MK Beetle Build
02-23-2011, 02:23 AM
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RE: MK Beetle Build
Thanks for the kind thoughts
We are a good way north of Christchurch so are fine. I dont have any direct relatives there but have friends there and friends of family etc. At this stage I think everyone I know is OK.
My work colleague lives there and his house was trashed but he and his family are OK.
It certainly has been dark days in NZ with the original earthquake and the mine explosion and now this.
Cheers
Tarquin
We are a good way north of Christchurch so are fine. I dont have any direct relatives there but have friends there and friends of family etc. At this stage I think everyone I know is OK.
My work colleague lives there and his house was trashed but he and his family are OK.
It certainly has been dark days in NZ with the original earthquake and the mine explosion and now this.
Cheers
Tarquin
04-11-2011, 11:33 PM
#153
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RE: MK Beetle Build
Jiminies it has been a while since I have made any updates.
I have finally gone out to the shed and done some more work. slowly opening out the wheel wells to put the liners in.
I will take some more pics when there is something useful to show.
Cheers
Tarquin
I have finally gone out to the shed and done some more work. slowly opening out the wheel wells to put the liners in.
I will take some more pics when there is something useful to show.
Cheers
Tarquin
04-14-2011, 08:59 PM
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RE: MK Beetle Build
Hello Everyone
I wrapped the balsa wheel well sides around the nearest round thing I could find in the shed that was the right size - insulation tape. The cool thing with the tape is you can adjust the diameter by taking off a lap or two of tape.
After the sides were made I glued the bottom of the well on and sanded it on the dremel bench sander till the excess material was removed.
I then opened up wing skins until the wells were just a light force fit. I then removed the wells and added yellow glue and re-fitted.
After the glue had dried I sanded off the remaining proud material. Here I started with the dremel sanding wheel then a flat block of sand paper. The trick here of course is not to sand grooves into the wing skin with the edge of the paper.
I have also opened a slot in the top skin to let the retract servo in and opened two holes for the wing servo leads to come out.
Cheers
Tarquin
I wrapped the balsa wheel well sides around the nearest round thing I could find in the shed that was the right size - insulation tape. The cool thing with the tape is you can adjust the diameter by taking off a lap or two of tape.
After the sides were made I glued the bottom of the well on and sanded it on the dremel bench sander till the excess material was removed.
I then opened up wing skins until the wells were just a light force fit. I then removed the wells and added yellow glue and re-fitted.
After the glue had dried I sanded off the remaining proud material. Here I started with the dremel sanding wheel then a flat block of sand paper. The trick here of course is not to sand grooves into the wing skin with the edge of the paper.
I have also opened a slot in the top skin to let the retract servo in and opened two holes for the wing servo leads to come out.
Cheers
Tarquin
04-14-2011, 09:29 PM
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RE: MK Beetle Build
Nice Tarquin,
funny coincidence, I was doing that exact same job last night.
I discovered that Top Flite microballoons bottles produce exactly 2" diameter wells. The plastic material also doesn't adhere to the sheeting if glued and the wells slide up and down nicely so I was able to produce both wells at the same time.
I've been using more wood glue lately rather than CA. Both Gorilla white and my more common GP yellow aliphatic. CA will resist hot water but I don't like the hard edge produced by the CA at the junction in molded pieces. The wood glue however doesn't resist hot water, at least not after a couple of hours, so the pieces end up having to be first molded and then end-glued around the bottle. It works out fine in the end but it would be nice to just be able to end glue my 2*pi length of sheeting, wet it, wrap it and just glue the junction once dry.
Did you use water or ammonia for wrapping? Does your glue hold?
David.
funny coincidence, I was doing that exact same job last night.
I discovered that Top Flite microballoons bottles produce exactly 2" diameter wells. The plastic material also doesn't adhere to the sheeting if glued and the wells slide up and down nicely so I was able to produce both wells at the same time.
I've been using more wood glue lately rather than CA. Both Gorilla white and my more common GP yellow aliphatic. CA will resist hot water but I don't like the hard edge produced by the CA at the junction in molded pieces. The wood glue however doesn't resist hot water, at least not after a couple of hours, so the pieces end up having to be first molded and then end-glued around the bottle. It works out fine in the end but it would be nice to just be able to end glue my 2*pi length of sheeting, wet it, wrap it and just glue the junction once dry.
Did you use water or ammonia for wrapping? Does your glue hold?
David.
