GliderIreland - Ireland RC Forum - Flying Model forum in Ireland
Gliders => Slope Soaring => Topic started by: angry_muppet on February 05, 2015, 19:50:52 PM
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Evening all...
After finally getting around to placing the necessary order with HK and collecting the kit from Little Keith, I'm ready to start building. I have read the instructions (honest) thrice and am as ready to jump in feet first as I could possibly be.
Kitchen table is a no-go zone for the good lady of the house who is surprisingly encouraging... I wonder is she wanting me to head off to the slopes and give her head peace?
Anyway... First question... For the construction of said aircraft, which adhesive is best for each section? I have CA and kicker, 30 min epoxy and generic wood glue. I wouldn't have thought that CA would be particularly effective for fuse joints?
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Kitchen table is a no-go zone for the good lady of the house who is surprisingly encouraging..
Oh, don't worry ,...that wont last long
Well, if none of the other old farts who normally contribute to this forum are going to answer you David, you’ll have to put up with my tupence worth.
From purely personal experience I’d say…………
Epoxy glue has the advantage of forming a very strong bond, when it’s been mixed properly. A lot of epoxies come is paste form. Araldite is one such brand. When mixing these type of glue it’s important to make sure that all of the hardner has come into contact with all of the glue. I find this is best done by using a sort of “squashing” motion and to mix the two parts for at least one minute before attempting to use the glue on a joint.
Anyway as far as gluing ability,… good quality epoxies form very strong, although generally rather ‘hard’ bonds with little or no ‘give‘. This type of glue is also a bit on the heavy side when used in large amounts compared to the other two types you mentioned.
Cyanoacrylate glues, (CA, or ‘super’ glues) also come in different qualities. Particularly when used in conjunction with an activator they make for extremely fast assembly of model planes. That’s their plus side. The downside, in my experience, is that although thin CA tends to ’wicker’ into the wood to obtain a very good grip, the joint itself has a tendency to be rather brittle. The other downside is that I found it’s very easy to end up using a lot of this type of glue on models, probably because it wickers into the wood and doesn’t look like there is enough glue at the joint to do the job, thereby using a lot of the glue which costs more money and adds weight of the model.
PVA or ‘White’ wood glue. This is a good all round wood glue. It tends to take about thirty minutes to an hour to set, preferably leave it for a couple of hours before stressing it. This type of glue also allows a little bit of ‘give’ when the joint is placed under stress.
So, of these three types what do you use? You asked about glues for the fuselage. I’d suggest it depends of the design of the fuse. If it’s a ‘built up’ fuse,( In the same way as the wings are Built Up on your model,) with longerons being held in position with formers at various points down the fuse, then probably CA would do the job fine.
If the sides of the fuse are made of sheet lite-ply then I’d use PVA to secure the longerons in place, as this will be a long continual joint.
(See picture)
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Happy%20Days/Longeron.jpg)
A = Lite ply ( Used for the sides of the Fuse on some models)
B = Triangular section longeron, used to stiffen the side of the Lite-Ply fuselage.
So what do you think of that David?…….David? DAVID! Wake up!!
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:lol: :lol: :lol:
When it comes to building I always use white glue and 5 minute epoxy where needed, cyano for a quick fix :D
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What Fred said.
Personally I find white glue (Titebond) best for most things, CA when I'm in a hurry and epoxy for strength. I did see titebond in McQuillans in Blanchardstown recently
Epoxy will eventually generate a negative reaction if you are not careful.
The concensus is 'when', rather than 'if'. I use nitrile gloves when I use it.
Soap and water is the recommended method for washing it off, rather than any solvent (acetone), but the best recommendation is to avoid getting it on your skin entirely.
I have a love hate relastionship with cyano, I love the way it sticks and I hate the way it sticks to me. I also really dislike the aroma. I know of at least one aeromodeller who has no sense of smell as a result of overuse of cyano.
Chris
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Thanks all. Started the build with CA as I can't find the wood glue... That'd be about par for me!
I've the two sides of the fuse frame built using CA and was going to fix the bracing struts with 30 min epoxy.
Taking Keith's suggestion, I'll have a hunt for the wood glue and use that for the wings as I'd assume they're most likely to flex (yank 'n' bank merchant).
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Progress so far...
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/angry_muppet/20150211_210403-1.jpg)
I really need to sort out getting the plans pulled out straight... The folds keep rising and knocking the elevator parts over. Such are the little niggles that you start to find, I suppose!
Thanks Keith for the discourse on the merits of glues. I didn't fall asleep reading it, honestly! If work docs haven't done that, then I'm ok with hobby stuff.
As you can see, I've started one thing and then moved on to another and then gone back... Fuse sides just need the bracing bits glued in and then they're done. I think that perhaps I'll sort the tail plane next and do the wings last.In some respects, they're what keep it in the air, so I want that to benefit from the build experience of the rest.
But then, a square fuse and correctly assembled tail plane and empennage will make it controllable! :!:
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For small drawings like yours an iron(!) is very helpful. With low heat and on a smooth surface carefully iron your plans out. Go over the creases a few times to straighten them out.
If you can, roll them up when you're finished the build, so you don't have the same problem next time...
Whilst I'm not brave enough to borrow 'the bosses' iron I have my own heavy 'antique' electric iron that works very well for smoothing plans out.
The iron must be at least 40 years old, from an era long before steam irons.
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Brilliant! “That’s the way y’ do it!” You’ll build this in no time at this rate David.
I must say I’ve seem some things used to hold plans in place,……but a cheese grater?!!! :shock: Oh well, whatever floats y’boat I s’pose..
