Stevan Wilson Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 I had a very strange conversation with my brother tonight Dr. R Wilson who has a PHD in aeronautical aerodynamics and physics (he got the brains of the family) and he currently works for Rolls Royce in Derby in their aeronautical business as well as just having come back from Seattle as a liason between Rolls Royce and Boeing. He was also in the team who designed some of the A380 airbus componants.I was discussing the project I was building and I mentioned about the Centre of Gravity (COG) of the plane once I had completed the build. I mentioned that I had already gone over budget and was now going to have to purchase another piece of equipment the COG guage.He said don't be silly get yourself a bar of Toblerone ( the chocolate bar), and balance your plane on it at the point stated in the instructions and move the battery around until it balances on the top edge of the triangle. Would this actually work and save me £20 plus postage or was he winding me up, he has never flown R/C aircraft but his logic does make sense, he does tend to work out simple equations to possible problems, what do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winchweight Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Or you could simply balance it on the tips of your fingers like everyone else A cofg gauge is just a pivot which you balance the model on and as he says, you move the battery etc until the model balances. Toblerone, finger, whatever, they're all the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 except afterwards....you get to eat the toblerone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevan Wilson Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 That was the idea Timbo, I will make sure I get the big foot long Tomblerone, once it is balanced it will be my reward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Excellent idea. Incidentally on a slightly more serious note, a simple home made balancer can be knocked up from some scrap timber and a few lengths of studding. Heres a Blue Peter one I made earlier - simply screw the nuts ( ooerr missus ) to form a wider / narrower base which allows the uprights to fit under the models wings in the desired location. Picture tells it all reallyHowever as can be seen its the table thats Blue, and I didnt name it Peter Clicking the thumbnail gives full size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevan Wilson Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 Thanks Timbo, I might try and sort one of these out, will I get a badge if it works, I am now 36 and I always wanted a Blue Peter Badge!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Badges are David's department - and he hasnt got any left Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevan Wilson Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 Just shows how old I am I am actually 37 how could I forget that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Guess what my balancer is made out of???It is easier to balance low wingers upside down eg- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winchweight Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Nice job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevan Wilson Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 Well I have made my first major mistake. I have completely done the spinner wrong, does anybody know if Ripmax do a replacement nose cone, I have cut it out completely wrong, I am to upset to even show you the pictures, so here are the bits I did tonight prior to the disaster. Please if anybody knows where I can get a new spinner from, please put it on my blog, HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winchweight Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Just use an off the shelf yellow spinner. If you want to make the nose blunt, chop it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Thats what mine has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevan Wilson Posted July 4, 2008 Author Share Posted July 4, 2008 I was reading an article in RCM&E about looking after ARTF's and the advice on there was to discard the flimsy brittle spinner that has a habit of shattering and get a commercial one, so i think a trip to the Model Shop will be in order today, I may even go for a silver coloured one as the Messy smit article in RCM&E looks good, I just hope they have something in stock, I was hoping to be i glorious flight by the middle of next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winchweight Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 By silver coloured one, do you mean an alloy one? If so I would caution you against the unnecessary weight. Also you need a prop nut compatible with the spinner and that may in turn not be compatible with your prop adaptor. Stick with a yellow plastic one mate, keep it simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Or a black plastic one, yellow or black was common on the Me109E in 1940. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevan Wilson Posted July 4, 2008 Author Share Posted July 4, 2008 In the instructions it shows a green one, but the kit contains a yellow one.The local model shop has said that they will have something that will fit and go down today to have a look, hopefully I will find something suitable, I cannot believe how much power this model has at full throttle, I think when it is complete it will be lovely to fly, as it is a semi scale model I do not think the spinner will stand out too much, when I get back from the shop I will show you my choice, I hope it will be satisfactory!!!!Thanks for the advice guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevan Wilson Posted July 4, 2008 Author Share Posted July 4, 2008 David, you have gone a bit quiet, are you on holiday!!!!! I havn't heard from you for a while Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 No i'm around Stefan - I've been watching your thread here but you're in good hand as Kelvin's built the Me-109 so I've not wanted to steal anyones thunder. Looking good to me. Shaun's advice about the spinner is good. Can you not repair the spinner? or is it too far gone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevan Wilson Posted July 4, 2008 Author Share Posted July 4, 2008 The spinner has been cut so wrong there is not alot left to stick to the wooden disc it attaches too, I will put a picture of it on later when I get home but I will probably be able to hear you all laughing!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevan Wilson Posted July 4, 2008 Author Share Posted July 4, 2008 Well I said I was going to show you what I did to the spinner, so here goes.What a complete idiot I am, so, off I went to my local model shop called Model Junction in Bury St Edmunds and got myself this.Not genuine but it does look good and fitted perfectly, very happy now so I carried on with the build by fitting the canopy but I decided against a pilot in case he came loose, the fixing points of the canopy seem very soft and I do not want to take it off again.Does this look o.k. to you all out there or does the cowling look a little high? I cannot decide.Not long now and it will be ready for ground testing, I cannot wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 Well done Stevan, are you going to cut the tip of the spinner off to give it that ME-109 look? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevan Wilson Posted July 5, 2008 Author Share Posted July 5, 2008 I don't really know what to do, I like the look of it at the moment but it just doesn't look like an Me 109, would it look a bit silly with just a hole at the end. I have to say towards the end of the instructions for this model the instructions get a bit unclear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winchweight Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 You could chop the tip off, then glue a disc inside the spinner tip to close it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevan Wilson Posted July 6, 2008 Author Share Posted July 6, 2008 Well I attached the wing servos for the Ailerons yesterday and I seem to have a faulty servo one of them would not lift the right hand side Aileron and the gears inside are damaged so I will be down the Model Shop again on Monday to get a replacement and then the wings will be connected, it is so windy in Suffolk at the moment there is no chance of flying so do not mind at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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