Foam models spare parts backup

[toto]

I thought I'd post my experience of acquiring spares for my FMS foam Beaver up .... just as a consideration factor for others.

 

I bought my Beaver way back this year when I first started off in the hobby. It's a lovely big model.

 

Unfortunately the horizontal tail broke off. Now ...... I honestly cant say why this happened as the model came down .... but .... did appear to lose control before reaching terra firma. The elevator was partially detached and when looking closer, the fracture line on it seemed a bit peculiar in as much as it did look a bit like some kind of fault line as opposed to impact damage of any kind. It actually came down very soft, gracefully and controlled.

 

I wish I had taken photos of it before trying to exact a repair but I did not. 

 

Never mind, rather than try to fight a case in order to have the part replaced, I thought I'd just buy the replacement parts required and get her back in the air as the parts are not overly expensive.

 

I am mow waiting about 3 months and still no signs of the parts becoming available yet. I keep my eye on themdistributers site CML so I can be first in the queue when they come into the country again.

 

I know have around £400.00 worth of kit, hardly flown , sitting doing  nothing.  I am wondering if these parts are still being continued or if I am writing this model off. 

 

My reason for the above .... apart from my own disappointment is to suggest to anyone who is thinking of buying one of these foam models who advertise a backup replacement parts system ....... is to check not only that the parts are listed in our model shops ..... hut to go one step further and drill down into the listing to see that they are actually available.

 

This might not necessarily guarantee that they will be available when you need them but at least are available at the point of ordering the model. It's probably the best test that you can do.

 

 

It might be someone who doesn't have the cash to buy a second replacement model whilst they wait months for spares. It could keep you out of the sky, out of the hobby and out of pocket. ...... do a little research before you get bitten.

 

Toto

[Chris Walby]

IMO its not isolated to a manufacturer or even aero modelling. Spare parts are not their focus for making money.

 

1. Harsh, but don't crash the model then you don't need to buy any spare parts, models are not designed or made to be crash proof.
2. As you say when buying a model, check to see if it has spares and if they are bespoke to that model e.g. props and spinners of unique size etc
3. Through examination of the model with regard to its construction, e.g. thin foam hinges are best reinforced with some tape or very close daily flight checks
4. Bone of contention but replace hardware you don't think is up to the job
   Tricky one this as I had a RIOT that flew for hundreds of flights on standard equipment and others bin every bit of hardware from day one, so the decision is yours
5. Be prepared to engineer your way around the lack of spare parts, e.g. use a different prop, spinner or fix the broken part until the spare turns up.
   
   By not back ordering the part you might be part of the problem! I know of a few suppliers that wait until "x" items are needed and then place the order as its then worth their while for shipping costs...if you don't back order then it appears there is no need for the spares 

PS - There is an insurance policy, buy the spare part e.g. prop and spinner at the same time as the model....chances are you won't need them and you may even still have them long after the model has left your hanger 😄

 

 

 

 

 

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Without seeing the damage or knowing what parts are needed, it’s difficult to give specific advice but foam models can often be repaired by collecting the parts and reassembling the “jigsaw”.  Sometimes a bit of steam can be used to ease out crush damage but isn’t always necessary. 
 

With the right mindset and experienced advice, you’d be surprised what can be given a second life.  My own Durafly Vampire is my go to model in the worst of conditions and this year has been involved at least twice a week in our club’s attempts at organised formation flying.  Almost inevitably, there have been “moments” resulting in repairs to most of the participants’ models as we’ve explored the limits of close flight, formation take offs and landings, formation loops and (not in my case, I hasten to add) the pitfalls of flying visually identical models in the same part of the sky! (I can admit to pride having caused extra work by refusing to land wheels up in horrible turbulent conditions though).

 

Most of these models now look a little war weary with bits of foam grafted in, added carbon fibre strip reinforcements etc. but continue to give us immense rewards.  
 

Perhaps post a picture or two of your damage and people will advise what may be possible. 

[EarlyBird]

Hi Martin, It's here

 

 

[GrumpyGnome]

@toto do you have the Beaver 2000mm V2?  

[Outrunner]

Toto, I remember this from when you had a unfortunate woopsie with your Beaver, it looked very repairable but maybe it won't look as nice, much better than scrapping a model.

My guess is no spares will be available until the factory run another batch of these models and I get the feeling that some factories only do a single run and then tool up for a different model.

I wouldn't be surprised if spares never become available again, sad but true.

Save your money, repair it and move on.

[Caveman]

Hi Toto, just because your Beaver is a foam model it doesn't mean that you have to replace any bit and pieces with a new foam part. You can easily fabricate things like elevators, rudder and ailerons from balsa. You have the equipment for covering balsa there's no reason why you couldn't give it a go.

