Well, duh!
12-24-2013, 07:30 AM
#3
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It looks like those little Multiplex gliders but is marketed up here by Great Hobbies. They have the airframe only for $19.95, and a kit with servos, motor, prop, speed control/ESC, for $65.
http://www.greathobbies.com/producti...d_id=TGHRCSHGK
http://www.greathobbies.com/producti...d_id=TGHRCSHGK
12-28-2013, 09:34 PM
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Spent some time on this thing today, got some peace and quiet and managed to avoid prepping stuff for the in-law family thing tomorrow. In the morning I have to make meatballs and show up somewhere I don't want to be at 12:30. Oh well, the pie is always great, though the conversation tends to be stunningly boring. Not a geek in the crowd. I just wanna stay home and play with toys, I don't wanna go anywhere. I know how 5 year olds feel.
CA'ed on a firewall, sanded it to blend in with the fuselage - got it to match the OD of the .010 tank reasonably cleanly. One 1/2" wide strip of light glass around the fuse/firewall junction, given the piss poor surface properties of EPO foam the epoxy will form little more than a mechanical lock with the sanded surface, but it will distribute some load from the firewall, which was probably strong enough butt-glued on anyways. Probably adds some resistance to clumsy fingers in the pits if nothing else.
I absolutely hate those twin pushrod aileron setups with the rods intersecting at the center in a set-screw type connector. I got it all mounted, tested and working, centered, then tightened the set screw tight as I dared. Slid the wing in to the fuse, snagged the servo arm and connector as they dragged across the fuselage saddles, and swung the servo arm - that's when I noticed one aileron hard over. Turns out I had a tight grip on one pushrod and a sissy grip on the other. But, I can't seem to get both to lock and I stripped the connector.. so gave up in frustration and came upstairs for cake and an episode of something funny before bed.
I'll fix it on a clear frame of mind, maybe in the morning while the meatballs are baking.. hmm..
BTW weight with 250 mAh 2s Lipo, regulator, radio gear and engine was 107 grams, before I probably added 5 grams on the firewall fuel proofing and reinforcement, so with incidentals I expect about 115-118g. The TD reportedly puts out 20-21W peak power. That works out to 79-80W/lb. Should be fine.
I really like small LiPo's and regulators so far.
CA'ed on a firewall, sanded it to blend in with the fuselage - got it to match the OD of the .010 tank reasonably cleanly. One 1/2" wide strip of light glass around the fuse/firewall junction, given the piss poor surface properties of EPO foam the epoxy will form little more than a mechanical lock with the sanded surface, but it will distribute some load from the firewall, which was probably strong enough butt-glued on anyways. Probably adds some resistance to clumsy fingers in the pits if nothing else.
I absolutely hate those twin pushrod aileron setups with the rods intersecting at the center in a set-screw type connector. I got it all mounted, tested and working, centered, then tightened the set screw tight as I dared. Slid the wing in to the fuse, snagged the servo arm and connector as they dragged across the fuselage saddles, and swung the servo arm - that's when I noticed one aileron hard over. Turns out I had a tight grip on one pushrod and a sissy grip on the other. But, I can't seem to get both to lock and I stripped the connector.. so gave up in frustration and came upstairs for cake and an episode of something funny before bed.
I'll fix it on a clear frame of mind, maybe in the morning while the meatballs are baking.. hmm..
BTW weight with 250 mAh 2s Lipo, regulator, radio gear and engine was 107 grams, before I probably added 5 grams on the firewall fuel proofing and reinforcement, so with incidentals I expect about 115-118g. The TD reportedly puts out 20-21W peak power. That works out to 79-80W/lb. Should be fine.
I really like small LiPo's and regulators so far.
12-29-2013, 09:15 AM
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2s with regulator.
Here it is, all equipment in, haven't terminated the elevator and rudder linkages yet. Nears a coat of clear Lustrekote fuelproofing over the artshop paints. AUW is 122 grams = 4.3 oz. Wish I had a 2.5x2 prop though.
Here it is, all equipment in, haven't terminated the elevator and rudder linkages yet. Nears a coat of clear Lustrekote fuelproofing over the artshop paints. AUW is 122 grams = 4.3 oz. Wish I had a 2.5x2 prop though.
12-31-2013, 03:42 PM
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Got it all together today. Light was failing and it was cold and windy, but in the lower ball diamond out back there is some shelter, so I got in a couple of test glides. But no problems, a good straight toss, it arced down like it needed some back trim, pulled a little back stick and it smoothed out in a nice flat glide for I dunno, 60-70 feet. Second toss, the elevator horn cracked in the cold with just a minor bump - I think they are styrene or some other similar material. I'll replace that and wait for the winds to go away before power flight. I think there will be no surprises on the test flight, it feels pretty solid already. The CG was definitely a touch forward, I've moved the battery to a compartment Zona sawed out over the wing and then glued back in, all a bit barbarically. This is probably a good .020 candidate as well BTW, though I suggest that the thin stab gets some span-wise reinforcement, and the rudder is a bit flimsy in the area where the boost tab starts - the boost tab puts a bit of load there esp. if you bump it..
12-31-2013, 07:59 PM
#14
A decent control horn costs the manufacturer how much....? I've used white "down spout" plastic [PVC?] that would never break in this application and they cost practically nothing, too.
If it failed for you [I realize it is cold] the same thing has to have happened to many others and that would smear a fecal stain on not just the folks who make the model but also the folks who take your money when you order it.
