James Green2 Posted September 4, 2022 Share Posted September 4, 2022 This is fascinating and is inspiring me to have a go. I've tried to find the white foam board on the B&Q website but can't seem to it. What am I missing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin collins 1 Posted September 4, 2022 Author Share Posted September 4, 2022 Here it is, https://www.diy.com/departments/diall-polystyrene-insulation-board-l-0-8m-w-0-6m-t-3mm/1906879_BQ.prd 3 different thicknesses, 3mm is the one to go for, internal structure i use this https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/white-foam-board-a1/5397241000.html in store it is 4 for £10. It has a paper surface on both sides which gives it a lot more strength, i made the wings and tail/fin from this, the curved top surface of the wing had the lower paper removed to allow it to be curved over a work surface. On my fuselage i have used this https://www.diy.com/departments/vitrex-classic-5mm-foam-laminate-solid-wood-flooring-underlay-panels-pack-of-19/5011204608997_BQ.prd 5mm, the Dial stuff is probably even better and can be bought in 3mm. At the price of the material you can experiment with which one of these is best for your applications If you have any questions post on here as there are several who are building some great scale models, let us know how you get on 😃 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Green2 Posted September 4, 2022 Share Posted September 4, 2022 Thank you Martin, much appreciated. I'll be heading to B&Q tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin collins 1 Posted September 4, 2022 Author Share Posted September 4, 2022 (edited) No problem, i have two or three unusual scale subjects which i am lining up to build, i feel confident that i can produce them using these materials. I will be heading to B&Q tomorrow as well, going to get them to mix up the paints i want for the 109 as match pots, a cheap way of painting it compared to the Tamiya acrylics in their small pots. Edited September 4, 2022 by martin collins 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Davies 3 Posted September 4, 2022 Share Posted September 4, 2022 Welcome to the FB club James! Great work Martin, looks really good. Regarding 4S, I had the same issue with the Regianne. It would be fine on 3S, but balance was the issue. I now know how to keep the rear end lighter using this material, so it's a good lesson learned. Are you going to test fly before finishing? Richard Wills recommends this, but my view was if it's going to only fly once, let it fly in it's best bib and tucker. But Richard has a point; if you invest less time, you fear it less. Graham 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin collins 1 Posted September 4, 2022 Author Share Posted September 4, 2022 Thanks Graham, it will get painted first, i want to see it looking all painted up, it will live in my lounge for a couple of days like i do with all my new builds so i can admire it! The cost of the paints is minimal and i enjoy getting them looking nice. weather looks a bit rubbish for a test flight early this week as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted September 4, 2022 Share Posted September 4, 2022 martin I have used B&Q grey underlay quite a bit but in a slightly different way to you using long narrow planks over formers supported by an long 'printed' EDF duct. A bit like carvel boat building but it does produce a very light but stiff structure. With judicious sanding and filling you end up with a reasonable surface finish. A true scale prototype Hawker Hunter with a 50 mm EDF. All 5mm grey B&Q foam apart from the fin and tail plane which are in 3mm white Depron. Basically still a cheap foamy, using just 2 sheets, but with so many joints the glue costs almost as much as the foam! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin collins 1 Posted September 4, 2022 Author Share Posted September 4, 2022 Lovely Hunter Simon, again shows the possibility of this method of construction 😃. I have got the 109 balanced on a new 3000mah 3s pack i have spare so it looks like it has found a home! Weighed it as well, obviously minus the paint but it has come out at 2lbs 2oz, that is a whole lb lighter than my similar sized Cambrian 109 which i lightened from standard, that runs on a 2200mah 3s so the weight of the foam one includes the extra weight of the larger battery. Will post more pictures once i have painted it, looks like it will be the bottom scheme of the three i posted, thanks to those who expressed a preference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Davies 3 Posted September 4, 2022 Share Posted September 4, 2022 Exactly what I found Martin. My Cambrian Spit was just over 3lb even with great care, and used to break props on landing for fun. I then built the 60" span Ki45 twin, which flies on the same 2200 3S pack and weighs 2lb 12 Oz! Foamboard is the future for me... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin collins 1 Posted September 5, 2022 Author Share Posted September 5, 2022 Picked up the paint today, as suggested by one of the other forumites i am going with the Valspar test pots from B&Q, they mixed these from the lids of my Mr Hobby Luftwaffa acrylics that i used to airbrush a 1/72 Heinkel HE111 earlier this year. The Mr hobby jars are £2 each, the large Valspar paints are £4 for mucho more, they will do several planes instead of needing 3 or 4 of the small jars to airbrush an R/C plane, result i say, the paint is a very good match as well. I will try thinning with water to see if they will go through my older airbrush for spraying the finish, i shall report back on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Davies 3 Posted September 5, 2022 Share Posted September 5, 2022 Evening Martin, Emulsion is the way forward! I spray mine, but Rich uses the dry brush method to great effect. The issue with spraying is that the colour particles are large and block my airbrush all the time. I think the older badger one is OK though. I now use a cheap touch up spray gun from ebay. It works really well, but does guzzle paint. OK when you have premixed, a bit scary when you've mixed your own and you're running out! Graham 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin collins 1 Posted September 6, 2022 Author Share Posted September 6, 2022 Thanks Graham, i am going to try spraying it, a couple of questions, the white papered Hobbycraft foamboard, do you lightly key the surface with some 400-600 paper of, paint the Valspar straight on to it, i take it that no primer is needed on that or the brown paper with this type of paint? I asked the guy mixing it in B&Q about primer and got a blank look and a shrug of shoulders. Done a bit more tonight, dummy exhausts made, quite pleased with them, made from foam and card, currently working on the tropical air filter and top cowling guns, then just the wing filets to do before the paint goes on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Davies 3 Posted September 6, 2022 Share Posted September 6, 2022 Paint straight on; goes on fine! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HENRY GELSTHORPE Posted September 7, 2022 Share Posted September 7, 2022 Martin, that's a cracking job with your ME 109, very inspirational.I have read elsewhere that windscreen fluid is better for thinning emulsion paint for spraying. Not tried it myself yet, too busy virtual flying in MS2020🧑✈️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin collins 1 Posted September 7, 2022 Author Share Posted September 7, 2022 Thanks Henry, i will give that a try through my old airbrush, this build was all about experimenting with this type of building for me before moving on to more complex builds so that fits the bill nicely! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Green2 Posted September 15, 2022 Share Posted September 15, 2022 The 109 is looking lovely Martin. I've received my pack of b&q 3mm foam and can't wait to get started now. I think I have found some foam meat trays on Ebay that I can use for skinning tail feathers with, it looks about 1/16" thick and cheap enough to experiment with. How does the b&q foam sand? I'm thinking of ordering some 9mm for lwr fuselage shaping ahead of the leading edge of wing. Or am I still thinking too much like a balsa modeller and should design differently and curve the foam around formers? James. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin collins 1 Posted September 15, 2022 Author Share Posted September 15, 2022 Looking forward to seeing your build James, the foam goes round the front formers without problems just run it over the edge of a work surface to help it curve. Do a search on Youtube and you will find demos of how to do it, the foam does have a grain and it curves much easier that way. Mine is just waiting for painting, i`ve had other stuff to take care of this week but will be painting it shortly. I have made some wing fillets from a cardboard cereal packet which are glued on with UHU POR. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piers Bowlan Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 I have been following this very interesting thread Martin. A silly question perhaps but what are you using to cut the round lightening holes you made in the ‘spine’ of the fuselarge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin collins 1 Posted September 16, 2022 Author Share Posted September 16, 2022 Good question Piers, i just drilled a hole then used my dremel with a sanding drum on it to take them out to a size i was happy with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Davies 3 Posted September 18, 2022 Share Posted September 18, 2022 I used a compass cutter... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RICHARD WILLS Posted September 21, 2022 Share Posted September 21, 2022 Yes < compass cutter . only about £4 on amazon . Comes in red or yellow with some spare blades hidden inside too! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin collins 1 Posted September 23, 2022 Author Share Posted September 23, 2022 Let the painting commence! Underside was painted today and tomorrow has been put aside to get the two main top colours on, Graham you were right the airbrush was a non starter, even thinned so it was a very watery colour it wouldn`t run through the airbrush properly. I do have one of those car type touch up spray guns, ran through that a treat just thinned with water. Hardly used any of the £4 pot of paint and no outlay on thinners 🥳, cheap as chips! Will post some pictures tomorrow once the top colours are on, will just have the yellow under the chin to do in a few days time once the other colours have cured properly so i can put the tape on for masking. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Davies 3 Posted September 24, 2022 Share Posted September 24, 2022 Good job Martin. The finish we can achieve versus the outlay makes a bit of a mockery of traditional materials and finishes, doesn't it? Graham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RICHARD WILLS Posted September 24, 2022 Share Posted September 24, 2022 I'm building a Mockery in the garden ... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Davies 3 Posted September 24, 2022 Share Posted September 24, 2022 11 hours ago, RICHARD WILLS said: I'm building a Mockery in the garden ... Are you building it from traditional materials and finishes? If so, I'm proven correct... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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