 

I have a trainer very similar to your Arising Star, a Ripmax Nova with an Irvine 46 engine, but I did most of my real learning on a foam Multiplex Funcub.

 

 

I flew it, crashed it, had bad landings, servo failures and other problems. Eventually the nose became so weak it became unserviceable. I looked for a replacement, but due to Covid there was almost nothing to chose from. So I built a replacement fuselage from light ply, birch ply and balsa.

 

 

It flies just as well as the original, cost very little to make, uses all the original electronics and batteries.

 

No need to discard an otherwise perfect plane just for the sake of a damaged elevator or fuselage!

 

GDB

[SIMON CRAGG]

Great job on the Fun Cub.........looks even better!.

 

At the heart of our hobby we (most anyway), love building models and probably started on Airfix kits many years ago.

 

Some (most?) are from the "Make & Mend" generation, and I personally get a LOT of satisfaction from returning a damaged / second hand wreck to life.

 

A few years ago, when foam models hit the modelling scene, I purchased an FMS Hawk EDF jet.

 

Without going into the gory details, I managed to fly it through the top of a fir tree at about 80 mph.

 

If it had been a balsa model, I would still be picking up match sticks now!.

 

However, I gathered together all the relevant lumps of foam, and with a bit of epoxy and lightweight filler, put the jigsaw back together.

 

It actually flew better, as I discovered a slight twist in one of the wings.

 

So my advice would be, have fun putting damaged models back together again...........nobody really notices your repairs anyway.... and it might even make an improvement to the flight envelope!.

[Dale Bradly]

I'm not a huge fan of foam models in this situation (Low hour pilot/aermodeller combined with lack of parts).  Yes gluing foam itself back together is completely feasible and easy, but its the proprietary motor mounts, hinges, undercarriage mounts etc that they all seem to come with that are unobtainium after purchase, that leads to arkward/heavy/ugly repairs/mods to be useable later. 

 

Caveman, good work on the funcub, i have one (still with its original fuse mind you!) so i can appreiciate what you made.

[toto]

Hi Grumpy ,

 

Yes it is the Beaver V2.

 

Toto

[GrumpyGnome]

That's quite a substantial plane! 

 

Have you tried AliExpress or Banggood for parts?  I've bought dozens of times from each with no issues.... delivery times are usually pretty good, as are prices.

 

Stock available seems to change daily.....

[toto]

Never tried them ....... never trusted them ....... but I'll have a look.

 

Thanks

 

Toto

[toto]

Just ordered 2 x coals from Ali Express..... £ 25.00 the pair delivered.

 

Delighted.

 

Now ...... just to find the important bits ..... horizontal stabilisor .... they didn't,t seem to list them at the moment. ..... the search continues.

 

To5o

[Shaun Walsh]

 

2 hours ago, toto said:

Hi Grumpy ,

 

Yes it is the Beaver V2.

 

Toto

If it's beyond repair, here's a suggestion:

 

 

Edited September 25, 2023 by Shaun Walsh

[toto]

The horizontal are available from FMS in the states but they wont ship to the UK.

 

If anyone stumbles across a source for these .... please shout out on this thread or even better via a PM.

 

Meanwhile ...... the search continues.

 

Cheers

 

Toto 

[Geoff S]

19 hours ago, Caveman said:

Hi Toto, just because your Beaver is a foam model it doesn't mean that you have to replace any bit and pieces with a new foam part. You can easily fabricate things like elevators, rudder and ailerons from balsa. You have the equipment for covering balsa there's no reason why you couldn't give it a go.

 

I have a trainer very similar to your Arising Star, a Ripmax Nova with an Irvine 46 engine, but I did most of my real learning on a foam Multiplex Funcub.

 

 

I flew it, crashed it, had bad landings, servo failures and other problems. Eventually the nose became so weak it became unserviceable. I looked for a replacement, but due to Covid there was almost nothing to chose from. So I built a replacement fuselage from light ply, birch ply and balsa.

 

 

It flies just as well as the original, cost very little to make, uses all the original electronics and batteries.

 

No need to discard an otherwise perfect plane just for the sake of a damaged elevator or fuselage!

 

GDB

 

My FunCub is one of my most flown models and it certainly shows it.  I find one of the main problems is keeping the control surface horns well attached despite using the recommended glue.  They're pretty tough.  The battery fell out of mine when I did a bunt and it floated down to earth inverted (despite my still fiddling with the sticks on my transmitter 🙂 ).  When I got to it, it was undamaged and, apart from the missing cowl needed no repair.  The cowl was found and I've put a removable 1.5mm carbon rod through the fuselage to keep the battery in place.  I've also had to repair/modify the undercarriage mount.

