do335a

Great idea, ETpilot.

Every time I've tried something like that, the blasted drill bit has never come out in the correct location. It always seems to curve as soon as the slightest pressure is put on it with the press head.

Must be very careful with those small bits.

Hope it works out for you.

ETpilot

Hey thanks, I know what you mean. IMO, I believe the key is to have a very sharp drill bit then very slowly drill into the wood. Just let the bit do the cutting. This prevents the bit from trying to follow the grain of the wood. I'll be using Poplar which is a straight grain wood so hopefully no problem. It will be a stop hole so it does not come out the other side.

I have to a make 4 thru holes for support blocks for my balsa storage rack. Will see how it turns out. Thanks for the info.

ETpilot

Once you finish the fuselage side you flip it over; top to bottom or left to right. I went left to right so the flat top was away from me. Then I could use my square to check alignment. Take the matching pieces that you had cut. Place them over the completed side. Even all the sides up then pin together. A little weight will keep it from moving. Then just glue in the structural pieces for the second side. This is going fast.

Between the two sides I used that furniture plastic wrap. I'm beginning to like it as it is crystal clear and easy to see things. Plus if it sticks to the wood it comes off easily. The downside is that it is a self stick plastic. So you spread this with door closed and no wind.

ETpilot

The second fuselage side goes together fast. All you have to do is copy the first fuselage side below it. I transfer any marks I may need from the first to the second. Since I use very little CA I have to wait for the glue to dry.

ETpilot

When the glue dries you have matching fuselage sides. All this weighs 12 oz. Speaking of glue, I ran out. I need to visit my LHS which is just over an hour away. I think I'll do that next year. Lol.

ETpilot

Checking the two sides to make sure they match. I made a few mini triangles. Here they are at the front and rear to check fuselage length. Both are the same length. Looking good.

ETpilot

A little mock-up of the parts completed. I made a mess gluing in the piece above the wing cutout. I'll have to clean that up. Looks like a 4" wide fuselage will work. Starting to look "Somewhat" like an airplane.

Skyhawk940

Lookin' good. Looks like it's going to be light. I was surprised how heavy mine was(10 lbs wet), but the 120 pulls it just fine.

Skyhawk

ETpilot

Thanks Skyhawk. It will gain a little weight as time goes on. I like hatch access so will add one. Need to cut and drill the tail piece then start joining the fuselage sides. I decided to go with 1* down thrust 0* right. Almost time to start on the wing. Hitching a ride with a friend to the bigger city so I will restock my glue supply today. I also need to buy a 6” and 48” ruler. It will help with the building.

I hope you are staying warm up North. This winter blast will be here in a few days. Getting down to 19* which is cold for my area. Wood stove will work hard those days.

ETpilot

So, I went to my LHS and surprise!!! No Epoxy glue. The owner said that during the Christmas Season there is a run on glue for decorations. So he ran out. All I bought was a ½ oz. bottle of CA. I guess it will be next year when I get my Epoxy glue. I got some Titebond II glue at Lowe's.

I made 2 cardboard engine mounts to see what looks best. One even with airplane straight sides and the other narrowing a bit at the front. I like the narrow front look best. It is not much just going from 4” to 3.5”. I think it will work out. Will see. Time to cut some plywood.

Skyhawk940

Be careful with that CA glue.I have to use the odorless CA.The regular CA really messes up my sinuses for DAYS even if I use just a little. The odorless doesn’t bother me at all and works fine, but more $$$.
Skyhawk

ETpilot

CA doesn't seem to affect me in any ill way. However the fumes have gotten to me a couple of times when I wasn't too careful using it. I don't use much. Today I was using an acid brush. The bristles tend to separate as you use it. I put a couple of CA drops at the crimp holding the bristles. Seems to help.

Well I'm totally out of Epoxy. Fuselage is now on hold. With any spare time I will start on the wing. Cutting wing ribs.

So I went out to my shed looking for something. I saw this old TV stand that I wanted to sell. I immediately thought RC. I dragged it out, cleaned it up and placed it in my small office. I transferred all my parts from the table saw outfeed table to the TV stand. Working good. Easier to use my table saw. The mini color TV works good. You just have to get up and close. Lol.

do335a

The problem with the CA glue is that your intolerance increases over time. Then suddenly, it's a major problem, not just for your sinuses but also your eyes.

And once that happens, your intolerance seems to never go away. It's as though you become permanently allergic to the stuff.

That happened to me too after using the stuff. So it's now on my forbidden list.

ETpilot

Skyhawk and do335a thanks for the info about CA. Good to know. I've read on other threads where some have had side effects from CA. I always try to use it in a well ventilated area and stand upwind.