Whenever I build I have a tendency to get a bit over enthusiastic and zoom ahead of myself…..only to find that I ended up doing something wrong. Then I have to go back, undo what I’d done wrong, and re build from that point onward. I found that the motto, “Read (instructions) twice - glue once.” works well. Sometimes I tend to speed read, and miss-read the instructions. I read “Do……such & such a thing,” when the instructions actually said “Don’t do ……” Then I get frustrated with myself and kick the dog…… (For dog read canine. I wouldn’t want anyone to think I meant the wife.) (Just thought I’d add that for Justin’s benefit. :lol: )
Little Keith
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Should've gone to SpecSavers Keith!
That's not a cheese grater, it's a metal coffee tin! :o
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:lol: :lol:
(Bugger :evil: :evil: )
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Good morning (I'm back :) )
Good start of the build! :clap:
As for glue, another tip.
When in a "hurry", I use white glue, with a few dots of CA. You get the best of both world!
Instant grab, and tough bond :)
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Well, after a hiatus, I've got back building.
But, I seem to have an issue... I don't think the instructions and the plans tally; and I followed the plans...
The plans say to build the tail plane from 6 x 4.5mm balsa - the instructions seem to suggest 3mm. I now need 6 x 4.5mm to build the vertical stabiliser. Options are to either buy another length or cut out the trailing edge and replace with 3mm?
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/angry_muppet/DSC_0035.jpg)
And for the hawk eyes among you, I seem to have glued the horn in back to front... I assume that would drastically impede the "pitch up" control authority. Question is, what's the easiest and cleanest way of turning it around?
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Feeling frustrated David? I know that feeling very well. I’ve made similar mistakes a thousand times,…….well a few hundred perhaps,….certainly a couple of dozen times anyway…… :roll:
First thing to remember is not to panic…..panic is the enemy! You’ll learn a lot from these little “errors.” :wink:
As far as the elevator horn is concerned, leave it as it is if I were you. Provided it’s not going to impede the operation of the elevator or anything else it’s not worth the effort of changing it around.
As for the 6x4.5 balsa. The plans are normally drawn to scale, so if the tail needed 6x4.5 then only that size of wood should fit onto the plans exactly. Where as 3mm wood would have been too small to exactly fit over the diagram on the plans.
I think it might be a good idea to move onto a different part of the plane and try building that. If it turns out at the end you are short of lots of pieces of wood you can make a bulk order for some extra pieces. Or you can order some more 6x4.5 now. I’m not sure of suppliers in Ireland,…Balsa Cabin in UK would certainly have what you need, but it might be expensive to ship such a small amount over. (Hence my suggestion to finish as much of the build as you can first.)
I have to say, having built quite a few kits, I’ve never yet found a kit maker that didn’t supply enough wood of the correct type to complete the model…I suspect you’ve read something wrong somewhere. It can be very easy to “speed read” something in a hurry to get on with the build so that you read something which says do such & such a thing, but the instructions actually say DON’T do such & such a thing.
Above all else, don’t give up.
Many years ago I was talking to a man who worked on the Apollo moon mission. He told me that when NASA started out with the intention of putting a man on the moon they had no idea how many problems they would face. But they knew there could only be a finite number of them. So all they had to do was to keep solving the problems as & when they came up. And when they solved the final problem, Neil Armstrong made his famous declaration about “One small step for man….”
Just keep working at it David, and when you’ve solved the final problem that Skylark will fly.
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The craft shop in Enniscorthy, or the one in Wexford, both have a small amount of balsa. I've continued on with the right wing which now has all the ribs in place. Hopefully, tomorrow I'll get a bit more done.
The telling thing will be if it all stays together in the air!
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The telling thing will be if it all stays together in the air!
And wont you feel proud of yourself when it does! :D
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Latest update - right wing in progress. 8)
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/angry_muppet/DSC_0037.JPG)
Using whatever is available as a weight to keep the whole thing flat.
Question: Plan states to have the control horn on the underside of the wing and the servo arm also will protrude out of the underside; Little Keith suggested on a flying wing that this was a bad idea as it ask for trouble when landing. Does the same hold true for a "proper" glider, or as it has a distinct fuselage, does that allow the control assembly to remain clear in a "good" landing, i.e. one in which the plane is immediately reusable! :wink:
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Good progress so far, looking forward to seeing it in the air.
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Yup. As the Skylark is a High Wing aeroplane when it lands the fuselage will make contact with the ground leaving the wings suspended. (Assuming that it makes a conventional landing that is :lol: )
Here’s a picture of two very similar models. The V tail is a Low Wing model, it lands on its wing, so the control arms and horns are on the top of the wing. The other model is a Mid Wing model, ( sometimes known as a ‘Shoulder Wing’) ie the wing joins the side of the fuse so, like a High Wing model, there is a gap between the underside of the wing and the ground allowing the control arms & horns the operate on the underside of the wing without snagging along the ground when the plane lands.
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Happy%20Days/two%20of%20em.jpg)
I hope you set wing rib #1 at the correct angle to give the Skylark some dihedral :roll: .
It’s all looking good so far. :clap: You might find the wing feels a bit flimsy while it’s “naked.” It will become much stronger when it has a tight covering around it. :wink:
L. Keith
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Yep, rib was set according to the template that was provided. I'm just hoping that it was held in place sufficiently while the glue was drying.
I've also made sure that the wedge has been shaped correctly for the wing tip wash out. I am correct in that?
I also assume the whole wingspan is covered as a single piece?
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I also assume the whole wingspan is covered as a single piece?
Not sure if it’s a one piece wing David, I thought it was a two piece, :?: for ease of transport.
As far as covering built up wings ……..I’ve found that it’s best to use one piece to cover the lower half, and another piece to cover the top half, of each wing half. This way you can use different colours on top and bottom which will help you to comprehend the orientation of the model when it’s in flight.