 

I like your scratch-built fuselage.

[toto]

Thanks Geoff,

 

I'll keep hunting for the elevator parts but if I cant source them ..... I'll maybe try making one out of balsa / ply etc. I real

Y dont want to but as a last ditch attempt and needs must, I'll have a go. 

 

I've done a couple of raids etc now but nothing on this scale ..... ie .... making complete new parts ... especially flying surfaces.

 

Fingers crossed a genuine version pops up soon as it will be the quicker way to get the model into the air by far.

 

Toto

 

 

[leccyflyer]

http://www.porcupinerc.com/FMS-PQ103-1-Horizontal-Stabilizer-For-FMS-2000mm-787-DH-2-Beaver-V2-_p_1627.html

[MattyB]

15 minutes ago, toto said:

Thanks Geoff,

 

I'll keep hunting for the elevator parts but if I cant source them ..... I'll maybe try making one out of balsa / ply etc. I real

Y dont want to but as a last ditch attempt and needs must, I'll have a go. 

 

I've done a couple of raids etc now but nothing on this scale ..... ie .... making complete new parts ... especially flying surfaces.

 

Fingers crossed a genuine version pops up soon as it will be the quicker way to get the model into the air by far.

 

Toto

The quickest way to get that elevator repairable is to repair it - as we noted in the original thread,  all it would take is a few short length of carbon strip, some thin CA and 5-10 mins of time. There is absolutely no need to build a new tailplane, that is complete overkill given the damage you have. This type of repair is done all the time and results in a stronger result than it was originally.

 

 

[toto]

Just secured one from elite Models.

 

I phoned to confirm their status as being " warehouse stock " shipping within 2 to 3 days. They checked and confirmed as correct..... low stock .... but available apparently.

 

Let's see if there itineraries are any good or if they are just happy to take cash. 

 

Hopefully will arrive at some point this week....... watch this space.

 

Matty ... these repairs are simple if you have the confidence to try them. I'm still a bit unsure yet but ..... should this replacement arrive, I'll dismantle the original in such a way that I can have a go at doing it. 

 

The good news ... for me .... is that the Beavercwould be back in the air and with more confidence that it will stay there.

 

If I go undertaking a poircattempt at repairing it and fly it again, my concern is it will come back down and possibly write it off .... all for the sake of spending around £ 60.00 in total against £500.00 to £ 600.00 for a new model ..... which on hindsight I probably would not replace.

 

I'm sure my ability to repair will grow like everything else but it'll take a bit of time.

 

 

Toto

 

 

[leccyflyer]

That's great news that you have secured one in this country, without having to use an international source. Spares for ARTFs are always a concern, with even the largest, most long lived distributors often completely abandoning some very well established products, which can then render them useless. 

 

Some folks will say - "You're supposed to be a modeller, just make one from scratch", but I'm afraid that sometimes that simply isn't a viable alternative.

[MattyB]

Toto, based on the skills you have shown in your refit of the Arising Star you have nothing to worry about. Repairing in this instance is really this simple….

1. Put tailplane flat on bench, underside pointing up
2. Cut 3x 2-3” sections of narrow carbon strip with a razor saw or similar 
3. Take a ruler and cut three slots in the foam going across the split the same length as the carbon (see diagram in the other thread for suggested location, but in all honesty it doesn’t matter that much if you get enough in there)
4. Push the carbon into the slits until the top edge sits at the same height as the bottom of the foam
5. Wick in some thin cyano and leave to dry
6. Refit tailplane and reconnect elevator
7. Check elevator actuation, then go and fly!

The whole repair should take 15 mins, and that includes starting by getting a brew on…! 😉😂

 

Edited September 25, 2023 by MattyB

[MattyB]

This pic of proactive reinforcement of my Durafly Excalibur rear fuselage shows how it looks after a repair using the description above…

 

 

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=36865610&postcount=1686

[toto]

Thanks Matty,

 

I will have to dismantle the Beavers rear end in preparation of the newly ordered part anyway. Once I have the original parts dismantled, I'll post up some photo's and take it from there. It may well be that a repair can be done that will give me a stand by for the future.

 

I'll post up pictures either tonight or tomorrow night. I am having a bit of a reshuffle of stuff in the shed and it will be easier once I have cleared a bit space to work with.

 

Toto

[Shaun Walsh]

Not sure the moderators would appreciate you posting pictures of you dismantling a beaver's rear end 🤣