john stones 1 - Moderator Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Yep, Black looks classy but shows every little blemish Beautiful job Danny, hinging looks really good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 You've done a good job there Danny,even though black is hard to do neatly, that looks good. I'm currently into black but as my standard is stand-off at a quarter-mile plus or minus 25%, it's no problem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Day Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 Lovely work Danny. So what's the secret to getting the cowl looking so nice - aside from lots of time and swearing of course? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted April 7, 2014 Author Share Posted April 7, 2014 Thanks guys, I am not as comfortable with the polyester film coverings as I am with say Solartex. I seem to be able to cope, but I don't like it. I think the answer to getting it right Nigel is practice. Dave Platt says that no amount of lying on your belly waving your arms about on the living room floor will teach you to swim, you need to get in the water! Filming is the same. I did a demo once and solarfilmed my glasses case, with patience and sometimes a fair bit of pull it can be made to go around some quite impressive curves. You will notice on this cowl it is lined with 64th ply, Iy you were to pull with the amount of force that I used against the balsa edges they would not of survived. Again I am no expert and there are modellers far better at using the stuff than me, Mr Hooper for one! But I find that I apply some tension, heat the film, apply more tension and while the film is still hot stretch it down over the wood. Stretching it after it is stuck down is not easy. Swearing doesn't help Nigel, but the iron is flaming hot, so swearing does occur Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted April 7, 2014 Author Share Posted April 7, 2014 Well thats just about it, I have a closed loop wire to run to the rudder but the horns are all fitted so wont take long and a spinner backplate to turn on the lathe, then its the cells esc etc and check the C of G. Hopefully the weather will play ball and we can get the maiden out of the way. I know its a bit plain but I must confess I am flagging a bit. I want to get back to my Apache Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 That looks good Danny Bit plain works with some models, I like it , looks elegant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted April 7, 2014 Author Share Posted April 7, 2014 Thanks John I might spice it up a bit with some stripes or something if it goes well. But as you say plain is unusual in this day of the extremely colourful artf Just out of interest I stuck the 6s A123 pack in and she balances right on the money, about an inch behind forward cabane. Still got to add a prop and the vacformed spinner, and a couple of feet of nylon coated steel trace, but I doubt they will alter things much. Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Day Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Still looks lovely Danny. I can tell that you don't care much for the electrical, servo and linkage gubbins as you've given little detail. Now I'll have to use my poor little brain instead of simply copying/borrowing/stealing your techniques and ideas. Joking aside, that's a fun part of the job - working out how that sort of stuff fits together and how to implement it in a way that suits me and my current level of abilities. There's plenty of info on this part elsewhere so it shouldn't be too difficult. I'll stop by in your Apache blog later as that looks a great build. I hope the maiden flight goes well and many thanks for a really detailed and helpful account of the build. I've learnt a lot. Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redex Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Hi Danny, on the subject of the 6S A123 pack, was it something you purchased as a pack or have you constructed the 6S out of individual cells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Masher Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Looks excellent! Just shows how important it is to get the preparation right being rewarded with such a smooth clean result - mind you, a shed load of skill and experience helps! Well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted April 8, 2014 Author Share Posted April 8, 2014 Thanks Nigel, I will show you how I lay out the cells, esc etc if you want, I didn't think it would be of interest? As for the radio and servos its pretty straightforward stuff, but again I will take some pics later for you Redex, I have made the pack, many of my cells came from Dewalt tool batt packs from EBay, but that avenue dried up a few years ago. These cells were bought a couple of years ago loose from Hobby King. I still have another half dozen or so left about the place. The first leccy model I built was a Wot4 with this exact same setup, in fact the same motor too, that was back in 2007, that model is still flying with the original pack. The A123 are perfect for certain sized models, they can't compete on performance with the newer LiPo's but for ease of use and no nonsense safe charging I know which I would rather use Hi Masher, thanks it doesn't look so great up close But it will do for a bit of pootling about. Dave Platt is quick to say the paint and film cannot improve a finish, a good finish is the result of whats underneath. A careful eye to what flows and a final tickle with 400 grit helps. This Solarspan is quite thick compared to Solarfilm and has helped hide the covering dings from the iron. I should have used a sock over the iron, but I never could get on with those things It will be interesting to see what the final weight is as i am sure the covering will have a penalty on that score. Looking forward to the maiden, I have a new camera person, she is looking forward to her first go at filming one of Dads models. Might mean Chris wont have to watch a maiden flight through a viewfinder Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 A very smart aeroplane Mr Fenton! And an excellent blog - as always! Looking forward to hearing about the maiden - which I'm sure will be a complete non-event (in the best sense of that term!). BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted April 8, 2014 Author Share Posted April 8, 2014 Thanks BEB, I have a feeling it will be pretty straightforward, and as you say a non-event. The wings point in the right directions always a good sign. I need to find a pilot as I have nothing in the scrap box to suit, bit of an odd size as 1/6 is too big. I think perhaps the cockpit is a bit small and should have been enlarged a bit. Nigel, I took a few pics of the