There are dozens of video’s on You Tube showing various aspect of building model rc aircraft. Here’s one about covering a wing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G4Qfv_Zcl4
L. Keith
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The instructions don't tell you expressly whether it's a single or two piece wing... There's a gap ahead of the lower spar in the first 3 or 4 ribs and a small piece of ply at the correct dihedral which lead me to conclude "single piece". Not that I'll have to worry about that for about another month.
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Unless the instructions specifically tell you to glue the two wing halves together, you can reasonably assume that it is a two piece wing.
I’m pretty sure it is (a two piece wing) because I only have a small car and a single built up 72” wing would have had a high likelihood of getting damaged in transit to the slopes, :evil: so I would not have bought it in the first place, David.
As I remember,…..the piece of ply that is set at the dihedral angle is actually the wing joiner. It slots into place when you assemble the wing halves so as to hold them at the correct angle.
(I’ve not been able to find a copy of the plans on line :( so I’m only going by memory of when I looked at them, 12 months ago)
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The ply is the dihedral brace; you are correct Keith. The plans show it fitted to the port wing but as the starboard wing is built first and the fitment will be really tight, I'll fit it there. I'll have to ensure to leave a little play when finishing the port wing for assembly on the slopes.
The progress so far is:
Tailplane and elevators complete
Stabiliser and rudder complete
Fuselage sides complete
Starboard wing about 85% complete
Port wing ribs sanded, trailing edge laid out and partially assembled.
Hopefully over this weekend and Monday I can make good progress on the port wing. After that, I will start the sanding to firm the leading and trailing edges.
The colour scheme I have in mind is a red fuselage, white wings with red tips and the tail assembly also in red. Reminiscent of the RAF Chipmunk scheme.
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Great progress so far muppet :) will she be ready in time for the slope fest?
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Depends on when the slope fest is Jumbo!
April 18/19? I'd be delighted if I could have it done for then. Somehow I don't think I would though. Watch this space!
I'll try and make it out on the Saturday anyway.
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I've started assembly of the fuselage this morning which has lead me to consider the next things I need to order so that I can have everything to maiden her when she's finally complete.
I already have the servos and a Spektrum 6100e receiver. On the subject of the receiver, I have read that the reliable range of the 6100e (classified by Spektrum as "Parkflyer") is of the order of 700ft (or around 200m in these new fangled measurements :wink:). I already have one in my wing and have had no issues. As the Skylark is balsa and I've invested the time to build it, I don't want to risk a brown-out... Would I be correct in saying that 700ft is about the normal distance on the slope and I'd be stupid to risk flying at the limit of the receiver? Suggestions on a reasonable Spektrum receiver at a decent price are welcome.
With regard to the internal space for fly'y related stuff, the dimensions are approx 45 * 45 * 160mm, mostly in front of the CoG. Turnigy have a nice light 300maH 2S LiPo (http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__36220__Turnigy_nano_tech_300mah_2S_35_70C_Lipo_Pack_EU_Warehouse_.html). The question is, does this need a UBEC to connect to the receiver, and what's the best connectors for this?
After that, I think I have everything I need! :D
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Fuselage taking shape...
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/angry_muppet/DSC_0025.JPG)
I'm hoping she's square! :shock: If not, she'll be a handful! :oops:
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Depends, up to 1.2 metres that I expect to be throwing about a bit - park flyer rx, any larger and it gets a full range RX. I've some bits for a 1.5 m span thermaller and it will be getting a full range RX.
I reckon that around 1.2 metres for a glider (e.g. quark micro) is the limit as I'd not be able to see it if it went much more than 100 metres out, well, not enough to control with any precision (ahem).
I drop that further for power models as they tend to be bigger in cross section, and in general get flown further out (in my experience anyway)
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4 ch for £20 > http://alshobbies.com/shop/lookupstock.php?pc=55210
6 ch for £30 > http://alshobbies.com/shop/lookupstock.php?pc=57008
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Hi muppet (this will never get old for me) a 2 cell lipo will put out 8.4 volts at a full charge which will likely fry.the rx and servos, most will only take up to 6 volts. also 200 mah is quite a low capacity and probably wouldnt last a whole day flying. my personal preference is to try and use as big a battery up front as it needs to balance and save putting useless lead in there. an 1100 two cell should fit in there (will post measurements of a pack later) and a small ubec or sbec to step down the voltage to 5 colts. alternatively you can use an nimh pack which outputs voltage at 4.8 volts and skip the ubec but i have never used one as they are imo fiddly to charge and useless for powered models.
pls excuse typos as on phone.
edit. also save your money and go for a low c rating pack unless you will be using it for powered flying.
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I have the 4 ch spectrum rx for 30 euro. New. Can bring to mount l sat week.
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I have to say that I don’t really understand the trend of using Li-Po’s to power radio receivers’ and servos in gliders. :?:
The cost of a 2 cell Li-Po of around 1000mAh capacity is about the same as a 4 cell Ni-MH of the same capacity. The Ni-MH battery puts out exactly the correct voltage for rx and servos to operate with and doesn’t require the addition of a voltage regulator, (call it a Ubec / Sbec or whatever). Therefore the Ni-Mh works out cheaper. :)
Whilst a 4 cell Ni-Mh is heavier than a 2 cell Li-Po of the same capacity that doesn’t really matter because, as Jumbo says, we all have to add weight to the nose of our gliders to balance them anyway. :)
And finally,…….. Although very unlikely in this day and age, but has been mentioned on this forum before, the risk that the more connecters and electrical gadgets you use in a model, (voltage regulator in this case), the greater the risk of something going wrong.
So although the Nickel Metal-Hydride battery is very much “old technology” in comparison with Lithium Polymers, when it comes to non-powered flight, I would say this is one of those rare situations where older is better. 8)
I suggest that the only benefit that a Li-Po can offer over a Ni-MH (in this situation) is that it can be completely recharged in just one hour. :)
Question: Is that one up side worth the downsides? Depends on your point of view!
