Polystyrene project.....

[Daren Cogdon]

So I found these two bits of polystyrene packing that I forgot I had lying around.

 

1195mm long

483mm wide

14mm thick

 

I'm considering building something aeronautical out of it, but was wondering what might be best for reinforcing it.  Carbon fibre rods, maybe?

[Brian Cooper]

Brown paper, stuck on with wallpaper paste. 

But do both sides at the same time or it will bend like a banana.  

 

When it dries, it is very light, very rigid and very strong. 

[Brian Cooper]

Here you go... 

This one (Stratos delta) was made with the brown paper routine. 

My lad flew it for years. 

 

[SIMON CRAGG]

Hanno Prettner Stratos, what a memory jogger!. Built two these back in the day.

 

I have recently got the "Foamboard Bug" and have built and flown five models from the FliteTest stable. All have been reinforced with carbon strip and all fly really well. So you get a half decent model for the price of two sheets of 5mm foamboard circa £6.00. What's not to like?

[Daren Cogdon]

1 hour ago, SIMON CRAGG said:

Hanno Prettner Stratos, what a memory jogger!. Built two these back in the day.

 

I have recently got the "Foamboard Bug" and have built and flown five models from the FliteTest stable. All have been reinforced with carbon strip and all fly really well. So you get a half decent model for the price of two sheets of 5mm foamboard circa £6.00. What's not to like?

Which ones have you built?  I've done a Spitfire from the kit, but wasn't too happy with it, so went back to the drawing board and did one from plans.

[Daren Cogdon]

8 hours ago, Brian Cooper said:

Brown paper, stuck on with wallpaper paste. 

But do both sides at the same time or it will bend like a banana.  

 

When it dries, it is very light, very rigid and very strong. 

 

I never would have thought of wallpaper paste, but I have heard of people using brown paper.

 

My girlfriend has recently done some decorating, and I'm sure she'll have some paste going spare....! 

[SIMON CRAGG]

Flite Test Vulcan, Raptor, Viggen, Versa Blunt nose and Long EZ.

[MattyB]

1 hour ago, Daren Cogdon said:

 

I never would have thought of wallpaper paste, but I have heard of people using brown paper.

 

My girlfriend has recently done some decorating, and I'm sure she'll have some paste going spare....! 

Diluted PVA is the conventional accompaniment to brown paper for covering - dries fairly hard, and can be “reactivated” by the iron if covering with film or packing tape (for combat foamies) over the top. 

Edited April 14, 2022 by MattyB

[Daren Cogdon]

I've used diluted PVA before, right enough.  Used it to stick down tissue on an old Cambrian Spitfire, I think.  Worked pretty well, from what I remember.

[Kevin Fairgrieve]

16 hours ago, Brian Cooper said:

Here you go... 

This one (Stratos delta) was made with the brown paper routine. 

My lad flew it for years. 

 

I have the plans for that somewhere.

[Daren Cogdon]

So, I was thinking of building something a bit familiar to me, so have gone with the good ol' Spitfire!

I'm thinking something around 42" span as it won't be too small nor too big.

[MattyB]

2 hours ago, Daren Cogdon said:

So, I was thinking of building something a bit familiar to me, so have gone with the good ol' Spitfire!

I'm thinking something around 42" span as it won't be too small nor too big.

Should be perfect for brown paper technique. I managed to find an old post I made on the subject after using it ~10 years ago on a number of models; always worked well, but there are decidedly a few “definitely don’t” things to remember!

 

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17091991&postcount=4

[Daren Cogdon]

Useful info, Matty, thanks.

[Daren Cogdon]

So, I found an old plan for a Cambrian Fun Fighter Spitfire that I've had since.... 1995?!  

 

I think this would be a good basis for this little project.