Happy New Year to all.

ETpilot

Here is where I am at with the wing ribs. I like to stack cut my ribs. I first determined the position of the tip rib in relation to the root rib. I positioned the tip rib over the root rib then drilled a 1/4” hole thru both ribs at each end of the tip rib.

I placed the root rib over a stack of 10 rib blanks. Using the holes in the root rib as a guide I drilled the stack of rib blanks. I placed a dowel in each hole to hold the root rib and stacked rib blanks together. I then cut ribs following the root rib as a guide. This stack is for the right wing. I have another stack of rib blanks ready to drill and cut for the left wing. The waste pieces will be saved. They could be used for something later.

The tip rib in the picture is just there for illustration purpose

ETpilot

Today was a beautiful day. It started out at freezing temperature but slowly warmed up. I finally was able to open the shop door. I worked out in the sunlight and even took my jacket off. Deep freeze is about over then more normal temperatures. Yes!!!

Yesterday I wanted to work sanding the rib blanks. However I found I did not like the thick templates I made. Just too thick. Sanding would require also sanding the tip rib. To use templates like this you really need 1 root rib and 2 tip ribs. I decided to make new templates out of Formica which is what I used before. Working with Formica is best using a bandsaw and belt sander. You cut as close to the line as possible to minimize sanding. I made 2 root and 2 tip ribs for left and right wing.

Here is a rib stack ready to sand. I first start out bolting it all together. Later I change the bolts for dowels as I get close to sanding the bolt head. I mark and cut the waste LE and TE area. Then I use a knife to whittle down the excess wood for less sanding. The picture shows the thin Formica compared to the thick templates.

ETpilot

Here is one stack done and one ready for sanding. Sanding takes about 45-60 minutes.

gyrocptr

My 2cents: If you're sanding down a rib-stack between the root and tip templates, the root rib (balsa) should be placed on the outboard faceof the root template. Otherwise it will be too small when you sand off the edge-taper.

ETpilot

That is not the way I do it.

ETpilot

Both stacks done. I'll mark and number the ribs and compare them for size. Both stacks were sanded with one 60 grit paper on the sanding block. The Dollar Tree hand air pump came in handy for blowing away the sanding dust. $1.00 well spent. LOL.

Skyhawk940

Interesting way to do it. I used my outer foam forms and cut them where I wanted the ribs to be and traced the shape onto a pattern. Now I have rib patterns so I can make a builtup wing if I want.

Skyhawk

ETpilot

Yes, there are different ways to make ribs and build a wing. I just read a technique for drawing out tapered wing ribs. I'm going to try it out to see how it works. LHS still out of glue. I may have to order online. Now that the weather is warmer I'm going to work on my balsa storage rack. It had been in my way and I'm constantly walking over it. Need it out of my way.

ETpilot

I had a few things going the last few days. Never got to work on this build nor my storage rack.

Today I had some time and got a few things done on this build. As I stated there are different ways to make ribs and build a wing. A tapered wing is a more complex build. My method for building it is to use a wing jig. I made a wing jig for my previous build. Only problem now is I need Epoxy glue plus longer steel rods for my jig. The rods I have are too short for this wing. I hope to get what I need this week. I can't get too much accomplished without those 2 items. .

With the ribs sanded they are not in final form. They are oversized. So I take the 2 balsa tip ribs and 2 root ribs and sand them to final shape using the Formica templates. I also compare the ribs to each other to get a mirror image on each wing. When on the jig these ribs will be my master templates. The other ribs will be final sanded to shape using the tip and root rib as a template. I'll wrap the edge on the tip and root ribs with masking tape. Then final sand the interior ribs to final size. It may not be perfect but it works. Each wing panel will be built on the jig then joined to make the complete wing.

In the picture I aligned the ribs in position on my plan and marked and cut the excess LE. It makes final sanding easier.

Skyhawk940

Just started on an OV-10 Bronco electric build. Got the plans when I got the Kaos plans. Uses two 400 size motors. WS about 43 inches. Have most of the patterns cut. Started cutting wood today.

Skyhawk

ETpilot

I was not familiar with the Bronco. I had to look it up. Neat looking airplane. I like that twin boom, T tail look. Are you going to make your own canopy? Interesting windshield and canopy.

I have a plan from the 70’s. Similar looking, twin boom, T tail, 25* sweep on the wing. Designed with a pusher engine which I did not want to mess with. Started the build back then but quit. Fast forward to today and I'm now thinking maybe electric or ducted fan. I have to learn a bit. Not very knowledgeable with those propulsion systems.

Anyway, good luck with that build. Are you going to do a build thread?