Making a hatch.

[Basil]

Sorry to bring this subject up, no doubt I will be not very popular with most people. I know I have seen instructions on how to make a hatch out of say a 'Planked' panel but I cant get a subject up that shows how to do it. I cant seem to get my head round it. I refer to the method of making then cutting, but no doubt there are other methods.I have tried various ways but none are very good, I refer to my efforts not the method. I am eager to see hoe its down.............. any takers please.

Bas

[Futura57]

Making a hatch very much depends upon the model. I suggest you post a picture of the model you are trying to make the hatch for to give us some idea.

 

My preferred method is to build the fuselage and sheet or plank it, including the area where the hatch is required. I then sand the fuselage smooth before finally marking and cutting out a hatch. In the pictures below I use a razor saw to cut cross-ways, then a Stanley knife, along the grain, to cut the sides. In this example I deliberately cut the sides at an angle to give a nice bevelled seating to the hatch. I then secure with a lite ply tab at the up-stream end and magnets at the downstream end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Basil]

Thanks for your reply Furura57. What is required is enough info to apply to any hatch anywhere. I take it that you add the end former/end panel (Reinforcing) after cutting. Posting a picture is easier said than done. You need a camera but more important the knowledge to move/copy the picture to the forum, I fail in this respect. What material do you use to form the formers, my attempt resulted in the former mis-shaping as it all dried out. Finished hatch did not fit. I could go on. Thanks for your time.

Bas

[Nigel R]

If the hatches have 'shape' then I do just about what Futara57 suggests. Build then cut. Reinforce as necessary.

 

In Futara's example, there are no end formers or panels - the hatch will be unlikely to change shape, it is made from solid unstressed wood. A planked fuselage and planked hatch will be more susceptible to warping after the hatch is cut loose.

 

However.

 

With some careful advance planning, the hatch goes somewhere flat. Flat things are easy to make hatches in. 🙂

 

What model are you 'hatching'?

[kc]

Basil,

Before you decide on planking see if you could bend a thin piece of balsa to suit but FIRST cover the outer side with masking tape or anything to prevent the outside bursting out.  Youwill find that it bends much more with a tape covering!    And of course a second layer of 1/16 th will make it 1/8 thick when a single 1/8 would never bend that much.    Wetting the balsa first on the OUTER surface and holding it around a bottle or something and allow to dry might also help.   Choosing a bit of balsa that bends easily also helps of course.

Alternatively if it's a compound curve then maybe laminate from 1/4 balsa and carve to shape.  

Making the hatch just a fraction wider than the fuselage can help give something to grip when removing the hatch.

Edited November 22, 2023 by kc

[Nigel Sharp]

Assuming you are planking or curving sheet.

 

I make formers for each end. I space them apart with scrap balsa sheet e.g. 3/32" spacer to later receive two 1/32 ply spacings or end caps.

 

Add suitable longerons to keep formers apart. Glued up with grease proof paper so my preferred pva glue doesn't stick the whole lot to the fuselage.

 

Sand the balsa formers to match the firewall/ tank bay. Mark the fuselage side with pencil mark where your saw cut needs to be each end.

 

I use rare earth magnets to snap the hatch I'm place.

 

Planking is done by dividing the arc of the former into equal number of planks. Use a divider to mark the widths then apply a pair at a time

 

Pictures attached outlining process.

 

 

 

[Futura57]

3 hours ago, Basil said:

Thanks for your reply Furura57. What is required is enough info to apply to any hatch anywhere. I take it that you add the end former/end panel (Reinforcing) after cutting. Posting a picture is easier said than done. You need a camera but more important the knowledge to move/copy the picture to the forum, I fail in this respect. What material do you use to form the formers, my attempt resulted in the former mis-shaping as it all dried out. Finished hatch did not fit. I could go on. Thanks for your time.