horns, tailwheel and how the aileron clevises ended up, neatly hidden I think? Rudder horn is made from glass fibre board, cut with a jewellers saw. The holes for all things clevis wise are 1.6mm The horn is one piece and passes right through the rudder, the holes are in line with the hinges. The tailwheel is an odd thing I found in the scrap bin, the axle hole was massive so I had to sleeve it with a small section of alloy tube. This spins freely on the piano wire. I soldered a 10ba brass washer both sides of the wheel to retain it and keep it centred. The piano wire runs up a slot in the leading edge of the rudder for about an inche, before a sharp 90 degree bend buried in the leading edge about a quarter inch. This is expied in and the film covering hides everything. Dont put too long a moment arm on the tail wheel as the landing shock load is on the rudder hinges and closed loop wire The elevator horn is again a short length of glassboard. It is buried in the tailplane and glued in with 30 minute epoxy. The pushrod exits the fus and terminates in an M2 clevis. Note the locking nut, not really necessary because the pushrod cannot rotate for it to come undone, but it does eliminate any wobble of the clevis on the pushrod thread that you will sometimes find. The clevis sits just above the aileron lower surface and is nice and unobtrusive, I am glad I revisited this. Much neater Cheers Danny Edited By Danny Fenton on 08/04/2014 10:34:16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Day Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Many thanks Danny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Danny do you have any worries about metel to metal with the tailwheel having a metal sleeving onto the piano wire? A thing of the past with 2.4ghz perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted April 8, 2014 Author Share Posted April 8, 2014 Hi KC no I am not really worried about it to be honest, the fit is close enough that it doesn't rattle, and I doubt the tail will be on the ground for more than a few seconds, the wheel spins on the alloy. Some taxii trials might be prudent though, even with 2.4 Thx for the heads up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted April 8, 2014 Author Share Posted April 8, 2014 Messed around with a spinner, we will have to see how true it runs, this is one of the reasons I don't like to spin my props too quickly Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Don't talk to me about spinners. It's a vexed subject. (For me anyway)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Concorde Speedbird Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 The spinner looks great. What RPM will you be getting? It is a lovely looking aeroplane, I like the shorter nose too, if I built one I'd do the same. Will you be putting interplane struts in? CS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 Hi CS thanks I will put some gloss clear on the spinner if it runs true Yes the shorter nose suits it, but it is still close on c of g and could do with the nose being another 1/2 an inch shorter otherwise the cells will be behind the forward cabane bulkhead F3. No interplane struts, they are not on the plan so I wont add them. I hope It will take off at half throttle and I will not need to find out the full throttle rpm, theoretically 8,500 which is 1500 beyond my own limit, for prop and spinner balancing reasons, not to mention the noise. An electric motor at high rpm does nothing for me. Anyway I will try and get the last few things sorted for the weekend and we will see. Phil has come up with the great idea of fitting a camera on his Barnstormer for his maiden, I will see if I can get my keyfob camera working and will try something similar could be very entertaining Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 Good luck Danny i'm sure all will go well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted April 10, 2014 Author Share Posted April 10, 2014 Right last few jobs getting seen to... Just for Nigel For those that have never played with closed loop here is how i do it. I use a plastic coated steel trace, I have no idea the strength because it came from a show in a bag, plenty strong enough for this application anyway. In the kit (Probably from Nexus) you also get 2 x clevis attachment and 2 x the short section of brass tube. The diameter is important to make setting up easy, you can use a larger diameter tube but then it doesn't hold itself taught while you shorten all your loops The tubing needs to be only just big enough for three strands to pass through. Through the tube, through the horn, back through the tube, then around the tube and back through. This last loop stops any slippage from causing a failure, the loop tightens on itself. Once the loops are formed pull it all tight and then crimp. I use a small pair of side cutters, two small crimps, one at either end and one at 90 degrees in the centre. Follow this up with a drop of thin CA and the jobs a good 'un Nigel said he wanted to see the radio installation, well nothing much to see, the wire coming out the back of the Rx is for current measurement and connects to what Jeti term a MUI. Not shown but looking at the pics has reminded me, I have not shown a locking nut for the servo end clevises, this is because I haven't set the radio up yet. Note to self do not forget locking nut The MUI measure current to the motor, and knowing time can therefore display consumed mAh consumed during the flight. Just the wiring under the hood and we are ready for a final c of g and mag check Cheers Danny Edited By Danny Fenton on 10/04/2014 16:53:56 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Day Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Many thanks Danny. It's really handy having my own personal Tutor. Are those servo arms standard with those servos or do you fit your own? Can you adjust the amount of travel much via your transmitter? I've got a set of Futaba digital thingies that came with my FF7 set. They come with various 'arms' including small circular, slightly larger star and an even larger cross. I remember having fun on my Junior 60 getting three servos side by side to provide enough travel yet not get in each other's way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Fishing trace wire is great and cheap too. (For Nigel's benefit Trago is cheap and you get ferrels too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted April 10, 2014 Author Share Posted April 10, 2014 Thanks Cymaz, can you give us a bit more of a clue? is Trago a shop, a brand or a type of trace? I keep meaning to buy it off a roll but have never got around to it. Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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