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Pole Dancer - Sport Pylon Racer for Cox Sure Start

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Pole Dancer - Sport Pylon Racer for Cox Sure Start

Old 11-04-2013, 09:17 PM
  #26  
straitnickel
 
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looks good and uncomplicated 049flyer, at this point you have not used any power tools right? I got to try this out this winter.
Old 11-04-2013, 09:29 PM
  #27  
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I must confess that I used my electric saw to cut out the ply bulkheads. If you don't have an electric saw and you decide to build the plane, send me a private message and I'll try to fix you up.
Old 11-04-2013, 09:56 PM
  #28  
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the plywood I should be able to do I have a coping saw and a bench type belt and disc sander I've made some small parts before repairs but not precisely shaped parts like a rib.

Last edited by straitnickel; 11-05-2013 at 05:35 AM. Reason: got off topic
Old 11-07-2013, 08:48 AM
  #29  
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Made a little progress the past day or two.

After gluing all of the doublers, wing saddle and horizontal stab supports on I removed the fuselage sides from the board clamped them together back to back and sanded till they were identical.

Next I clamped one side to the building board to attach the fuselage formers. Remember the reference line? It will come in handy with the next couple of steps.

I installed the firewall, F2 and F3 using the reference line to make sure they were perfectly square and then made sure they were perfectly square with the building table. When satisfied I glued them in with 30 min epoxy and clamped in position and re-checked for alignment.

After the epoxy cured I trial fitted the other fuselage side. The second fuselage side is identical to the other, so if I install it perfectly on top of the other side I should be able to place my 90 angle against the sides at any point and they should be aligned with each other. I again used 30 min epoxy to glue the other side to the formers, checked alignment with my square and clamped. Then checked alignment one more time.
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Old 11-07-2013, 09:02 AM
  #30  
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Next I turned the fuselage over so it was right side up, then glued a short piece of balsa scrap with a straight edge onto the reference line on the firewall so that it extended to the building table. I then lined up the scrap to a line on my table, with the reference line on F3 and with the reference line on my table. Then I pulled the tail together over the same reference line on the table, trimmed the triangle supports to fit and glued it together using 30 min epoxy and clamps as necessary. No worries about banana shaped fuselages with this method!

Next I sheeted the bottom using 1/16 inch balsa glued on cross grain with Ambroid glue. The plans show 3/32 balsa back to F3 but I thought I would try using all 1/16 balsa to see if the plane holds up as well. That's the great part about building your own plane, you can try different things.

Finally trim and sand as necessary.
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Old 11-07-2013, 10:31 AM
  #31  
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Looking good so far. I always enjoy the scratch build threads.
Old 11-07-2013, 11:02 AM
  #32  
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Nice to see a project go together without CA glue. CA usage has become a "bad habit" that I've intended to get away from, but haven't done yet.
You've got a real straight looking foundation to build from with your magnetic jiggery and a system that makes the building process a more efficient use of your time.
Old 11-07-2013, 11:17 AM
  #33  
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I rarely use CA glue. It leads to haste and haste leads to mistakes. I prefer Ambroid for general construction. White glue and epoxy are also very useful. Ambroid has a unique set of benefits that make it incredibly useful for smaller models.

CA is only used to tack something in place, repairs and hinging. Other than that I don't use it much.
Old 11-07-2013, 12:00 PM
  #34  
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what an awesome table with those magnets and clamps to build on, can't help but wanting that, I can see from the pis's what a benefit it is
I might try Ambroid someday Tightbond has always worked for me, It's less expensive than CA or Epoxy too
Old 11-07-2013, 12:57 PM
  #35  
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I'm off today so working a bit more on the Pole Dancer.

Time to work on the horizontal stab.

My biggest headache when building planes is hinging. I've tried just about every kind of hinge made and just about every device designed to help with the task. I know most people use CA hinges and I have used them from time to time but was never was able to make them work as well as my tried and true method of sewn hinges. On small planes it is pretty tough to cut the slots into 3/32 or even 1/16 balsa without making a mess of the wood or cutting up your fingers. On larger planes it is tough to get the slots perfectly aligned to eliminate binding. And heaven help you if the wood is really hard!

About a year ago I came across a tool that makes hinging something I actually look forward to because it is so simple. The device is so simple you'll wonder why you didn't think of it yourself. You can even make your own. I can't believe that in 40 years of modeling I hadn't come across this sooner.

It is the Harry Higley hinge tool and It works VERY well. The basic idea is they mount xacto knives into a block of aluminum so that the blades stick out parallel to your work surface. You elevate the item to be hinged with balsa spacers, playing cards or in my case credit card type hotel guest keys. Anyway you elevate the piece until the blades are exactly aligned with the desired hinge line. You then just slide the blade into the wood, wiggle around a bit and move on to the next hinge. As long as the tool and the piece to be hinged are held aligned with the table surface you can't screw it up. And as long as the blades are sharp, hard wood is not a problem either.

See the pics. This scrap piece is 3/32 inch thick and it looks like there is loads of room to cut the hinge!

I can now use CA hinges on 1/16 inch balsa surfaces!

Easy, Peasy Lemon Squeezy!
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Old 11-07-2013, 01:05 PM
  #36  
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you finally got set-up right for sure, I'd be surprised again if it got any easier than that
Old 11-07-2013, 01:07 PM
  #37  
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So I cut hinge slots into the horizontal stab and then glued on the vertical stab braces onto the horizontal stab using the reference line as a guide. Wait for the glue to dry, I used Ambroid again. Then just stick the vertical stab in the resulting slot and everything self aligns. The plans show 1/4 inch triangle stock but I think I'll change them to 1/8 inch square sticks instead like I used here. Lighter and plenty strong.

