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First taste of the sky


toto
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I once lost a wheel whilst at the field and did not have a wheel colar to fix it so I thought my flying was over for the day. An experienced modeler came over and asked if I had cyno which I  did have so he used a little on the axel and then used a thread from a cleaning cloth wound that around the axel. Once enough was bound another bit of cyno was applied to the thread. That wheel was held on that way until the airframe was retired. I use this method on all my smaller aircraft and often use it for added security outside of the wheel collar. Care must taken not to glue the wheel to the axel!  

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Well .....

 

Today I took delivery of my brand spanking new model Cradle as manufactured and supplied by our very own Ron Gray of this parish. 

 

Terrific service and very quick delivery by Ron and if goes together beautifully. I have it in the XR3i blue and pink scheme.... :classic_laugh:

 

Very solid and easy to go together ...... no fuss.

 

I think it is very flexible in its potential uses both on or off a stand or a bench ........ or just on the floor / grass at the field. The quality is very good and should take a fair bit of battering within reason.

 

I'll put a photo or two up later. Meanwhile ........ thanks Ron.

 

Toto

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Really solid stuff Aidan.

 

I'll get it out into the shed maybe tomorrow night and try installing it onto the stand. I have an airport run tonight to pick my son up on his return from Belfast. No rest for the wicked.

 

Toto

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So .....back to flying potential...

 

The dreaded motorbikes have first dibs on our flying field at East Fortune this weekend again. I'm sounding things out to see if anyone is going to be at our second site at Mount Lothian ( near Penicuik). .... or if the weekend will beat complete wash out. 

 

If so, I can always chance my hand for a flight at my original club if all else fails. I have been invited to visit in order to be tested for solo status there as well. 

 

Of course ..... all is also weather dependent regardless of which club site I visit so don't want to jump the gun just yet. I'll check out the forecasts nearer the time and decide which is my best bet.  Keeping my options open and hoping for something.

 

More on that as the time comes ..... probably Friday evening.

 

The Supercub has a new Eclip type circlip fitted so is back in service awaiting its call of duty.

 

Cheers for now

 

Toto

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Well it's rain today as forecast ........ shed potential only.

 

Getting withdrawals now.

 

Looks like it's going out for some holiday T Shirts and essentials instead. I'll find something to do in the shed later ..... nothing too onerous.

 

Oh well ....... where's my wellies. :classic_laugh:

 

Have a nice day

 

Toto

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No flying whatsoever this weekend. ☹️

 

looks like another week to wait. Maybe a good thing as I am waiting for wheel collets to arrive to replace these e-clips on the SuperCub. I put a new E-clip on but don't have much faith in them.

 

I think there is enough space on the axle to take a collet so I'll grind a flat spot on the axle and install collets when they arrive. I think there is a better chance to avoid the wheel coming off again like the last time.

 

Collets should arrive next week sometime.

 

toto

 

 

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Toto

A properly located E clip in a sharp edged groove should be better than a collet as it provides 3 physical points to prevent the wheel sliding off the axle. A collet on the other hand basically relies on the grub screw generating friction between the axle and the collet. A collet would only match the restraining power of an E clip if its grub screw located into a matching conical indent on the axle.

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That's true, regarding the points of contact of the E-clip versus the collet - the main difference being that collets are manufactured and used by humans, whilst circlips, e-clips and other springy monstrosities are very much the work of the devil and are possessed. That's why they leap across the room if you try to touch them.

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Hi Toto;  Solder it on.   Your wee adventure has been just great to follow, but maybe its time for a momentous leap forward...Build your next aircraft. Forget that awful foam and plastic stuff, and get your hands on a great big box of balsa, ply, and piano wire

ernie 

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A properly designed and sized Eclip system should be perfectly adequate. As for collets, I have models that are decades old, and the wheel collets

 have never come off - a touch of loctite on the fixing grub screw(s) I've found keep the fixings solid. Pointed end grub screws are available but do tend to throw up a burr when tightened and can make things awkward during dismantling.

Small cap head screws are often a  better bet.

Heat the screw with a soldering iron to soften the loctite if you do need to release it.

Edited by Cuban8
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Posted (edited)

Hi Ernie,

 

I have a Tony Nuijhuis Sky 40 on the go at the moment and have stalled on one of the wings because I made a pigs ear of it. Sort of puts me off opening up any other balsa builds until I am more confident in what I am doing. The build was going well until I hit a bad screw up on building the second wing. Don't know how to recover from it .... if at all possible. Could order up spare wing parts and start them from scratch I suppose.

 

So .... not for now.

 

Toto

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Looking ahead to this weekend ...... cloudy / partly sunny ..... that's a start.

 

About as favourable as its ever going to get so time to get prepared. Tonight is shed time on my Sky 40 build so I think I'll just charge some batteries whilst I work away.

 

That said ...... its only Tuesday so ...... anything can happen yet.

 

Toto

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Can't call yourself a builder until you've inadvertently built two wings or fuz halves of the same side from a plan. 😠

Toto, you wouldn't believe what some of our building mates get away with in terms of workmanship, or the lack of. Generally speaking as long as a build doesn't break up in the air on it's first flight, then very rarely will a model be unflyable.

Your examples looks pretty good to me - just a bit of fettling here and there.

Edited by Cuban8
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Yes ..... the 3 metre rule applies I think. some things you can get away with but I am a bit of a " warts and all " poster. 😄 never mind .... at least I am back progressing things again. My mojo is back .....

 

Might curtail my spending a bit ...... but I doubt it. 😄

 

the perfect balance would be ..... progression with a model build  assembly ..... and some flying ....... asking to much there though I think.

 

cheers

 

toto

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