Finally, while on the subject of batteries for model flight. I read an article today about a new type of re-chargeable battery that is close to production. Based on Aluminium and Graphite is has the advantage of being able to be re-charged in a matter of minutes, and even better from our point of view, it’s flexible and can be moulded into almost any shape. Should be no problem to mould it right into the nose of a glider then!
Even further down the road is the promise of Graphene batteries. This stuff could revolutionise the whole electronics industry,…..but it’s a good few years away yet.
The Keithy will now step down from his soap box, take a gracious bow, and retire to bed. Good Night all.
Little Keith
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:lol: :lol: :lol: Keith I use lipo's cause they hold their charge and if I wanted to go flying now I can and wouldn't have to wait about for the nimh batteries to charge plus when using spectrum receivers you don't want the voltage to drop and end up browning out
:D
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Hey Andy, :D
You’re right, Li-Po’s don’t self discharge as much as Ni-MH and, as mentioned, they can be fully charged in a hour.
I guess I was looking at it from a personal perspective in that I always re-charge models the night before I fly them, or I “top them up” as I’m driving to the slope. (To be sure, to be sure :lol: )
As for Spectrum Rx’s ‘browning out.’ I’m sure this problem is not unique to Spectrum. Surely any Rx can brown out, either through loss of signal or loss of voltage. In this regard it matters not if the model is being powered by Li-Po’s or Ni-MH batteries. Once the battery voltage drops below the rx’s operating voltage, the rx stops working. Then, when the rx (and all the servos) are no longer drawing any current, the battery voltage will recover slightly allowing the rx to re-boot,….. and the whole process repeats itself.
You know yourself Andy, the knack is to be sure the battery has sufficient charge before you launch, whatever type of battery is in it.
Oh, and the other thing you need to remember is……. to switch the model on before you launch it. Ask me how I know! :oops: :cry:
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:D :D :D I remember putting a thermal model up on a winch without turning it on :oops: :oops: lol
A small down side to the lipo is its a good bit lighter than NiMH and it means more lead
As you say its personal choice I lost faith in the NiMH battaries as I was always worried of them not holding there charge especially when flying large models
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Rogallo, what receiver is it? You being it and I'll bring the money! Pardon my ignorance, but you can programme a DX8 to use two channels for ailerons and one each for elevator and rudder?
Keith, for me the merit of the LiPo option is the fact that I only need one charger. I know it does mean an additional point of failure, but that's the trade off.
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You should be able to program the DX8 to operate that way.
You could use lipos without regulators, most rx's can handle that but you'd need high voltage servos and they tend to cost quite a lot of Guinness tokens!
Brownout can, and does, happen to any electric appliance what ever the name of said gadget, the next phase is a bit worse and called blackout, that one can surpass the appliance level and happen to humans too! :roll:
Spektrum got the ill rep for brownouts from the early days of DSM when it took quite a few seconds to re-establish connections after a brownout.
That was fixed with DSM2 and modern incarnations take fraction of a second to start up again.
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Talking of servos; they're the next thing to be fitted...
I'm thinking of placing two small bits of balsa to screw them into rather than glue them in place.
The clearance for the servo arm through the underside of the wing through the ply mount is minimal, I would consider connecting everything up to make sure they move right. But if I want to try and have it ready for the 18th, what is suggested for keeping the fitment square?
I'll put up a picture later, after work.
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wrap in masking tape and epoxy. Simple and easy to field repair.
Just a thought
R
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After a little work tonight, here's how she looks...
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/angry_muppet/DSC_0028.JPG)(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/angry_muppet/DSC_0029.JPG)
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/angry_muppet/DSC_0030.JPG)(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/angry_muppet/DSC_0031.JPG)
One question, should I have put the curved part of the control horn flush with what the curve should be at the hinge? :oops:
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/angry_muppet/DSC_0032.JPG)
As you can see, the outline of the tail assembly is there; over the weekend I hope to get more done on, and hopefully finish, the main wings.
Do I cover and then glue on the tailplane, or glue and then cover, or is it just a matter of preference? And, crucially, how do I make sure it's straight? I think the afternoon end fuselage is slightly favouring the right and the nose, the left... :x
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Checking that the fuse, wings and any other part of the build is straight is something that is a constant part of any ongoing build. Whenever you’re about to glue parts together check first to ensure that the build is straight. Check it again immediately after glueing, and in my case, I check it again when the glue is set,…not that there is normally much I can do about the matter if it isn’t! :roll:
Your fuse is of a ‘built up’ design. If there is a slight bend or twist you might be able to straighten it out when you come to fit the covering.
By applying a little more heat to the covering on one side of the fuse you might be able to shrink that side a fraction more, so the covering pulls the airframe straight. Of course, this can only happen if the covering on the opposite side has enough slack to allow the fuse to straighten.
Talking of covering,……fit the tail to the fuse and then cover the airframe. Start covering on the bottom, and work forwards and upwards. What I mean is, start at the underside of the tail. Then do the underside of the fuse working forward, overlapping the joins of the covering by aprox 5mm. Try to ensure there are as few joins as possible.
Next cover the sides of the fuse, again starting at the back and working forward. Then of course finish the model by covering the top, starting at the back and working forward. The idea of starting at the back and working forwards is so all the joins in the covering face backwards so if any of them start to come unstuck they wont catch in the airflow and open up all the more.
Small twists and distortions of the airframe wont stop the model from flying so don’t worry too much if the finished produce isn’t perfectly straight. Some of my models that have been repaired umpteen times are quite bent, ( the fuse of my P6 looks like a banana) but they still fly. I just have to trim out the tendency for the models to fly in circles! :lol:
Oh, and finally………turn your blood predictive text off will you. :evil: Then may be we can understand what you’re talking about…….”I think the afternoon end fuselage is slightly favouring the right “ WHAT??? :!: :!:
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Well, in the afternoon I do tend to drift right and become a grammar fascist...
