Mark Elen Posted March 27, 2020 Author Share Posted March 27, 2020 Hi Peter, Yes, Graupner pins. They are expensive, but I really like them. Nice and thin, so they don’t split the wood, I have not had one loose a head yet and there is no worry that the head will fall off and get a pin through the finger. I can see the logic of map pins, though I have never had too much bother with things lifting with these. I also have some T head pins, but they are much thicker and I never use them. Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted March 28, 2020 Share Posted March 28, 2020 I tend to use shorter T head pins, about 30mm long an afew biggee ones and of course the old dressmakers pins. Talking of perfection. Back in the 80s I scratched a Living making desktop models for owners,mainly sailplanes but also a few others. I even had an American agent. These were carved and shaped in limewood (A lovely wood to work with) and finished with cellulose. Of course these HAD to be perfect which was a constant strain. This was one that I did for myself in a slack period. The Hall Springfield Bulldog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Elen Posted March 28, 2020 Author Share Posted March 28, 2020 Hi Peter, Now, that is a thing of beauty. Stunning! Regards Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted March 28, 2020 Share Posted March 28, 2020 THanks Mark Although I can now see that it is not as perfect as I would have liked it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Elen Posted March 28, 2020 Author Share Posted March 28, 2020 Hi Peter, Now who’s picky...😂 I’m now on to one of my favourite jobs. Cap strips. I find them strangely therapeutic. Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 Thinking about it,capstrips are not my favourite job but they do make the wing look so much better and stronger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Elen Posted March 29, 2020 Author Share Posted March 29, 2020 In between things today, I have now got all of the top cap strips on. Just need to fit the centre sheeting and the trailing edge. I note that 1/8 x 3/8 trailing edge is shown on the plan and that is what I bought for this, but the actual lines on the plan are only 1/2”, so I think I’m going to strip a sheet of 1/8 and sand it down once fitted. Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 I make the trailing edge simply to avoid having to champher the trailing edge 1/16" sheet. Edited By Peter Miller on 29/03/2020 21:12:54 Edited By Peter Miller on 29/03/2020 21:13:22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Elen Posted March 30, 2020 Author Share Posted March 30, 2020 Hi Peter, Makes sense. It will be a whole lot easier chamfering the 1/8 strip. I got the whole day at it today, although, it doesn’t look like it. (It doesn’t help that I have a TV in the garage and I spent a good while watching the news in amongst making up cap strips) Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Quality work Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 A TV IN THE SHED!!!!???? My TV never goes on until 5 pm by which time I am not doing any building. Back in the days when I was working an had a shed outside I ony had a tape deck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel R Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 Superb. Are you available for hire? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Elen Posted March 31, 2020 Author Share Posted March 31, 2020 Thanks Gents for you kind comments. Bit more done today. Finished off the cap strips then onto the lower leading edge sheeting at the tip. The bottom was a whole lot easier than the top due to the smaller compound curves. Not much left to do now, the tips still need another small rib and cap strip top and bottom, then the 1/8 tip outline. Tomorrows job. Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 I am working a drawing at the moment but not much progress today. I was charging batteries and had a couple of flights this afternoon in the field in front of the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Elen Posted April 1, 2020 Author Share Posted April 1, 2020 Hi Peter, It sounds like you are keeping yourself amused. Stay safe. Today's update. I decided to 'drill' out the wing mounting bolt holes and 'countersink' the top of the wing so that the bolts seat onto the ply plate. I made up the tools to do this a while ago, so set to work with these: This worked well, except, as the ribs were glued to the ply plate, the balsa came away and left a chunk glued onto the plate. I did try to proggle this off with the end of a knife, but it was very time consuming and it didnt leave a very flat surface at the bottom of the hole. The only way forward was to make a tool.... I made up this tool using a chunk of the 5mm brass tube, a small piece of brass, drilled to 5mm and outer diameter of 9mm (same size as the larger tube cutter) and I punched out a piece of 180 grit wet and dry. The metal was all held together with loctite and the wet and dry was epoxied onto the face. Worked a treat, now all of the holes have a nice flat bottom and the balsa is all removed. I also made a start on the wing tips: Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 I just keep getting more and more awestruck of your work. I got so far with my new design and realised that it just wasn't going to work. The wing area was going to be too small for the size of model...I always like low wing loadings. Back to the 3 -views Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Elen Posted April 1, 2020 Author Share Posted April 1, 2020 Hi Peter, Thank you for your very kind comments. Thats a shame about your project. Now that this build is drawing to a close, I’m already getting revved up for the next. I’m going to have a bash at the Grumman American Cougar that I have the plans for. I have now photocopied the Nacelle from the plan and have decided that with a bit of moving of the formers and a bit of engineering work on the mount, I will be able to put a standard Dubro tank and still get a Saito 40 to fit.....just. I have also formulated a plan to extend the throttle linkages as, they are not in the easiest place to get to. I’ll start a thread on that at some point soon. Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Hi Mark Well,it is just the startbof the design process. No point in continuing with something that one does not like.At least it was only paper wasted. The Grumman Cougar sounds a nice project. I know that it wil be another astonishing build. Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Elen Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 Hi Peter, Many thanks for your kind comments. It must be annoying to get so far, only to shelve it. Yesterday, I got the leading edge cap strips glued on after pre-bending them: Then this morning I made a start on sanding. There is still a lot more sanding to do: Whilst the glue was drying yesterday, I didn't really have a lot to do, so I made a start on the throttle extensions for the 2 saito engines for the Cougar. Due to the placement of the tanks and the throttle servos, the throttle arm needs to be moved out by approx 1". I initally made up an extension out of brass bar. Before cross drilling and tapping for the grub screw, I weighed it, 17g. That is over an ounce for the pair. I decided to change tack and make them out of Aluminium, although I am a little sceptical about the 3mm threads that will take the grubscrew. I'll worry about that later. The brass one is complete, except the cross drilling, the ali ones are rough and still need the spigot making for the throttle arm. In this state, the ali ones on the scales together are 17g. More work to do on those yet. Today, I have got started on the tip ribs: I made up a couple of 'spacer' blocks, both the same length, to assist with getting the ribs in the correct position. Once these are done, I need to get on and make up the servo mounts and their associated mounting points in the wing. Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Hi Mark THat is looking great. It is far better to realise that I have made a mistake now while it is still just a drawing. I have spent quite a while today going through my collection of scale drawing but think I may go back to non-scale. I have plenty of other things I can do. I can write soemarticles to make up for the missing event reports...which I never read!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Elen Posted April 5, 2020 Author Share Posted April 5, 2020 Hi Peter, Thanks. Look forward to seeing those. I have finished your 4 stroke book, good read. Yesterday and today, I have made a start on the wing servo plates and their associated mounting points: I found a length of 1/4" square Cyparis in my stock, so have used this for all of the mounting points. Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 Glad you liked the four stroke book. Those servo plates look immaculate as everything else you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Elen Posted April 6, 2020 Author Share Posted April 6, 2020 Thanks Peter, you are far too kind. This is the total of todays work: While the epoxy was going off on the servo rails, I got out the plan for the Cougar and the retracts I bought for it ages ago and set to work planning how I'm going to get them to fit. Not an easy task, but I think I am now on the right track to formulating the plan. Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 Yep, he's a bit good at it, pleasure to watch Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 Well over the last few days I have salvaged 3 articles out of books that where never published. It may help to fill some pagesin the magazine.Mainly begginers stuff. Also looked at dozens of 3 views, hsuddered and put them away again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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