Bas

If you have a mobile phone with a camera it's easy to post a picture. When posting a reply on the forum scroll down and click the Add Files button. You should have a Camera option (to take a picture there and then) or, if you already have a taken a picture, use the Files option. Then select the file or picture from the list of recent files. The selected picture should then appear at the bottom of the post, then click Insert. I hope this helps.

[Basil]

Futura57. I view this forum on my desktop. Where are all these 'File' options & 'camera' options. I really dont understand what you are talking about.

Thanks Bas

[Basil]

17 hours ago, Nigel R said:

If the hatches have 'shape' then I do just about what Futara57 suggests. Build then cut. Reinforce as necessary.

 

In Futara's example, there are no end formers or panels - the hatch will be unlikely to change shape, it is made from solid unstressed wood. A planked fuselage and planked hatch will be more susceptible to warping after the hatch is cut loose.

 

However.

 

With some careful advance planning, the hatch goes somewhere flat. Flat things are easy to make hatches in. 🙂

 

What model are you 'hatching'?

Hi , I am making a Scottish Pioneer. Chris Reid's plan. The threads that are on this forum, to my knowledge dont really show the building in any detail. So following my nose.

I am building a Leccy so must make the forward top deck into a hatch for the LIpo's. Also not shown is any detail about the cowl/front fuse junction. I am thinking on starting a thread about the construction of the 'Cowl' especailly the out/up turn at the rear,( Part that trims the cowl fuse  interface.)

Thanks. Bas

[Basil]

17 hours ago, Nigel Sharp said:

Assuming you are planking or curving sheet.

 

I make formers for each end. I space them apart with scrap balsa sheet e.g. 3/32" spacer to later receive two 1/32 ply spacings or end caps.

 

Add suitable longerons to keep formers apart. Glued up with grease proof paper so my preferred pva glue doesn't stick the whole lot to the fuselage.

 

Sand the balsa formers to match the firewall/ tank bay. Mark the fuselage side with pencil mark where your saw cut needs to be each end.

 

I use rare earth magnets to snap the hatch I'm place.

 

Planking is done by dividing the arc of the former into equal number of planks. Use a divider to mark the widths then apply a pair at a time

 

Pictures attached outlining process.

 

 

 

Nigel, thanks for your advise. I found your rely informative as I was able to see some other aspects of 'Building'. I particularly liked the pic' of the motor mount. I use the threaded rod but have been looking at a way of ply support , as it also facilitates the correct spacing and possible offset. I use 'Cling film' , thats really easy to use as its so thin and a bit clingy.Thanks aagain.

Bas

[Basil]

17 hours ago, kc said:

Basil,

Before you decide on planking see if you could bend a thin piece of balsa to suit but FIRST cover the outer side with masking tape or anything to prevent the outside bursting out.  Youwill find that it bends much more with a tape covering!    And of course a second layer of 1/16 th will make it 1/8 thick when a single 1/8 would never bend that much.    Wetting the balsa first on the OUTER surface and holding it around a bottle or something and allow to dry might also help.   Choosing a bit of balsa that bends easily also helps of course.

Alternatively if it's a compound curve then maybe laminate from 1/4 balsa and carve to shape.  

Making the hatch just a fraction wider than the fuselage can help give something to grip when removing the hatch.

Thanks for the tips KC , your input is always welcome.

Bas

[Basil]

1 hour ago, Basil said:

Futura57. I view this forum on my desktop. Where are all these 'File' options & 'camera' options. I really dont understand what you are talking about.

Thanks Bas

I am not tech savvy with phones and some aspects of computers. I run Linux running windows as I have a lot of problems with the pirates. The Linux was installed by a friend, it runs well but does hamper some aspects of uploading etc.

Thanks Bas( Dont want to seem rude, just dont understand.)

