theb1bman

I'll have more photos and video soon

theb1bman

more photos

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

That's pretty cool. What's the weight of the CF Funjet VS the foam one?

theb1bman

12oz heavier
all up foam is about 20oz mine is 32oz but after 150mph my wing should stay on

timrob

Wow, looking awesome! I will watch this one keenly. Any idea when you will be maidening? What will you use to power? Keep up the good work b1bman!

Tim

theb1bman

I have already done the maiden flight with a slow set up. As soon as if get my motor I will be going for 200mph with this set up 2 3cell 2200 70c batt, 100apm Ice speed control, NEU 1512/2.5d motor 5x5 prop all this comes up to 1800watt 98apms and over 50,000 rpm on the prop [X(]

theb1bman

theb1bman

heres a sort video of the CF funjet flying
http://www.youtube.com/user/b1bman#p/u/13/NeC9tNoVP80

and a slide show of the making of it
http://www.youtube.com/user/b1bman#p/u/12/pfFXjTnSOPk

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

So I use to live in steamboat springs, CO,.......I only have 1 question, how do you drive the bimmer in grand juntion come winter time?!

theb1bman

very carefully being I tow a trailer with it full of tools

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

I was just picking on you, I had a GMC S-15 and a BMW 320I, I use to drive the bimmer to sleeping giant to go to work sometimes, it's not that much fun, but it made it almost anywhere. But I almost have to say towing with a BMW is against any sane persons logic, I just use my cherokee.

theb1bman

no offense taken but I can put a little logic in it. I ask most of the guy's on the job that give me a hard time or pock fun
Hey how much did that big truck cost you? most answer 30,000 plus
next I ask what kinda gas mileage do you get ? some say 10 mpg to 19mpg
then I tell them what I got. The car was used and I picked it up for 10,000 and with the trailer I get 25mpg and with out it I get 32 mpg
I have been towing the trailer for 4 years and working in Denver 31/2 years of that. Way more snow there than Grand Junction and have not missed a day of work and the car is still running good with 200,000 miles Plus I look good in it HAHAHAHA

die yuppie scum

theb1bman

the funjet with a chase plane video
http://www.youtube.com/user/b1bman#p/u/12/2_hJ3nGmKCE

HarryL

That's really cool!!!!  How long did it take you to do all that?

theb1bman

about a year
but I did not work on it for 8 months
so thats four months time start to finish

theb1bman

got my new speed control

Tyrant21

Very nice job man, I'm impressed. I was actually just about to start a very similar funjet project and I happened to look up and see that you did the same. I was going to do the hinges about the same too and I'm glad to see that they worked for you. I was going to use aluminum tubing because they fit perfectly into each other and are lightweight, but I see what you did might make more sense. Haha, I'm even using the West system epoxy as well! (not that it makes a difference really). I wasn't going to use carbon though. I bought some unidirectional carbon weave and was going to cut it into strips and use it to make a grid, but the skin would be thin glass.

A couple questions. I see that in your mold the top half was made really shallow so that it would be hard to get a battery and other stuff in there... But, in a later picture it looks like you made it look the same as the normal funjet, with the groove and everything in the centerline. How did you do that? Did you cut out parts of the shallow section and had a 3rd piece for the floor of the interior? Interesting, and I've been turning this thing around trying to figure out exactly how I'm going to do this. I thought I would fiberglass the outside with a very thin layer of facing glass so that sanding and polishing woulbe be easy (for release) and I was going to use lightweight spackle to try to get the proper form...then clay for making the parts of the mold that I don't want on the plane (i intend not to destroy the plane and fly it if possible). Also, why does the canopy piece have a piece that protrudes downward into the fuselage? Or is that just part of how you made the mold for structure?

Thanks a lot, and congradulations...that is very badass!

theb1bman

the batt tray mold was the first one I made buy poring plaster in the batt tray.
then I filled the tray with foam and covered it with plastic
I am not sher what your asking about the canopy but the rear of each canopy protrudes the rear one go's under motor skin and front go's under rear canopy to hold them on the plane

don't try to hard to save the plane but try harder to build a nice mold the you can make as many as you want

I dont know if you saw this video but it has some better pics
http://www.youtube.com/user/b1bman#p/u/41/pfFXjTnSOPk

let me know if this helps

theb1bman

oh ya dont use aluminum glue dose not stick very will that was my first try then used the carbon tube and rod

Tyrant21

Thanks for the reply and for the information.

I experimented with the aluminum and had a similar issue with the epoxy sticking to it. I built a tail for a slowstick type plane just to mess around and got it to work by looping over and connecting to the control surface or stabilizer. This worked well but I'm not trying to go 200mph though, haha. I posted the pic here, it's a messy job but the goal wasn't to be pretty, just functional. I'll probably go with carbon tubing like you if I can find some pieces that fits perfectly. The aluminum fits so well it can't be more snug and still move completely freely. The only issue is strength...that material is so thin and weak.

Also, it's very good to know about not planning on keeping the plane. I've been going back and forth the past couple days on whether to glass the plane or not to make a mould. Glass would add weight but make a smoother and better prototype for a mould. It seems like the best way to get rid of the foam contour without having extra sanding when the mould is made. Also, I only thought about plaster for a brief moment, and it's good to know that's how you did the interior fuselage. I have made a couple trips to tap plastic store and was considering using one of those pour type of moulding materials and glass the outside of it for rigidity of the mould...but then I decided on straight glassing. I watched an instructional video on youtube and he used about 11 layers to make his mould.

I was trying to figure out a way to use polyester resin for the mould so that Icould go really heavy with fiberglass/resin and not spend a fortune on resin but I don't see a realistic way. I tried to put a layer of glass down and primed it (not on this funjet) and it didn't provide enough protection from the chemicals so ended up degrading. I figure even if Iuse a lot of resin making the mould it's going to be less than a funjet, so whatever...it will just be a lot of epoxy used. This is the 4th funjet one I've bought so it's an investment.

Did you use wax as your release agent?

Wait, I just reread your comment. Did you use plaster for the entire mould? Interesting idea. OrI wonder how well it would work to use say 4 layers of epoxy/glss and then some other material behind it for strength.

Thanks again, your comments helped a lot!

Tyrant21

Oh yea, also...
You made that piece with the cross sections of the wing to join the wing halves, with the rod going through them. I figured out a way of doing that but there might be an easier way than the way I thought of. I thought of using the complete mould to make two halves and then laying down a couple layers of thin mylar (which epoxy can't stick to) to replicate the thickness of the wing wall..., building the wing and then cut slim sections and make the pieces, create walls on the lateral sides. then coating the sections with guerrilla glue when I put the plane together (the guerilla glue expands and gets very strong). I know you must've done a more simple way because Ialready suspect I'm working too hard to do that, and so I thought I'd ask. I hope what I just said makes sense. Thanks again!