Ballerina

[Foamie Dave]

Erfolg, I just use scissors to cut the CF Rod, or score it first with a scalpel then cut all the way through to stop it splitting.

Colin, flying indoors is a definate eye opener..gives "flying in the box" a whole new meaning. My first indoor sorties lasted around 20 and 30 seconds respecively and ended up with my squadron in black bin bags, but its a great way to get some experience under your belt..and with the right people its an absolute blast .

Heres a few pics of the Ballerina indoors, including an attempted touch and go on our resident BMFA safety officer . The red, white and blue one is EPP and the purple and white one with the airbrakes fitted is depron.

Best of luck with yer big stuff ..always wanted a gasser but never managed to get approval !!

[Foamie Dave]

Just found a couple more pics of the purple hybrid EPP/ Depron one with the aileron mounted brakes, and another prototype ( all EPP in the harlequin colours) with angled drag brakes

[Erfolg]

Dave

How are you achieving the bent checker look?

All you ardent builders

I have just about finished cutting all the bits out. The Depron does seem to cut a lot better than polystyrene foam.

I received my CF from Robotbirds today. could not find what was required at Webbies of Frodsham, I guess this is a relatively small market. I purchased 0.4*3mm as i want a more robust model, as it is my intention to fly it in the park behind my house. Where I fly a Niko iplane at present (it is a Christmas Present).

It seems i am a very slow builder compared with the rest of you. It has taken this long just to assemble all the bits, even longer to cut the parts.

I really would like to see your models posted in the thread to inspire me.

Erfolg

[Erfolg]

Another question.

How are the servos held in place, I guess there are no screws?

I am using 1/32 ply, for the motor mount, is this adequate?

Erfolg

[Foamie Dave]

The " Bent Checker" wavy flag is just a paper template with the alternate squares cut out. Pin it in position then spray lightly with aerosol paint (check the mag for the best paint to use). Use a few  light coats and spray from about 2ft away so the paint dosnt creep under the mask

To get the faded effect like the purple one, simply remove the template while the paint is just touch dry  then carefully spray over the whole area, moving the spary tin further away from the surface as you reach the wingtips so its graduates from a solid colour to checkerboard. Just practice on a few offcuts first.

The servos are held in place with a little dab of POR, no screws needed which keeps the airframe nice and light, and makes it very easy to remove and replace them if something goes wrong down the line.

1/32 ply should be fine for the mount as long as its decent quality. I prefer to use carbon fibre sheet if you can get hold of it (ebay of heli-shops), but be carefull you dont get sprinters in your fingers!!

Dont worry how long it takes to build it as long as you're enjoying it. I tend to spend an odd hour a night doing mine so they can take ages. 

[Erfolg]

Dave

I am considering placing the ailerons servo to one side of the centre line, to avoid cutting the longitudinal CF, to make way for the servo.

Is it a sensible thing to do, or is the local reduction in strength not worth worring about?

Erfolg

[Foamie Dave]

Unfortunately by moving the servo off centre will cause uneven aileron throw due to the differential..

The reduction in strength by chopping the carbon will be neglible as theres plenty of foam around the immediate area so Id be tempted to stick the servo in the middle as per the plan.

Mine has been in more mid-airs and heavy landings (erm..crashes) than you've had hot dinners  and its never been a problem area. Its usually the nose getting shorter thats been the main problem 

Hope this helps

Dave

[Erfolg]

Thanks for the guidance,Dave.

Would a tad of extra foam around the nose help, as I guess I am a little less gifted and experienced than yourself.

Hopefully  airbrushing tomorrow, will use Rotring ink, I have daded a little on some scrap foam, it had no effect. I am not sure if it is waterproof. I am now, i just wetted it, kein probleim, as they say in Wigan. 

Erfolg

[Foamie Dave]

Yep just add a couple of foam fillets / doublers up front and make shure you run a strip of carbon under the nose all the way up to the  motor (you can put one on upper edge of the nose as well if you want. ) ...ha dunno about gifted and experienced (my flying always looks better in still pics !!) ...and my building technique comes from doing lots of repairs ...its all fun !!

Best of luck with the airbrushing, let us know how you get on

[Erfolg]

I have done a quick job of the airbrushing, using masking tape.

I had a little bleeding on the cabin, but not enough to get excited over.

The wings were less sucessful, as I used masking tape to create what I thought would be a checker. Only to find that every other square was, well, white. May re-mask and spray the missing squares. Then again may live with it.

Artist ink works really well, virtually instanteaoesly dry after spraying. If I thought it would last any time i would go to town on the finishing, as it seems a good substrate.

I have now attached the side re-enforcements along the body. But i am now thinking about how i measure 1-2 degrees of down and side thrust?

