need to worry about it. When is this windy weather going to change? I badly need to get some practice or there's a severe risk that I'll be wiping out a significant proportion of the UK modelling population at Greenacres! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted May 11, 2013 Author Share Posted May 11, 2013 Thanks Colin, I will put a drop of epoxy onto the rod when I do the final install of the aileron.I know what you mean about the windy weather, I had all week off work and the only decent flying day was Monday. I got up to the field for 6 whole hours but even then my Wot-4 foam-e was on 3/4 throttle just to push through the headwind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Winks Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 Hi James just to confirm my torque rod upstand is 1.5 x the distance from the centre of the servo to the pivot of the linkage just as colin (I think) reported on his I have had to dial a slight reduction in on the EPA just 10% off ie they're set at 90% which I'm happy with also on the subject of securing the torque rod into the aileron while there is nothing wrong with glueing them into the aileron, my way is to insert a piece of plastic tube, that the rod is a sliding fit in (Same as the journal) into the aileron this allows the rod to slide within the aileron with out enlarging the hole if there is a slight misalignment between the rod axis and the hinge line of the aileron. this is not the only way just my way if you get my drift Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted May 11, 2013 Author Share Posted May 11, 2013 Hi PhilThanks for checking the measurement, I have enough length of upstand threads to get mine set the same I like the idea of using the plastic tube for the torque rod into the aileron. That will make a nice strong sliding fit and like you say the hole in the balsa will not get worn larger over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Winks Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 it certainly works James I fix the tube by scuffing the outside a little then with a fine nozzle I wick a few drops of very thin cyano round the outside if you accidently get some inside the tube its easy to ream it out with a drill bit in a pin vice especially if you use the inner snake tube from slec as without scuffing it cyano simply doesn't stick Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 Coming along nicely WF. Wont be long before you're covering! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted May 11, 2013 Author Share Posted May 11, 2013 Sounds perfect Phil, thanks No building today after going to bed at 4am from the building session yesterday.Although...... after building on our nice kitchen table for a while (protected by a plastic tablecloth) I have decided to get myself a building board that I can stick pins into.So I went to Wickes today and got a sheet of 600x1200x12mm MDF and have just cut it in half length ways and laminated the two halves together with no-nails glue and screws. This has made a very solid and perfectly flat board for building on. Also at Wickes I noticed that they had a small stock of 3mm cork floor tiles and even better they were reduced in their current sale. I snapped up a pack of 9 tiles so I can use 3M spray adhesive to apply two layers to my building board so it can accept pins And the other news is that I am already planning my next build (ok I need to get the tucano done first), I have ordered a pack of wood and balsa stripper from SLEC so that I can build the 54" vintage style "Jemima" that was in the Febuary magazine Edited By WolstonFlyer on 11/05/2013 21:48:54 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted May 11, 2013 Author Share Posted May 11, 2013 Thanks BEBI am rather scared of doing the covering, I know how it work "in theory" but......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Winks Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 Posted by WolstonFlyer on 11/05/2013 21:53:56: Thanks BEB I am rather scared of doing the covering, I know how it work "in theory" but......... its actually a lot easier than the theory makes it sound James I don't even use a specialist covering iron but a small travel iron with a home made cloth cover and a black and decker adjustable heat gun yes I have to be a little more cautious but never had an issue getting a good finish. even on tight ish concaved surfaces Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted May 11, 2013 Author Share Posted May 11, 2013 The only thing I can do is have a go (after seeing how you do it!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Winks Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 That sounds like a que for an instructional video lol I'll see what I can do mate Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted May 11, 2013 Author Share Posted May 11, 2013 Hehe, or lots and lots of photographs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 That building board arrangement is exactly what I use WF - you even bought the cork tiles from the same place as me! I have a 6x3 melamine covered sheet of MDF with a double layer of cork tiles - works brilliantly. Covering isn't so bad - like Phil says its easier than it sounds. The thing to get used to I find is that it always looks dreadful - like a badly wrapped parcel - you think you're making a right hash of it. Then you shrink the film and hey-presto al of a sudden it looks great - its like magic. BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted May 11, 2013 Author Share Posted May 11, 2013 Hi BEB That's a happy coincidence, I was in Wickes shopping for new bath taps (long story, I broke the spindle in the hot tap trying to remove the top to replace the washer)Anyway I saw the packs of cork floor tiles and thought they would make a very nice building board. In fact I might go and pick up another pack of the tiles tomorrow and stash them away for future use.I will have to take your word on the covering, I am going to do a bit of practice on scrap balsa first. A club member has suggested glassing with PolyC and fine glass cloth but I think that would add too much weight and is probably not any easier to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Brown 3 Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Hi WF, I went to Wickes today and also purchased the same mdf as a building board for my new project, a Heinkel HE51 bipe, i saw some floor underlay which came in packs and thought about them lending themselves to the pinning but they were too dear, so, like yourself i`m back down for the cork tiles tomoz. The Tucano is looking good mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted May 26, 2013 Share Posted May 26, 2013 Hi WF, how's the Tucano coming on - any recent progress? Or are you secretly covering it - sort "under wraps" - oh dear, sorry about that! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted May 26, 2013 Author Share Posted May 26, 2013 Hi BEB, the build is moving very slowly. Finding time to build has been hard but I am hoping to have a few evenings on it this week and get it to the covering stage. I was at the club field all afternoon today and had my first flight with the club IC trainer ( have only flown smaller electric models so far). With a bit of guidance I did the A test schedule and even got the dead stick right although I didn't do the final landing. My instructor seemed quite pleased and that I am getting the hang of things. Sadly I don't think I will get in enough flying to get my A before Greenacres but I will bring the Tucano with me even if it is not finished by then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted May 26, 2013 Share Posted May 26, 2013 You never know WF, Once you get close to the standard of the A the actual pass can come surprisingly quickly. And remember, you are allowed two goes each day. BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted June 1, 2013 Author Share Posted June 1, 2013 I have not posted to my build blog for a long time - sorry about that but I have not got much building done either. I have just had a few hours and have managed to do the underside tail sheeting and create the servo hatch, I have also started shaping the nose and have very hesitantly cut the clear canopy... then got stuck because I don't know what to do next! I really don't want to make a mess of this. I have started shaping the nose, and have cut the closing ends off the canopy so it will loosly fit in place, but how do I decide where the canopy should sit and where to trim it off to? Or do I make the canopy floor first? Any ideas please, I was hoping to make a long night of it tonight and make some progress. Help would be appreciatied thanks! Edited By WolstonFlyer on 01/06/2013 22:20:35 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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