1/2a Sure Shark tank
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1/2a Sure Shark tank
Greetings all. i really loved my 1/2a sure shark, but the film canister tank mount I have for the engine sucks. I am tired of trying to fly this plane with these canisters that frequently crack and leak into the plane. Any ideas as to what I can use as a tank for this plane? I would love to get her back into the air on the 049. If I cant find a suitable tank, I will likely electrify her. (the shame of it all)
Thanks for any help ahead of time yall.
Digger
Thanks for any help ahead of time yall.
Digger
#5
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Greetings all. i really loved my 1/2a sure shark, but the film canister tank mount I have for the engine sucks. I am tired of trying to fly this plane with these canisters that frequently crack and leak into the plane. Any ideas as to what I can use as a tank for this plane? I would love to get her back into the air on the 049. If I cant find a suitable tank, I will likely electrify her. (the shame of it all)
Thanks for any help ahead of time yall.
Digger
Thanks for any help ahead of time yall.
Digger
#6
The 1oz tanks that Cox Int sells would be a good option. I've heard good things about them but haven't stalled one of mine yet. I have been using 1oz Sullivan round tanks for years with good success. The fuel line that comes with them is not good, though. Too stiff. I use 1/2A tubing with a homemade clunk for aerobatic flight. Put down the brushless motor! Keep that Sure Shark noisy!
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AJ, it is the clear canisters that crack. The black ones don't fit. I have ordered a couple of the cox round one oz tanks. We'll see how they work. And....I was weak, but only for a second. I didn't mean it. . (I need a battery in a red circle with a line through it emoji)
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I realized I didn't explain well enough. I am using a JK Aeroteck slick mount. The film canisters snap on to the back of the mount. If you leave them on too long, the canister cracks from the pressure of the mount. I think maybe the slick mount is just a little too big around.
#9
I have a couple of tbose mounts but never felt comfortable enough to put one on a plane and fly it. Always felt the canister might snap off during a landing plus it has too much excess weight and size for many 1/2A planes. I also didn't feel comfortable cutting such a huge hole in my firewall to install it. Makes a decent engine test stand rig, though. That's how one of mine has seen lots of service. You'll probably be much happier with the Cox Int tanks.
#10
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Latex balloon bladders last for ages in these tanks. Different when you don't stretch them like a pressure bladder.
This has a fancy 90 fitting pressed in through an undersize hole, but most of them I make with silicone tubing through a tight fitting punched hole.They work nicely on muffler pressure and on crankcase pressure. The tape is Kapton - not because the film is special, that's not necessary. But it comes with a silicone adhesive, so on first application on a non-oily surface it sticks tight and spilled fuel doesn't bother it.
#11
Light weight is the way to go really any time you can get away with it.
I like making these with rubber test tube stoppers aka bungs, using
small bottles off of ebay. I have made many thus far like these.
Good for .010 / .020 / .049 and .06 engines. I use heat shrink to
keep the rubber plug from migrating.
I like making these with rubber test tube stoppers aka bungs, using
small bottles off of ebay. I have made many thus far like these.
Good for .010 / .020 / .049 and .06 engines. I use heat shrink to
keep the rubber plug from migrating.
Last edited by Pond Skipper; 03-25-2018 at 09:13 PM.
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The best small clunk tubing I have used so far is the 1/2A silicone line from Texas timers. It only needs a piece of brass tube and maybe a tiny bit of weight to clunk well.
I have tried heat shrink over the cap/body, but the film cans are such soft PE that you really have to watch the temp.
I have tried heat shrink over the cap/body, but the film cans are such soft PE that you really have to watch the temp.
#14
On the 1oz tank I used a brass pressure nipple as a clunk. The 3/4oz tank could use it too.
The 1oz shown is currently being used with the Nano III and can fly inverted with no flame
outs.
The 1oz shown is currently being used with the Nano III and can fly inverted with no flame
outs.
Last edited by Pond Skipper; 03-26-2018 at 10:01 PM.
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Great advice MJD. I would not have thought of that, but it makes perfect sense. I like the mounts except for this aspect it would be nice to not have to change it out in this particular plane. I have another full kit that I think I will put one of the cox tanks in when I build. (boy they are nice) I also think i will put an 061 norvel in this next one. Make it a real screamer! Thanks again
Digger
Digger
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I've been meaning to do this for a while, so having just scored a handful of Al cigar tubes, last evening I roughed out a .940" OD x 4" bladder tank that works out to 41cc capacity. The part I really wanted to do was the mid-bladder seteup. It has a latex bladder pinned at the midpoint and half the length of the tank. It weighs 9g as you see it, so after some cleaning up just need to add the fuel outlet one end, vent the other, and seal the midpoint. This will tuck in nicely behind a snotty little .049/.061 and run for a while on pressure. Skinny setup. I want to build the next speed ship skinny enough that I have to put a blister around the engine mounting lugs.
Forecast so far for the weekend is 20-25 mph winds and 20-26 degrees F.
I am totally stoked to get the Toucan/Profi up with the new pressure system/bladder tank plus moving the battery back out of the way and improving the way-forward CG. It still totally smoked in turns, I did a few double takes and whoa-nellies checking it out and getting initiated. The Boomerang airframe normally races at a substantially higher gross weight, so at around the 10oz mark it floats. Once it warms up I swear the thing might thermal.
Break's over, back to the shop..
Forecast so far for the weekend is 20-25 mph winds and 20-26 degrees F.
I am totally stoked to get the Toucan/Profi up with the new pressure system/bladder tank plus moving the battery back out of the way and improving the way-forward CG. It still totally smoked in turns, I did a few double takes and whoa-nellies checking it out and getting initiated. The Boomerang airframe normally races at a substantially higher gross weight, so at around the 10oz mark it floats. Once it warms up I swear the thing might thermal.
Break's over, back to the shop..