[leccyflyer]

It really couldn't be simpler to add a photo to a post on this forum, at least in Windows. At the base of each reply window is a grey area with a paperclip and the instruction to drag files to attach or a link to choose files. You just navigate to where your photos are stored on your computer, then click and drag on the file to pull it into that area. Or if you click on the Choose files link that will open up a widow to view the folder containing your pictures and you can then click on those to select.

 

The file will upload and next to the thumbnail is an option to Insert - click on that and the picture will be inserted into your post at the point where your text cursor is sitting.

 

Easier to do than to explain.

 

No guarantee that it's the same in Linux though, never used it, never seen the need to, never been bothered by pirates - aaaaarrrgggghhh. 🙂

[Dickw]

If yo have your photos stored on your computer, see the image below.

 

Dick

 

 

 

[John Lee]

.....or just 'Copy & Paste' the photo into the post.

[Tom Gaskin 1]

All valid answers, but it does presuppose that Bas can 'see' any of his photos from his pc.

 

Tom

[Futura57]

6 hours ago, Basil said:

I am not tech savvy with phones and some aspects of computers. I run Linux running windows as I have a lot of problems with the pirates. The Linux was installed by a friend, it runs well but does hamper some aspects of uploading etc.

Thanks Bas( Dont want to seem rude, just dont understand.)

Basil, if you read my original reply I wrote "If you have a mobile phone with a Camera...". If you don't then it doesn't apply. END OF. This web site is rendered (appears) differently on different devices and in different browsers. Hence the subsequent contributions regarding a desktop. I'm glad they helped.

 

I've worked in IT for over 40 years. In future I shall think twice before offering you any help because, what do know 🤐

[leccyflyer]

3 hours ago, Tom Gaskin 1 said:

All valid answers, but it does presuppose that Bas can 'see' any of his photos from his pc.

 

Tom

If he can't see any of his photos on his computer then it's going to be pretty unlikely that he'll be sharing any, which makes his comment about sharing pictures somewhat moot.

 

Anyway, back on the topic of hatches, I think Futura 57's hatch as pictured is very neat and minimal, with a tongue at the end and no additional former to define the ends of the hatch. I use a similar method for cutting out from the assembled fuselage, with a razor saw for the cross cut and a scalpel down the grain, whether that is on planking or just rolled balsa fuselage. The tape is a great idea to keep the razor saw on track. I do tend to use end plates on the resultant hatch and increasingly use magnets rather than hatch catches. I've also cut very simple rectangular hatched underneath models and for those use an offcut of a control horn, or a pair of them, screwed into one or two hardpoints and which swivel to lock the hatch in place. I use the end of a lolly ice stick to engage underneath the sheeting or into a pocket on the bottom of the model.

 

[Basil]

14 hours ago, Futura57 said:

Basil, if you read my original reply I wrote "If you have a mobile phone with a Camera...". If you don't then it doesn't apply. END OF. This web site is rendered (appears) differently on different devices and in different browsers. Hence the subsequent contributions regarding a desktop. I'm glad they helped.

 

I've worked in IT for over 40 years. In future I shall think twice before offering you any help because, what do know 🤐

Futura, I am sorry that you feel that way. I assume that you are saying that I could send photos to this forum using my phone. Yes I do have a phone with a camera,but I would find it difficult , almost impossible for me to send a piccy to this forum. Due to me not having the know how. I dont understand why persons would want to use a phone to view info on such a tiny screen when a desk top is available.  As some one has already said 'Assuming I had access to photos on my device' it is very difficult , very very time consuming to even find a photo amongst those on 'file'.

Thank you , Bas

[Nick Cripps]

Take the photo on your phone and email it to yourself. Open the email on your desktop and download it.

You can then use the methods outlined above to copy the photo into your thread.

[Basil]

What a great idea Nick, never thought of that. I was not being specific regarding the hatch, I just needed some guidance re the procedure etc. As I have said attempts so far resulted in disfigurement once dried . the thread has helped to reinforce the basics, I have been trying as we have been discussing things, great help.

  Bas