In the length of the fuselage, the warp is about 5mm. I was hoping that you would say that the covering will pull it in as it doesn't take much pressure to take the warp out.
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As of last night, both wings have most of the balsa sheeting on. In some fashion... I've found it exceedingly difficult to keep the sheeting in place to allow the glue to set. Using clips and tongue depressors seemed to work ok when you finally got the clip to stay on.
The leading edge requires shaping and I need to fit the extension wires for the aileron servos and leave a hole to pass them into the fuse. I think a little epoxy to hold them in place?
Just the sheeting to be done on the nose and base of the fuselage as well.
After that, out comes the iron!
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Hi angry,
Try using cellotape to hold sheeting down.
John.
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Latest update:
Wings completely assembled; now require the leading edge to be shaped.
Fuselage has the snakes in place, but not glued to allow alignment with the final position of the servos.
Some sheeting to be done - talk about springy, it just doesn't want to stay down to get stuck!
Pics to follow.
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You could try cutting it roughly to shape and then soaking it (really soaking it, overnight or longer) and then tape it into place to allow it to dry. I've heard of people using crepe bandages for this. You need to be careful with the pressure points otherwise you can end up with a 'starved horse' look
Not a task I particularly enjoy, but needs must.
If its something like wing sheeting you can dampen one side (outer side), it will swell, causing the sheet to curve.
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I started this morning to try and cover some of the more simple areas; my first attempt wasn't so good...
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0053.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0053.jpg.html)
The covering didn't want to stay in line with the base of the fin...
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0055.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0055.jpg.html)
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0054.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0054.jpg.html)
I think the white lines are caused by the glue left behind as the covering shrank?
Any tips for ensuring the covering doesn't curve as it shrinks? Is it as simple a solution as leaving approx half an inch overhang to allow for the shrinkage?
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Angry Muppet
A tip would be to try the covering iron at a lower temperature, you want the iron hot enough to attach the covering and not too hot too hot to shrink it.
Try a bit of covering on some balsa and see what works.
Model looks lovely. I had one years ago and it flew nicely.
Alistair
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Tack down, trim and secure the film around the edges with the iron and let it cool - then heat and shrink the middle part of the surface last without heating the edges again. In this way the film will not pull away. Nice build.
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Hey David,
I think the reason the covering has pulled away from the edge (in the first photo) is either because you didn’t stick that part down too well before you started to shrink the covering,….or, you didn’t dust the wood before you tried to stick the covering.
Always best to dust off the wood you are going to cover. You might have got a coating of sanding dust on it after you’ve sanded smooth all the parts of the airframe and the glue on the covering simply stuck to the dust, not the actual wood itself.
In addition, as Alistair said, you have almost certainly had the iron too hot for the type of covering you are using. It takes a little time to establish the correct temperature for each type of covering. Take your time and turn up the heat gradually, leave the iron for a few minutes to come up to temperature and try it on the covering. If it hasn’t pulled the covering tight then increase the setting a little more and repeat.
Finally, covering compound curves is a very tricky job. I’m crap at it. :( (Tips of the wings, tail plane, top of the fin and the nose are all difficult.) The ability comes with loads of practice. Someone once told me that until you can completely cover a cricket ball with shrink covering and not leave a single crease should you try to cover a model plane! I’d never get a plane in the air if that were the case. :lol:
Cover compound curves a little bit (2mm) at a time and pull the covering tight as you stick the covering to the curve. Failing that simply cut the covering and stick it overlapping a bit at a time.
Now that you are learning all these difficult parts of a build you will never look at another home built model in the same light again. Next time you see a model look at the compound curves and see how well the builder has covered them. It’ll give you an idea of the builders skill level. Ha! :lol:
L. Keith
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Unfortunately I'm covering the plane with a standard clothes iron... Is needs be, I'll just have to attach the covering that way and then set if I can borrow a proper surface iron.
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After receiving my iron on Monday and getting up early this morning, I finally got to try it out... It's certainly easier to use that a domestic iron; is am absolute demon for shirt cuffs! :P I can't wait to try it out on covering film!
Anyway, first attempt went thus;
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/DSC_0063.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/DSC_0063.jpg.html)
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Latest update:
Fuselage is started and the tailplane is complete. The myriad curves and angles of the fuselage are a pain. The photo is the second attempt.
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/DSC_0080.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/DSC_0080.jpg.html)
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/DSC_0081.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/DSC_0081.jpg.html)
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Keep up the good work Muppet :D
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Same here, nice and neat! :clap:
Just a quick one. Why did you stop the fuselage covering mid way in the fuselage?
When you are going to cover the rest, it will be hard to hide the seam as this is not on a "hard" surface, but hollow. Always harder to join when it's hollow if you see what I mean.
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It only looks neat in the picture; it's a little less tidy in reality.
I stopped where I did to give me room to pull it tight before affixing it. I'm going to trim it back and start the next section from a beam/spar/structural portion.
I had hoped to cover the whole of the tail boom in one go, but there's too many angles behind the wing for me to have any confidence in doing a decent job.
In the interim, I've been cutting up a referendum poster as winglets for the wing. It needs a little tlc after landing hard with the rock taped to it. :oops:
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It's only been 4 months... Finally got back to covering one wing the other night; 11" of the wingtip is red, the remainder is white. The tight compound curves are a pain
The elevators will also need to be sorted. I have a feeling one plywood "arm" has walked. Thankfully I did order plastic clevis replacements way back. The attachment may be the issue.
Will post pics later.
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For goodness sake David run after it! A plywood arm that can also walk will be worth a fortune :lol:
Why are you thankful that you ordered plastic replacements way back?