Erfolg

[Erfolg]

Dave

I have another query. The tailplane fits both through a slot and onto the side sponsons (or re-enforcement ribs). This will make fixing with UHU Por dificult, as any glue on the side sponsons will smear the tailplane as it slides through, and potentially prevent the insertin process.

Is it possible to use white glue on Depron, as white glue can be wiped of with a damp cloth. I know that it works with "white foam", but takes a bit to dry.

Any thoughts or tips on the best way of doing this task.

Erfolg

[Foamie Dave]

An easy way to " measure" such small thrust angles if you havnt got a protractor is simply to eyeball it.  1 or 2 degrees offset should just be noticable from 1 or 2 feet away. If you can notice it from any further youve either got too much offset or got very good eyes.; ) . 

To prevent unwanted glue smears, I tend to dry fit the components, then simply bend the foam slightly and squirt a little glue in the gap. I wouldnt recommend using white glue on foam, stick with POR or foam friendly cyano. 

[Erfolg]

I assume that 3m Blenderm, is some type of sticking plaster?

Available from Boots?

Or may be i have got it all wrong

Erfolg

[Foamie Dave]

Its a very flexible medical tape,

http://www.3m.com/Product/information/Blenderm-Surgical-Tape.html

I think you can order it from Sainsburys pharmacy section but quite a few model shops stock it these days

http://www.gforce-rc.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=64

[Erfolg]

Dave

To date I have been unable to buy the 3M Blenderm.

I have purchased a roll of Microporous Medical tape by Fortuna. As the chemist said it is a very similar product. I now think I have bought the wrong width at 12.5mm. Perhaps the 25mm would be more appropriate?

What do you think regarding width and product?

By the way it is cheap at 42p for a 5m roll.

Erfolg

[Foamie Dave]

Id definately only use Blenderm. Other types are similar when it comes to sticking bandages but pretty useless at hinges

Micron do it http://www.micronradiocontrol.co.uk/aircraft_linkages.html#blenderm

Either 12 or 25 mm will be fine but Id stick to 12mm if you want to keep it light. Its usually about £1.50 for the 12mm or £2 for the 25mm 

[Erfolg]

David

You have convinced me. I will continue the quest for the mythical "Blenderm", once more i will brave the shoping centres of this land of ours.

But, why, oh why, can we not use something that is readily available on the high street., just for a change.  Why must i be greeted by blank stares? Qustioned regarding the medical problem that needs a specific product. 

Erfolf

[Erfolg]

David or any one else

I am coming to the end of the build. At present i am starting to consider linkages.

Please remember I know nothing about this type of model.

I can see that one end of the push rod has heat shrink tube both as attachment and hindge. The other, is I think a peice of bent wire.

If it is wire, do you use piano wire (if so what size typically), a paper clip? I assume that this is attached to the carbon push rod using heat shrink tube, or is it bound and super glued. I am also guessing that the  attachment is left unfixed until surfaces and the  servo is centred? At the servo end i guess you use "Z" bends?

I am particularly, uncertain with the aerolon linkages. I have used a magnifying glass to get a bigger image of the mgaazine pictures, but I am still not sure.

Erfolg

[Foamie Dave]

Squint no more

The heatshrink method is just using the heat shrink tubing as a hinge, and the other is using piano wire (about half the thickness of a paper clip) bound to the carbon with cotton and cyano'd in place. Like you say , centre everything before shrinking or sticking into position.

Here is a close up of each method.

Hope this helps

[Erfolg]

Thanks for the pics

Just seem to be having a problem sticking the spats to the CF, I have used UHU POR, which seems a bit wobbly.

Erfolg

[Foamie Dave]

Try a little dab of hot melt glue. Put a dab on the end of the carbon , wait a few seconds then stick the spat on before it hardens.  The hot glue fillet should stop and wobbling

[inspector9566]

hi all had a chance to fly/trim my balarina today

well it flew staight and level for about 60 ft then i lost 2.4ghz radio link !!!!!! Im going to order more depron tomorrow for No two

[Foamie Dave]

Soz to hear about  that Col, thats the third spekky fail Ive heard of this week. My brothers plane went in and just heard another of my mates lost his last week.  Both of those look like its down to suspect Spekky DM8 modules.

 If its just damaged the nose , why not rebuild the front end in EPP ??.

[inspector9566]

hi Dave

I to am running a DM8 module in a ff9 make that 4 failiers this week for spektrum as another club member had a lock out at our field dont know his radio though.

I also lost my sons indoor on a trimming flight this week that cost me another £100 but that was my fault though.

[Foamie Dave]

Thats the same setup as the others. Check the SMA connector on the module is tight and the pin in the middle sticks out by about 2.5mm. My brother sent his back to horizon and they swapped it as they said it had low range.

Might be worth getting it checked over before you use it again.