Enlarging Plan - Hound Dog (free Plan in recent RCM&E)

[Andy-H]

I am thinking of having a stab at building from a plan for the first time, having built a couple of Chris Foss models, a BB Super 60 and a 1.8m built up glider.
 

I’m rather taken with the Hound Dog design which came out as a free plan in a recent RCM&E, but wondered about enlarging by 10% or so to take it up to around 55/56”. Our local copy shop ought to be able to print off an enlarged copy.

 

Any words of wisdom about what to consider from those more experienced at this ? I assume it will be a bit heavier and may need beefing up slightly here or there, but looks reasonably substantial as it is.   I thought I’d ask George at 4-Max to suggest a power set up. 
 

Any thought would be most welcome. Thanks.

 

Andrew

 

 

 

 

[kc]

Building from a plan the first time it's best to build at existing size - it's easier!   And cut parts are available too.

Consider building one of Peter's other designs  - the Ballerina is already 54 inch span and rather similar.

[kevin b]

I agree with kc.

Pete has produced many sports designs over the years and I am sure you will find at least one of them fits your requirements without resorting to enlarge the plans.

Also many of them are available as cut parts sets to make the job easier.

An enlarged plan always presents problems, not least of which is making standard size wood fit and the associated joints. Then there is also the problem of adjusting any notches to fit your wood.

I would suggest sending Pete a pm with the specs you want to build to and ask him for suggestions.

He is always happy to converse with people setting out to start building from plans (and he doesn't bite !)

 

[Andy-H]

Thanks both. On reflection, what you say makes sense, in that if I struggle to make a decent job of cutting out parts, I can always buy the laser cut pack or even a short kit. 

[Graham Davies 3]

Andy, if you want a similar model at 55" span, or thereabouts, I highly recommend Ballerina. I was fortunate enough to be custodian of Peter's original model and put over 100 flights on it. It's a superb model, looks great, flies great and is tough enough to survive the rough and tumble of our club strip. Mine flew on a 4250 800kv motor on 4S 3700 packs and a 12x6 prop and had great performance.

 

Graham

 

 

[Andy-H]

Thanks, Graham. I think that’s the answer, as the battery pack I had in mind was a 4S 3700 so I think the Ballerina fits the bill perfectly. 
Andy 

[kevin b]

If it's your first plan build do a build log. you will get lots of advice and support from the folks on the forum.

[kc]

If you build the Ballerina for electric you will find numerous build threads all with differing ways of getting the electric motor well forward.  My own way was shown here and is a bit different.  Has an interesting hatch catch I think.

You could also make the cowl by the method shown on the Hound Dog - balsa built up onto a thin ply plate with 'keyhole' fixing.

[Andy-H]

A build log sounds an interesting idea, and will give me an incentive to keep going. I’ve only recently signed up to the forum and I’m finding the range of tips & info really fascinating. many thanks for the suggestions, all really appreciated.
 

 

[Peter Miller]

Ballerina is a lovely model to fly and easy to build.  As others have said, copy the Hound Dog cowl set up. It works well. (I am using it on my Oodalally electric version that I am building at the moment.)

The 4-Max power set up works perfectly.

[Cuban8]

A printer/scanner comes in very handy when making templates from your plan. My old device packed up last year and I replaced it with an HP machine that cost all of £26 from PC world. Mine is very accurate as regards sizing and it only takes a short time to make a full set of templates (backed with card) that can be kept for later repairs or whatever.  It's useful to have a copy of the original plan available for reference while the main one is being built over.

We all have our own particular way of doing things and it's usually just a matter of finding the method or methods that work for the particular builder. One universal truth............measure twice and cut once!

[Andy-H]

I think the stars may be aligning here. I managed to find myself a copy of the December 2015 RCM&E mag with the free Ballerina plan on eBay last night. Part of the interest in this project is that I bought myself a Lasy Cutter (aka s/h scroll saw - not a USB socket in sight) a couple of weeks ago and am keen to use it to build something. I’m also taken with the idea of something with a vintage vibe, hence the initial attraction to the Hound Dog. 

The reason behind the idea of enlarging a plan was that I have an old plan for the Astro Hog 1950s aerobatic plane but at 72” span is just too big. I wondered about trying to have it copied at a reduced scale , then noticed it’s similar in looks to the Hound Dog - why not make a slightly larger Hound Dog ? But then the sensible advice kindly given above struck home, and I think the Ballerina will fit the bill nicely. 

 

Thanks again for all the comments. 
 

Andy

 

[kc]

There is a smaller Astro Hog plan around RCModeler ( USA) published ElectroHog at 62 inch and there is a smaller 42 inch one from RCME.   But the Ballerina is probably better and the designer is often here on the forum to advise.  You cannot beat that !

 

Blade tension and practice are the key to scroll saws.   Blade can be tensioned until the note sounds right.

[leccyflyer]

1 hour ago, kc said:

There is a smaller Astro Hog plan around RCModeler ( USA) published ElectroHog at 62 inch and there is a smaller 42 inch one from RCME.   But the Ballerina is probably better and the designer is often here on the forum to advise.  You cannot beat that !

 

Blade tension and practice are the key to scroll saws.   Blade can be tensioned until the note sounds right.

The 42" Mini Astro Hog is a real tight fit for batteries and even radio gear. On an OS.10 mine still had to have cut outs in the top deck to fit three mini servos in the fuselage and electrified I can only just squeeze a 3s1p 2200mah pack in under the top deck, which is made into a battery hatch from the cockpit to the firewall.

[Peter Miller]

Scroll saws are brilliant!  Mine gets a lot of use.

I cut the formers and a rib template out of ply and mount them on ply.For the rib I use 1/16thply.  I use Spray MOunt to stick them down to the ply but it does take some effort to remover the paper from the formers.

 

I join the fuselage doublers to the side with Thixofix  impact adhesive. The best type that I know.

[Outrunner]

I use Prit-stik to stick paper patterns to ribs and formers, the paper peels off easily after cutting out.