Newbie Help - Easy Pigeon

[PDB]

16 minutes ago, Hoochykins said:

 

Issue now is it looks like I'm going to struggle to get more film. It's Kaven film and it looks like the only place that sells it here has no stock of the normal yellow. You guys heard of this film before and (I know it's a long shot) know any film that matches it?

https://www.modelshopleeds.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=136_139_2172&sort=1a&products_id=91590

[Hoochykins]

100% that was showing out of stock when I checked as this was the only place I could find to sell it. They had bright yellow in stock but not the yellow. Maybe I was on a cached version or something as I checked out the brand when I received the kit.

 

Any tips on covering,? I've watched loads of youtube videos and I know to cover the bottom first, overlap the top so the air can't get under when flying. Cover both sides then shrink down evenly so it doesn't warp. 

 

I know there's probably some helpful tips that will make all the difference.

[David Davis 2]

6 hours ago, Hoochykins said:

100% that was showing out of stock when I checked as this was the only place I could find to sell it. They had bright yellow in stock but not the yellow. Maybe I was on a cached version or something as I checked out the brand when I received the kit.

 

Any tips on covering,? I've watched loads of youtube videos and I know to cover the bottom first, overlap the top so the air can't get under when flying. Cover both sides then shrink down evenly so it doesn't warp. 

 

I know there's probably some helpful tips that will make all the difference.

 

My advice would be to find an experienced modeller to show you how it's done.

[PDB]

10 hours ago, Hoochykins said:

 

 

Any tips on covering,? I've watched loads of youtube videos and I know to cover the bottom first, overlap the top so the air can't get under when flying. Cover both sides then shrink down evenly so it doesn't warp. 

 

I know there's probably some helpful tips that will make all the difference.

As a recent newbie to covering two things have helped me get decent results.

 

The Solarfilm video is great, the first 30 minutes deals with the basic techniques 

 

 

Lots of sharp blades for trimming as I’ve found they blunt quick, I use these https://amzn.eu/d/1rKQl5X

 

[Hoochykins]

Well I'd say it took me about 25% of the time to build it then covering and getting it all working with the push rods took the rest of the time. Well happy with it, just printing some reducers for the holes at the rear where the rods exit as they move around a bit in them and it means the rudder and elevator are not as smooth as I would like.

[Mike downs 1]

I have always built my models and fly using Futaba radios

I have come across a nice A10 Warthog which is tempting me .I believe it comes with a Spektrum receiver.

What would I need to do in order to fly with my trusty Futaba 10 CG

Would just changing the receiver do the trick?

Cheers

[David Davis]

11 hours ago, Mike downs 1 said:

I have always built my models and fly using Futaba radios

I have come across a nice A10 Warthog which is tempting me .I believe it comes with a Spektrum receiver.

What would I need to do in order to fly with my trusty Futaba 10 CG

Would just changing the receiver do the trick?

Cheers

 

Yes.

[J D 8 - Moderator]

        Yes, just need a receiver with enough channels for the model.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

...and don't forget that the channel order is different - don't want any unexpected motor starts blowing it off the bench!

[Dale Bradly]

And Futaba's throttle direction is reversed relative to Spektrum so you will have to reconfigure this too.

[Hoochykins]

Bought some ropey gliders from Inwards at the weekend and after a bit of tweaking, a replacement Chinese motor and cleaning up/balancing I can confirm I love flying. The simulator time paid off and I was soaring with the red kites in a £10 glider 😁

 

No idea what the airframe is but it can handle some loops (although keeping the speed to a minimum). One Chinese ESC went up in smoke after the engine died so I won't be using those again.

 

 

 

Now the question is how can I make the batteries last longer? It's currently got a 2212 2200kv Chinese motor in and it's massively over powered on 3S's but with 2S it's great. 

 

With a 2200mh 2S it weighs 1100g. What would you recommend? If I could get away with a 1400mh 2S it would be ideal as it flew a lot better and I think this is quite heavy for a glider.

 

[Simon Chaddock]

At 1100g your Easy Pigeon is not too heavy. The original with 550 can brushed motor and 7.2V 6s NiMh 1700mAh weighed 1300g.

On this basis with the weight saving from using a brushless motor a 2200mah 2s LiPo should be more than adequate and should also give a longer power duration.

 

From the pictures it does look like there is quite a bit of lead at the front. It would be better is you could reposition the battery forward so it could be removed thus saving still more weight and improving the aerodynamics at the same time!

 

If you "fried" both the motor and ESC when on 3s I would not necessarily blame its Chinese manufacture. It sounds like you were using a too big a prop. If you use the same prop the amps the motor will take virtually doubles when going from 2s to 3s. Loads more thrust but it may well be overloading the motor and ESC.

[J D 8 - Moderator]

When I did a fix up on an old Pigeon a couple of winters ago what Simon suggests about having battery up front is what I did. 3s 2200 to brushless motor driving original prop. I could not believe the weight of original power set up. Can be seen  just removed in pic below.

  A Watt meter is essential for setting up the power train.

 

Edited May 9, 2024 by J D 8
more info

[Hoochykins]

This isn't the easy pigeon, I will probably put a similar motor in that to what I'll stick in this as they are very similar weight and size wise.

 

I added the lead to the front of this just to try and get the CG close to what it should be, I was hoping with a larger motor I can't take some off and I may stick the motor outside as this will also bring the weight forward.

 

The ESC died at the beginning of the session but I used other more well known brands and I was using it for a couple of hours.

 

I do have the following motors that arrived today:

 

- Kavan Brushless motor C2830-1300

- Kavan Brushless motor C2822-1200

- Overlander Brushless Outrunner Motor V3 2826/09 1900KV

 

And the following props:

- Graupner Super Carbon Folding Prop Blades 10x4.7

- Graupner Super Carbon Folding Prop Blades 8x6

- Graupner Super Carbon Folding Prop Blades 7.5x4

- Graupner Super Carbon Folding Prop Blades 10x6

 

What would you suggest as a good pairing on 2S?

 

Also, I don't suppose you recognise the model? It would be good to know what it is as I really like it.

Edited May 9, 2024 by Hoochykins

[Hoochykins]

Stuck the Kavan Brushless motor C2830-1300 in with the 10x6 prop and it flew amazing.

 

Only issue was about 5 minutes in it decided to jam on the rudder full and it fell out the sky.

 

 

Luckily I wasn't too high so it's under repair as the break was perfect:

 

What would be the most likely cause of this? There's no interference in the area as it's quite a way from anywhere else and there are no close cell towers. I'm thinking I stuck the ESC too close to the receiver or it moved a bit and caused it to jam on a servo.

 

Or could it be a faulty servo? Not sure what the most common thing to cause this is...

 

It was quite close at the time so it wasn't a lack of signal...