FlyingPilgrim

My Feedback: (26)

Been flying glow for years, and love it. A friend gave me a new Cox Spitfire 3-ch electric (he really meant well). I was happy. I never would have bought an electric, but since it was free, what the heck? So I buy the stuff to make it work (teeny weenie charger, rec, batt, servos), the special $7 per bottle glue for foamies, and I get out my high powered reading glasses, 'cause the little bits are so tiny. All went well until final assembly. electrics soldered together, tested, etc, final glue the fuse halves together, and when I flip the switch..., nothing. No way to open this puppy up after it's glued together, so I go at it with my x-acto and single edge razor. Bloody hell, the fuse comes apart in several pieces. No problem, I got lots of $7 per bottle CA, right? This stuff glues my fingers, but won't kick off on the foam! What a bloody mess! OK, I found that I had plugged in the ESC backwards (rec don't have any of those nice features that let you only plug it in the right way! BTW, why don't they color code the wires BLACK for negative instead of BROWN?

First reaction is to set the whole mess on fire in my driveway, while I have a cold bevvy.
Second reaction is to sell the whole mess on ebay / RCU auction, and lick my wounds and go home.
Then I think, I ain't giving up that easy!! I will not be beaten!!
I got out the Scotch magic tape (I need some majic by now), glue the parts back together dispite the ugly joint lines, (I learned that foam glue is really slow to kick off by now, and my fingers are feeling pretty encrusted with it). This thing will fly, even if I have to strap it on the back of one of my glow powered planes!!

If I can get it to go OK, since I spent some coin on the parts to make it work, I guess I'll buy another new one for $20, take out my parts from this one, and build a new one. Call it a $20 lesson, I guess.

Did I tell you I hate electrics?

resle

wait so the reason u hate electrics is because u plugged the esc in backwards and couldnt get at it because u glued everything in there? seems a little over the top to medo u glue your glow planes tight so that u cant get at it? im not making fun of u im just wondering y u would do that?oh and imo hot glue is alot easier to work with

FlyingPilgrim

My Feedback: (26)

It was "tongue in cheek" post, in case you couldn't tell. I was making fun of my own mistake. We all get frustrated now and then. This particular plane is designed that once it is sealed up, you cannot access any of the innards. Never mind, now that I had to explain, it lost the intent. You were supposed to be ammused.[]

jdetray

Pilgrim-

I think the only answer is for you to give away all of your e-flight gear ... preferably to me! How else to remove the aggravation?

Yes, I think that is the only sensible course of action!

- Jeff

pflumitch

My Feedback: (1)

i liked the story, got a good laugh over it. If you stay with it, get used to the fingers glued together thing. Some of people i know in the club have those cox warbirds, i personally think it was horribly thought out under engineered piece of crap....but thats me. Best of luck to ya...

P

Troy-RCU

My Feedback: (1)

I've seen some great videos of these with the right motor and batt. combo. Guys flying in their front yard doing some big sweeping cubans and loops. Scale speed is smokin, then slow down and just plop on the lawn for landing.

You are experiencing what many folks do when they switch over to tiny little airframes. Whole new ballgame...

Re the negativity: I just think there are a lot of folks who are still sensitive about the bashing us "E" flyers get so your title envites some of that. Sometimes it's hard to read sarcasm or humor in the written word...one of the problems with discussion groups.

nice video to keep you motivated:
http://members.aol.com/icsiremote/minicorsair.wmv

FlyingPilgrim

My Feedback: (26)

Thanks for the support, guys, I can use all I can get!! I did eventually fly this puppy today. First try revealed not enough control throw, and i had a high-speed crash into the brick side of my house. Broke the #1 prop, smashed a little piece of styro off the nose, no biggie. Prop #2, more control throw, and add right trim, it flew, but now overwhelming power. Speed was fast, but since there are no ailerons, roll control was tough to handle. I was able to get it to the ground safely after a couple rounds of the back yard. Next flight, what the hell, I'll try a loop. full throttle, dive for speed, oops, went sideways, WHY CAN'T I FLATTEN IT OUT??? (Oh yeah, no ailerons, DUH!!!). Full speed dive into a tree. Fuse is now smashed in two. More $7 per bottle CA, a few pieces of majic tape (it's starting to look like the Frankenstein Monster now with lots of pieces parts fused together to other respective parts). At least I don't have to strip Monokote to do repairs!

I'm thinking I need something with all four channels, but hey, what do I know?

God bless those of you that can make 'em run!

Flyfalcons

Troy, is that your plane in the video? It looks like it is really dialed in well!

Troy-RCU

My Feedback: (1)

Nope, can't take credit for that. I found it while lurking in threads about these.

FlyingPilgrim

My Feedback: (26)

OK, I decided I'm gonna trash the foamie, but might as well make good use of the micro receiver, 10 amp ESC, and these cute little servos, so I'm looking for a 4-ch aerobatic plane to put them in that is not too fast/twitchy. I was looking at the great planes arf, I think they call it Micro Whizz, any better suggestions for basic aerobatics? Other option is the GWS 3-D Tigermoth. Looks like I will have to buy better servos for either (plus motor). Don't worry, I'll do a search, open for suggestions, though.

lcbabj

My Feedback: (7)

Hey FlyingPilgrim. There is not one of us who have flown park flyers for any length of time that has not flown a flying ball of epoxy or CA. We've all done it. No shame in it at all. When all is said and done, once you double the weight of the plane with expoxy and/or CA, it's all good experince trying to CG a flying ball of glue, or for that matter just making it fly again. I have flown electrics years ago that were so glued and so ugly it made me laugh when airborn. When a spectator looks at your plane while flying and says "what is that" you know you have won that battle. If it cannot be identified, but still flown, you have conquered park flyers and electric flight. Hang tough.