When the glue is dry I test fit the stab assembly into the slots in the fuselage. If it is a little tight or needs a bit of adjusting use a sanding stick stolen from your wife's drawer of fingernail maintenance supplies. You'll find all sorts of useful modeling stuff in that drawer!

Don't worry, just tell her I said it was OK to help yourself!
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Old 11-07-2013, 01:13 PM
  #38  
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Now I mixed up some 30 minute epoxy and prepared to glue the stab assembly onto the fuselage. I made sure that the reference line on the stab was lined up with the back end of the fuselage and then used a tape measure and a straight pin stuck into F3 at the reference line to measure from the centerline on F3 to each stab tip. Made one final measurement of the horizontal stab alignment on either side with a ruler so that each tip is an equal distance from the table top. Time for a break.
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Last edited by 049flyer; 11-07-2013 at 01:17 PM.
Old 11-07-2013, 01:14 PM
  #39  
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Don't worry, LOL
Old 11-07-2013, 03:05 PM
  #40  
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Strait:

Thanks for the comments. The grid magnet board is from something called a Magna Jig. It was sold years ago by Tower Hobbies. The plastic jig pieces were crap but the board and magnets worked OK. My Mother in Law bought it for me for Christmas a long time ago. She was the best Mother in Law a guy could have! Even bought me some new Callaway golf clubs a couple of years later.

The wood clamps I bought from the guy that runs airfieldmodels.com. Great website for building info by the way. Anyway he likes magnetic jig systems and was selling these clamps to be used by folks that were building their own magnetic jig system. I bought a bunch of them.

I think it is the best system since the building board!
Old 11-07-2013, 05:33 PM
  #41  
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I'm going to look around for a board some, I saw one another time awhile back now it looks essential.


your mother in-law huh?
Old 11-08-2013, 04:17 PM
  #42  
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I keep noticing how neat the edges of the wood are, they look as good as a kit, there must be something to it, what do you cut your wood on?
Old 11-08-2013, 06:51 PM
  #43  
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No magic tool. Just a sharp #11 xacto knife, metal straight edge, and sand paper. Thanks for the comments though.
Old 11-09-2013, 08:43 PM
  #44  
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Originally Posted by 049flyer
For the past year or so my flying buddies and I have been having a blast chasing each other around pylons with planes powered by Cox Sure Start Engines. Just a gentleman's race, nothing too serious, just the fun of watching 3 or 4 Cox powered planes screaming around the pylons in close proximity to each other. Intentional cuts are allowed in order to keep all of the planes together in a pack while sort of trying to avoid a mid-air. No one really wants to be too fast or too slow. The only rule is reed valve engines only, anything else goes!

We started out building GLH type planes but found them a little too big and heavy for sporty performance with a Sure Start. I decided to design something just for Sure Start engines.

My design goals were as follows:

1. High wing for easy hand launches and easy servo installation.
2. Ready to fly weight - 12 oz maximum
3. Fully symmetrical wing
4. Maximum durability as mid-airs do happen!
5. Easy to build and pleasing to look at
6. Elevated horizontal stab to avoid catching on the grass on landing
7. Rounded fuselage bottom for fun slip and slide landings

While looking through some old RCM magazines I came upon the Quickie designed by Fred Reese. I used this design as a basis for the Pole Dancer and set about drawing the new plane in CAD. I drew full size plans and even templates that can be printed on any 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper or better still card stock.

Collectively we have built about 6 Pole Dancers between us and we agree that the plane is a BLAST. It flies fast and goes where you point it! The wing loading is light enough to allow whipping around the pylons, BANK and YANK! When the engine quits it glides like a sport plane not a floating glide like some 1/2a planes, this one is on it's way down but in a nice manageable manner. Most of the time if the engine quits anywhere on the course, if you turn toward the runway as soon as the engine quits, you'll make it without problems. If you delay, you walk.

If there is any interest I can post the plans and templates and I'll document my latest build here so everyone can join in the fun! You can cut your own wing or I'll cut one for you for foam, postage and a couple of bucks to buy more Cox parts.

Anyone interested?

what does GLH stand for in the 1st. post
Old 11-09-2013, 09:07 PM
  #45  
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Goes Like Heck!!!
Old 11-09-2013, 09:30 PM
  #46  
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GLH was a popular 1/2a pylon racer for Cox TD engines and were designed to compete in the AMA 1/2a class. Ace produced a kit of the GLH which utilized their molded foam wings. The Cox Sure Start of today puts out less power than the TD engines making the GLH a little less of a performer when powered with the SS. I have had good luck shrinking the old Pylon racer designs like the GLH by 10% or so when using them with the Cox SS instead of the TD.
Old 11-11-2013, 07:07 AM
  #47  
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Had to slow down on my build for a day or two. Family obligations, chores, work and nice flying/racing weather.

I cut a slot into a piece of 1/16 balsa for the aft fuselage top, slid it into place with a little glue, Ambroid of course. Next a little piece of scrap to go under the rudder. Next sheet the windshield area in the front. I divided the Windshield sheet into two parts because I wanted a small hatch in order to get to the fuel plumbing. I split the windshield in half and tack glued (Used CA!) the hatch portion on for sanding, and glued the remainder on with Ambroid.

Finally sand and trim to shape. Fuselage is done. Now on to the wing!
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Old 11-17-2013, 09:00 AM
  #48  
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Just updated the plans. Nothing major. Added more detail. See first page of thread for pics and plans.
Old 12-13-2013, 07:44 AM
  #49  
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Are you tied-up with the holidays 049flyer?, It's been quite for a while now.
Old 06-06-2017, 12:35 PM
  #50  
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anyone still cutting pole dancer wings?

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