Keith :wink:
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I'm thankful I ordered them because I now don't have to go trying to find them and paying postage for such a small item. I know we need to keep your belovèd wife out of the house to give you peace with your planes.. :wink:
Long view of the first wing...
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/IMG-20151008-WA0011.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/IMG-20151008-WA0011.jpg.html)
Does this make the control horn look big?
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/_20151022_071835.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/_20151022_071835.jpg.html)
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I'm afraid your rather cryptic way of writing makes it impossible for me to make any sense of what you're saying David. :!:
Good Luck with your build anyway :D
Keith
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English isn't my strong point... Bear in mind us Northerners speak a different lingo!
What I meant is that of the two supplied plywood control horns, one has gone missing. Thankfully I have additional plastic control horns I ordered with my other supplies. The issue will be affixing them; do I do it before or after covering the aileron? I think afterwards...
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Right!, now that we've established what you're saying maybe I, and others, will be able to help you.
Yes the control horns normally go on after covering. However.........
As you'll discover, little plastic horns don't normally come with fixing screws. Knowing that you're new to building I wonder if you have any appropriate size screws?
If you do have some screws;.........Warning! drill a hole through the control surface ( a little smaller than the dia of the screw) BEFORE :shock: :shock: you try to put the screw through the wooden frame of the control surface. If you don't you risk splitting the wood as the screw forces it's way through.
If you don't have any appropriate size screws you could probably get away with gluing the horn to the control surface as this build is only a light flyer.
If you do glue it ( thin CA glue is probably best as it will 'wicker' it's way into the wood,) then you'll have to cover the control surface after you've glued the horn in place.
Make sense? :wink:
Keith
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Methinks I have made a mistake in my building... :!:
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/IMG_20151210_212624.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/IMG_20151210_212624.jpg.html)
I've had a look and either one or both wings are out by 1mm at the third wing rib. :?:
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/IMG_20151210_214011.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/IMG_20151210_214011.jpg.html)
Yet again, measure, check, measure, check and measure again before gluing! [-X
Now, my question is, how can I locate the necessary fine ply that is required to manufacture a longer 4.5° wing brace? Or do I have an alternative as I would consider keeping the wing as a single unit. Do feel free to advise whether this is foolish...
(And berate for making such a rookie mistake in building)
Finally, I do hope to fly (crash) the glider when the weather gets better... (in 2016)
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Not sure what you mean when you say the third rib is 1mm 'out.' Out of what?
I think the most interesting factor is the securing dowels......... They are bending upwards. I suspect the elastic bands are too strong and have snapped the wing joiner.
Can't really make out your second picture. What exactly does it show?
Can you explain exactly what has happened David.
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Hi Keith,
What I mean is that it seems that when assembling the wings, the third wing rib is 1mm further towards the wingtip than it should be. Hence, as you can see from the second picture, the ply joiner doesn't make it to the rib. I know the picture is fairly poor, but I'll blame the camera... I'm perfect don't you know! :roll: That allows the wings to flex and therefore won't hold the dihedral that is required. Essentially, the wing joiner is about 170mm and the distance between ribs is 172mm... :!: I think that I can manufacture one from the leftovers from the ply that the wing ribs were cut from.
I'm not sure how I got the positioning of the ribs wrong as I'm convinced that I followed the plans and it'd be relatively difficult not to notice that the rib isn't in the correct place when it's overlaid on the plan during construction... :?
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Hi David,
I may be wrong but I would think the ply wing joiner should slot into a box section built into the wing. Did you neglect to sheet over the top and bottom of the intended box? Did you cut the dowels? They should be single pieces across the fuselage.
John.
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I think John is right David. Wing joiners don't usually come directly into contact with ribs. I think there should be a 'flat sided slot', or 'socket' for the joiner to slide into.
Here's a picture from the plans of one of my old models. (this is from a Spirit Elite) it shows the “socket” that links the first few ribs of a wing half (so spreading the load) and allows the joiner to side into.
Go back to your plans and see if there isn't something similar shown.
(You're not the first person to hit problems with you first build. We've all been to the place where you try fitting the model together and suddenly felt a rather hollow feeling in the pit of our stomachs :oops: )
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Happy%20Days/socket.jpg)
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If it was designed as a one piece wing, it may be that there is no box as the brace would be glued to the spars.
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It was designed as a split wing; the first three wing ribs had balsa sheeting applied from LE to TE. The bottom sheet had to be cut flush with the cutout in the rib to insert the joiner.
The joiner can be inserted fine, it's just that it doesn't reach far enough to be supported by the third rib (leftmost W1 in the pic below). I'll happily live with a 1 piece wing if it makes it easier to fit, strengthen and work with!
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/DSC_0421.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/DSC_0421.jpg.html)
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my twopence worth is that the plan says dihedral brace not wing joiner, i.e. one pience wing.
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Watch this video carefully. Although this modeller has modified his two piece skylark wing to take an extra brace near the LE when I stop frame the image showing the 1st rib it looks to me as the joiner (Dihedral Brace) fits between the upper and lower parts of the main spar.
Your picture of the plan shows the brace to be 172mm long. Half that length equals 86mm and 86mm from the root of the wing will take the brace up to the edge of the third rib.
What I'm saying is that, a) the brace is not supposed to go any further into the wing, and b) the third rib is in the correct place.
If you want to, before you do anything that you might later regret, bring the wing, plans and instruction down to my place and I'll have a look at it.
I've looked on many web sites and I can find no one else who has had a problem with this aspect. With all due respect to you, that fact suggests to me that you've missed something either in the instructions or the plan, David.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_0sMo88xpk
L:ittle Keith
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I might just take you up on that Keith... It'llprobably be in the new year at this stage.