FlyingPilgrim

My Feedback: (26)

Hey, Chris. I've had glow planes that I've piled into the turf at high speed low level snap rolls that have lots of extra glue and ply doublers that still fly well in spite of their extra payload!!!!! No reason my electric should be any different, right? I'm guessing a few grams makes a big difference when you're talking about these planes that weigh about as much as a tissue with a booger in it! I was even thinking of designing & building my own design to use this "E"-quipment. I won't fly another 3-ch, and I'm thinking a 4-ch stick design. Maybe a glass or CF boom for fuse. What do you think? I'm surprised at how expensive the small e-planes are, kit or arf. They cost as much as a 40 size glow!! (OK, almost)

Neurotex

I don't know, maybe your approach to electric is a little befuddled.
Did I say befuddled? You seem to be in good humor about the whole
situation but at the same time don't seem to take it too seriously.

Forget the smelly fuel and take a breather from it. The electrics are
a different breed. The people, to say the least, are too. There's a
different mind set. Much more attention is given to weight & balance
not to mention the tremendous amount of patience that is needed
to deal with many unexpected glitches that crop up.

Delve deeper grasshopper. Find that electric ID that lurks just below
the surface of a sputtering glow. It's well worth it in the end and in
the field.

FlyingPilgrim

My Feedback: (26)

Neurotex, I guess I'm not able to snatch the pebbles from the master's hand yet (Kung-Fu was a great show, eh? If you remember that, we're about the same age!!). I really ignored e-flight until now, just because I really am into IC engines. I will no doubt delve deeper into the mysteries of e-flight, but I'm looking for an inexpensive aerobatic plane that will get me by when I don't have time to go to the field. It seems like they are a little pricey for the amount of plane you get in comparison to the larger models (how expensive is foam, right?). I did learn that you need to turn the plane off right after you pick it up (my wife thought I tried to slit my wrists, it was just a little prop arc, though). I'm trying to clip a playing card in the prop with a clothes pin to make some "putta-putta" noise.

BTW, If you are ever in Canton area, bump me and I'll take you to our field.

Neurotex

Sure, sounds great.
Since you were a fan of the show Kung Fu I have no doubt now that you'll
master the mind set needed for success as your forearms lift the burning
cauldron of e-flight.

Flypaper 2

Pilgrim :
You might try one of the Ikarus Shockys . Trace the outlines onto bristol board for patterns to make more out of. 3 mil. depron a sheet can be bought up here for about 8 bucks and you can make a plane and a half out of a sheet. Make sure it's the front half so you can hang a motor on it. These are tough, fun planes. I use a car jumpstarter at the field to charge batts. and operate the hot glue gun . Jumpstarter has a built in inverter.

Neurotex

Don't see anything in your hangar Pilgrim.
Any pics of what you got going so far?

FlyingPilgrim

My Feedback: (26)

No, no pics in my folder here. I've been working on a couple glow planes (just finished a Goldberg Ultimate, and working on a TF Elder), so my E-flite will have to wait while do my research.

Gord, thanks for the Ikarus suggestion, I'll dig into it more.

Jeff

Flypaper 2

Jeff:
Reading over your first post, I found out a while ago that in North America ground is black but in Europe brown is. Hot glue is foams best friend. If you do get aShocky start off with the throws at about half of what they show and it makes a fun sportplane.

FlyingPilgrim

My Feedback: (26)

OK, Thank, Gord. I'm not sure I can get used to the flat surfaces (unrealistic) of the Shocky. Just seems "cheesey" to me. I'd rather have a built up structure or even a molded foam unit that looked more "real". I might just custom build something or maybe convert one of the Guillows (sp?) kits.

Matt Kirsch

My Feedback: (21)

Doesn't look like anyone hit on this little factoid, but the foam-safe CA requires kicker. It's mandatory... This is because CA requires moisture to cure, and while there's moisture in the fibers of even the driest balsa, there's no moisture in styrofoam, or at least not enough.

FlyingPilgrim

My Feedback: (26)

Matt, good to know. I was afraid the kicker would melt the foam.

Flypaper 2

Jeff:
You do need foam safe kicker too. I use Great Planes kicker which is foam safe. Also Zap O by Pacer for foam safe CA. Good point Matt. It's those little things that can bite you.

flew2high

I have a TM 3d, flies pretty well on the stock 350, though I am converting it to a brushless setup soon. It's a good cheap airframe, looks great in the air. I am using GWS std naro's in it, you could probably get away with whatever you have as it's a fairly slow flyer on an 11x4.7 prop and there isn't a whole lot of stress on the control surfaces. Worst case you crash and use some of that $7 glue to fix it. Hot glue is ok, but it's heavy relative to CA and epoxy.