If it failed for you [I realize it is cold] the same thing has to have happened to many others and that would smear a fecal stain on not just the folks who make the model but also the folks who take your money when you order it.
12-31-2013, 10:40 PM
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I ditched the stock connectors on the elevator and rudder control horns, and used micro ball links for 1/32" wire instead - they fit perfectly and now there is no great chunk of brass billet for the locking screw (could it be any heavier?). The pushrods are tweaked to remove side forces on the ball as well. Sometimes solid wire pushrods surprise me by working so freely and they can create very tight linkages. When they aren't bent in an 80 degree arc..
I freed up the aileron linkages best I could but they were still tighter than anything I would normally pass as a successful installation. The supplied aileron servo weighed 8.5 grams, and I wanted to replace the supplied control horn and connector anyway since it had stripped earlier. So this morning I sacrificed 0.5g extra weight and dropped in a beefier HS65HB. I'll add that for the sake of the engine. I also soldered the two pushrod wires at the junction before clamping them in the new connector. The servo certainly expends a bit of useful energy moving the ailerons due to the tightish radius for the solid wire rods, but, it is by no means overly strained and seems to handle it without fuss. I am using a 300mAh Rx battery so I see no issues with capacity. Should be able to safely fly a few times on a charge, and I have a field charger so away we go.. soon as the clear coat dries and the winds fade. 8 degrees F and 20mph winds today. Blah.
If this turns out to be a good flier and enough fun to warrant building another, I'll use twin aileron servos, maybe HS-35's? Or little Dymond servos, forget the number. With a direct linkage, two nano servos would handle the small ailerons just fine. Engine vibes notwithstanding. I wonder if the rubbery nose will help.
Now I remembered I have a hot little Hacker motor somewhere.. I wonder how big a pack it can hold. Maybe I should get a case of them for the winter, there are enough power options lying around.
I freed up the aileron linkages best I could but they were still tighter than anything I would normally pass as a successful installation. The supplied aileron servo weighed 8.5 grams, and I wanted to replace the supplied control horn and connector anyway since it had stripped earlier. So this morning I sacrificed 0.5g extra weight and dropped in a beefier HS65HB. I'll add that for the sake of the engine. I also soldered the two pushrod wires at the junction before clamping them in the new connector. The servo certainly expends a bit of useful energy moving the ailerons due to the tightish radius for the solid wire rods, but, it is by no means overly strained and seems to handle it without fuss. I am using a 300mAh Rx battery so I see no issues with capacity. Should be able to safely fly a few times on a charge, and I have a field charger so away we go.. soon as the clear coat dries and the winds fade. 8 degrees F and 20mph winds today. Blah.
If this turns out to be a good flier and enough fun to warrant building another, I'll use twin aileron servos, maybe HS-35's? Or little Dymond servos, forget the number. With a direct linkage, two nano servos would handle the small ailerons just fine. Engine vibes notwithstanding. I wonder if the rubbery nose will help.
Now I remembered I have a hot little Hacker motor somewhere.. I wonder how big a pack it can hold. Maybe I should get a case of them for the winter, there are enough power options lying around.
12-31-2013, 11:15 PM
#16
That's really cold....! If the temp drops around here it always seems to be dead calm, but I don't recall ever seeing single digits. I raise some animals for food, but become their full time servant when it gets below freezing. Imagine the struggle without power like a few generations ago.
Every year I say it's time to take a pair of the mechanic's gloves and lace them with nichrome wire and rechargeable batteries. I think that, plus a propane Mr Ready heater, a hot thermos and then it will become fun to cheat Mother Nature and get some comfortable flying in. The wind is a deal breaker though...then it's time to get out a kite.
Every year I say it's time to take a pair of the mechanic's gloves and lace them with nichrome wire and rechargeable batteries. I think that, plus a propane Mr Ready heater, a hot thermos and then it will become fun to cheat Mother Nature and get some comfortable flying in. The wind is a deal breaker though...then it's time to get out a kite.
01-01-2014, 08:14 AM
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The biggest one for me would be a transmitter mitt that goes all around the darn thing, plus a transmitter tray. Keeping the fingers cozy is everything. Then there is starting the engine.. leaving some glow heat on for 2-3 minutes with the exhaust port closed before starting helps a bit there. Still.. I am not so ambitious that I won't sit inside and whine about the cold until it cheers up a bit. We might be rough and tough Canadians up here in the white north, but we ain't so stupid that we freeze our asses off flying when we could be sitting inside with a hot cuppa and puttering at the workbench. There is a practical limit, that is sometimes tested by vestiges of the good old excitement of youth.
01-03-2014, 04:25 PM
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EDIT: Why did I post this here? If I drank I could blame it on egg nog. I guess I looked at the header and thought "there's the thread I started on this.."
Let the butchering begin. The engine looks bigger when I sit it in place, that's encouraging. Airframe seems more and more suitable the more I putz with it.
I have to get out the epoxy filler and very slightly blister out the sides to accommodate the mounting lugs. Then to form the half cowl underside the engine, then an exhaust tunnel, then time to get out the profile plates and plasticine to form the plug for the top cowl. Should look like something in about 6 weeks..
Let the butchering begin. The engine looks bigger when I sit it in place, that's encouraging. Airframe seems more and more suitable the more I putz with it.
I have to get out the epoxy filler and very slightly blister out the sides to accommodate the mounting lugs. Then to form the half cowl underside the engine, then an exhaust tunnel, then time to get out the profile plates and plasticine to form the plug for the top cowl. Should look like something in about 6 weeks..
Last edited by MJD; 01-04-2014 at 11:15 AM.