Looking at that video, it really does look like I did it wrong... :? I have to say, the instructions are so incredibly clear I just don't know how I could have got it wrong... :shock:
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The beauty of balsa construction, anything is fixable.
John.
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I totally agree with you John, mouldies are fine to look at, and fly well but are a real pain to repair. Personally I try to avoid them :lol:
L. Keith
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So, after meeting with Little Keith, I have started modifying/repairing the wing before the plane even gets flown! :-\
This is what I started with...
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0425.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0425.jpg.html)
As you can see, the dihedral brace sits proud of the wing rib. That's what made me assume that the brace needed a cut-out on the underside of the wing.
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0466.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0466.jpg.html)
Unfortunately, doing that (making a cut-out) resulted in THIS... >:(
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/IMG_20151210_212624.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20
+ Attachments and other optionsPics/IMG_20151210_212624.jpg.html)
Getting busy with a junior hacksaw blade and a scrap of coarse sandpaper allowed me to deepen the notch in the ribs.
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0470.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0470.jpg.html)
And a little bit of sawing and sanding gave me two light ply "mounts" to fit against Rib 3, two strips of light ply and balsa to recover the base of the wing and support the brace and two pieces to fit to Rib 3 to hold the brace (as it's too short to make it to Rib 3).
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0469.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0469.jpg.html)
I think that was the easy bit... Actually gluing in the piece to hold the brace is going to be fiddly. L. Keith has also kindly donated a scrap of light ply from which I can fashion a replacement brace (for the inevitable hard landing).
After this, I still need to see about removing the covering from the tail plane to correctly create the bevel to allow deflection.
Maybe, just maybe, she'll be ready to fly for the spring! It's only taken approx 49 weeks so far! :o
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So, the latest update...
I manufactured and fitted the nice additional bits as suggested by Little Keith...
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0467_2.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0467_2.jpg.html)
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0468_1.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0468_1.jpg.html)
It all looks nice and clean and well repaired. Lets see how it all fits together...
The answer? It doesn't... >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0469_1.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0469_1.jpg.html)
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0471.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0471.jpg.html)
Ain't that just sweet!
A 1.5mm ply brace that snaps when you try and fit the elastics to the wing.
My question is: "what now?"
I have enough ply to remake one brace, but this is likely to happen again. I have 2 carbon rods from a previously crashed plane which could be used... My issue will be getting more 1.5mm balsa/ply to resurface the wing again. :'( If anyone is placing an order or can direct to anywhere in the SE that will have a little in stock, let me know.
Positives? It's all learning for No 2... :P
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Hi,
That looks like lightply which is not suitable for the wing joiner. Get proper hard plywood and make a new one.
John.
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I'm wondering why the joiner broke just by putting the bands on the wings? :-\
David, when the wing halves are joined together the underside of the them should look like a rather flat "V". The very bottom (or point ) of that "V" should protrude into the cavity of the fuse and the underside of the wings should rest on the top of the fuse..
I'm thinking that the only way for the bands to have snapped the joiner is if the bottom of the "V" was resting on something causing the wing sit too high and 'rock' from side to side. The bands would then have been trying to pull the dihedral of the wing 'flat' and so snapped the wing joiner
Keith
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Hi,
I would suggest that you use some good quality 3mm hard ply / Birch ply and make the joiner full depth or perhaps 1mm less. To install simply cut slot out of both top and bottom skins and using saw remove just enough of the ribs to allow it slot in. Glue to both top and bottom spars and leave a slight gap at the top and bottom which can then be capped with balsa and sanded back. Also ensure that the grain is running along the brace which is normally the direction that provides most strength, from your photo it looks like the grain was vertical in the joiner that you made. To spread the load at the joint between the two wing halves onto the skins you could also use some 50mm wide white bandage and lay across the joint between the two wing halves it can be glued down using white glue rubbed in. This would reinforce the but joint at the wing root.
Hope this helps
Joe
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Hi,
Just one more observation, are you actually gluing the two wing halves together as the brace is just that a brace to reinforce the joint. The joint along the two root ribs looks very cleanly broken if it was glued.
Joe
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The answer is, no I hadn't glued the brace. I wanted to check the fit and alignment before I would do that.
There isn't anything that is protruding that is causing the wings to rock. Everything seems to be A-OK.
A full depth brace sounds like a reasonable idea; I have 1.5mm ply blank which I could use. Obviously 3mm is stronger... And heavier... The question is does the build warrant a 3mm brace when the ribs are all 1.5mm?
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Hi,
Its the spar that takes the wing load not the ribs they are there to give it shape and support leading and trailing edge. You could use 1.5mm good quality ply as that is what is proposed on the plan. However if you are unsure of the quality of the ply use 3mm hard ply not light ply. The root ribs should also be glued together as the dihedral brace is intended to transfer the wing loads along the spar, it is not intended to take torsional loads or prevent the wing from twisting, this may be the issue you were having while braking the braces that you have already installed. The use of bandage that I suggested would reinforce the but joint at the root ribs without going overboard on weight or strength.
Joe
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If the wing joiner had broken due to a heavy landing or such like I could understand it breaking, but this model has never flown.
Before modifying the plane, my desire would be to find what is causing suffieient stress to snap the joiner while the model is still on the bench.
K.
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One question, which may be irrelevant...
Does it matter how the retaining elastics are fitted? I had them perpendicular to the span. Would it make a difference if they were fitted diagonally? As in, forming an X across the centre of the wing?
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You'd normally use 4 bands David. One, (on each wing half,) would be parallel to the fuse, and the remaining two would form a cross. The amount of "stretch" of each band is normally somewhere in the region of 20 - 25%. So if the root chord of the wing is 10 inches (distance from the front to the back of the wing ) use a band that was 8 inches long when 'relaxed'. There is no hard or fast rule on this but for a non aerobatic model like yours all the bands are really doing is holding the weight of the fuse when the model is in flight.
One of the benefits of banded wings is that on a heavy landing the bands snap rather than the airframe breaking.
K.
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Forgive me for using metric measurements...
The wing chord is 158mm
The distance between centers of the wing mounting dowels is approx 147mm
The relaxed length of the supplied band is 105mm...
As the band needs to "wrap around" the wing to the dowel, we're talking a stretched length of 170mm... That's triple the figure suggested by Little Keith
Is it possible the bands are creating too much force on the wing?
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I suspect that it is the bands that are supplying the force that broke the first joiner, but I'm having trouble understanding how. :o The tension that the bands apply when simply holding the wing to the fuse shouldn't stress the wing joiner,........ provided both wing halves are level. Which you've already said they are.
David, when the two wing halves are joined together on a flat surface (kitchen table I believe in your case ;)) with the wing joiner in place..................is the top of the L.E and top of the T.E of each wing half level. Or does the front (or rear) of one wing half stand up proud above the other wing half?
I'm thinking that if one wing half is twisted or warped, or the joiner isn't sitting flush against the side of the spar, then when you fit the bands, they might be applying torsional stress (or twist) to the joiner which will cause it to snap!
K.
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Slightly surprised that the distance between the dowels is less than the wing chord? It would usually be the same or very slightly more. With it being less you're effectively "pinching" the wing with the bands, as they have to go back under the LE or TE to get to the dowel. Having said that I suspect it's mainly the band tension and the use of Lite ply that are the issue. If the band is going from 105mm to over 158mm thats over 50% stretch and I'm surprised you're not damaging things just getting them on! Couple that with a lite ply brace and somethings bound to give!
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Kudos to Rogallo who kindly provided me with a few off-cuts of birch ply to reconstruct the brace! 8)
A pair of braces have now been manufactured to fill the full depth of the wing; I can now report back on the state of affairs...
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0485_1.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0485_1.jpg.html)
There is a small amount of difference in the underside of the wing (about 2 - 3mm). This appears to be due to a misgluing of the TE on the port wing with a slight upward inflection. :-[ (No... I didn't glue the LE in upside down...) There doesn't appear to be any difference in the majority of the underside; the LE and balsa sheeting are flush. I would doubt that such a minor deflection wouldn't cause excessive torsion or create an issue with control? It would (theoretically) slightly affect the attitude of the aircraft by altering the wing's angle of attack... :-X
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0486.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0486.jpg.html)
Any ideas before I glue the lot together?
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Loads of epoxy and cover it up. It will be fine, ever see any of my models!
Twill be grande 8)
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The point of no return...
Dihedral angle triple and quadruple checked... 2.25" at the wingtip for 4° dihedral. Who is going to now tell me I'm wrong? :o
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0490_edit_1456519727479.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0490_edit_1456519727479.jpg.html)
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Hang on David. I've just zoomed in on that picture and looked at the wing saddle area of the fuselage. I see there is a fuselage former in the middle of the saddle area, along with two dowels.
Are you quite sure that when the assembled wing is placed onto the saddle, that the underside of the wing only comes into contact with the top edges of the fuselage, and is not touching either the top of the former or the dowels?
Just a thought ol' fruit ;)
Keith
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I've checked this morning Keith and I can report that it doesn't appear to come in contact with the former or dowels.
The wing sits level and doesn't rock either... I really didn't want to risk damage, so really light bands were used.
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0485.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0485.jpg.html)
Weight as in the picture below is 370g (just a shade over 13oz) at present. The aircraft is sitting "free", there are no supports on the wing, so it seems relatively balanced?
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0485.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0485.jpg.html)
Although, note to self: 30 minute epoxy does not solidify in 30 minutes... Nor does it solidify in 2 hours... But it does overnight. >:( the wing root has shifted by approx 1 - 2mm. It's preferable to having the wing chewed by a daft mutt, but lesson learned... :-[
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the wing root has shifted by approx 1 - 2mm. It's preferable to having the wing chewed by a daft mutt, but lesson learned... :-[
The wing root is the part of the wing that is closet to the fuse.. In what manor has it shifted David?
Yes the balance looks good so far, you'll know more when the ailerons are fitted and all the covering is on.
Regarding glues,......I think that 30 minute setting time refer to the amount of time that you can "work" with the glue. (Move the parts around before the glue sets to the point where it becomes too stiff to allow further movement.) Although in my experience a 30 minute glue normally means about 10 minutes! :-\
Overall the models' looking good. well done
Keith
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When I say the root has shifted, what I mean is that the root of each wing no longer sit flush. One is approx 1mm higher than the other. This will have had some effect on the dihedral as the wing has rotated on the outer end of the brace.
Ailerons, elevators and rudder have been cut to allow hinging with tape. I need to affix control horns to the ailerons - I've found that my little bottle of CA glue has hardened. >:(
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Tonight's work...
(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk114/davidnwilson1984/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0498.jpg) (http://s278.photobucket.com/user/davidnwilson1984/media/Forum%20Pics/DSC_0498.jpg.html)
I already had it sanded and covered; based on Keith's suggestion of hinging method, I stripped it back and resanded the profile to hinge easily with tape. I think 1/2" Blenderm tape would have sufficed...
So far, it's looking like I could have it ready for a birthday launch 8) (April).
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I always run my blenderm tape the full length of the control surface, it stops bits of grass and stuff getting stuck in there and ensures a more even motion of the surface.
Hinging is always a bit of a PITA so normally I firstly use two or three tiny pieces of cellotape to hold the control surface in the correct position, then I apply enough blenderm to extend over both ends, finally I trim the overhanging tape to be flush with the edges.
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Amazing scale build gliders with accuracy.
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Plus 1 for Jumbo's reply. I use masking tape to line things up rather than cellotape. It comes off more easily.