04-14-2011, 09:48 PM
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RE: MK Beetle Build
Hi David,
I have done this Balsa wet forming with a mixture of ethyl alcohol and water, but I think it is just the water and some patience what is needed. After bringing the balsa into the shape I like it to be, it has to fixed in this condition somehow, which can be little tricky... Then I am brushing it from all sides which are accessible with water-thinned white glue and let it dry. By that, it will keep this new shape very well.
For the wheel wells I found that the bottom part of a common chocolate milk bottle here in germany has just the right size and shape to serve for this job, done that on 2 planes already now, and the Aurora will be the 3rd one with these.
Attached a photo if the installation in my Pica Duellist.
I have done this Balsa wet forming with a mixture of ethyl alcohol and water, but I think it is just the water and some patience what is needed. After bringing the balsa into the shape I like it to be, it has to fixed in this condition somehow, which can be little tricky... Then I am brushing it from all sides which are accessible with water-thinned white glue and let it dry. By that, it will keep this new shape very well.
For the wheel wells I found that the bottom part of a common chocolate milk bottle here in germany has just the right size and shape to serve for this job, done that on 2 planes already now, and the Aurora will be the 3rd one with these.
Attached a photo if the installation in my Pica Duellist.
04-15-2011, 01:14 AM
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RE: MK Beetle Build
Hello David
I have used mostly yellow wood glue for this build. I agree that CA gives a hard edge that make lumps when you try to sand glued and not glued parts. In this case I used the yellow glue for the main connection and just used a couple of tiny spots of thick CA to hold it in place.
The end grain pieces of balsa from the kit were edge joined together with the smallest amount of thick CA and accelerator. I then wrapped the strip around the tape roll form dry. I thought I might have to wet the outside but got away with it. I then used CA to join the strip into a circle. I glued the base on with the form in place to keep the circle shape.
I used a piece of sand paper wrapped around the tape (larger dia) to open out the wings skins to accept the wells and try to keep the openings as round as possible.
Cheers
Tarquin
I have used mostly yellow wood glue for this build. I agree that CA gives a hard edge that make lumps when you try to sand glued and not glued parts. In this case I used the yellow glue for the main connection and just used a couple of tiny spots of thick CA to hold it in place.
The end grain pieces of balsa from the kit were edge joined together with the smallest amount of thick CA and accelerator. I then wrapped the strip around the tape roll form dry. I thought I might have to wet the outside but got away with it. I then used CA to join the strip into a circle. I glued the base on with the form in place to keep the circle shape.
I used a piece of sand paper wrapped around the tape (larger dia) to open out the wings skins to accept the wells and try to keep the openings as round as possible.
Cheers
Tarquin
04-15-2011, 08:59 PM
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RE: MK Beetle Build
Fellas,
thanks for your feedback.
Tarquin, is it humid down your ways in autumn? After the winter here, the air is so dry that just bending a piece of thin 1/16" slightly can crack it. Water or some other agent to get those wood cells nice and fat is a must in order to wrap a 2" circle. On the other hand, after the summer, the opposite is probably true. In the late summer and early fall, humidity here is pretty high. It's a good time to grow mushrooms and make wheel wells...
I used the floor bonding technique while still on the "mold" as well. I decided against CA though and just held three 1/3 sections cut from 3" wide 1/16" balsa in position with rubber bands around the microballoons container. I then applied gorilla wood glue at the joints between the rubber bands. After a couple of hours, I peeled the bands off and added a little more glue at the seams now that the bands were no longer needed. Again, once dry, I sanded the outside of the wells to get rid of the excess glue and any band remains. What I liked about this approach was that there is never any glue on the inside of the well. The wood glue just penetrates the grain but doesn't pass through and dry on the inside. This allows one to sand the inside edge smooth beforehand and then, if desired, one can even use film covering to line the wells instead of paint - just an option.
The nice thing about doing this in a dry climate (at the moment) is that the balsa molds overnight (actually it molds pretty fast - water would be gone in a few hours) and then locks into place as it dry's so one can prep a bunch of wells if desired for future builds. In the fall, this wouldn't work. The balsa would remain flexible. The whole humidity thing actually plays into when its best to do certain tasks like covering a model. If it is too dry, it can end up warping after being covered when some of the humidity returns. Covering during the late Spring and Summer is not a bad time.
I'm looking forward to seeing those colours flow on to that beauty some day soon.
David.
thanks for your feedback.
Tarquin, is it humid down your ways in autumn? After the winter here, the air is so dry that just bending a piece of thin 1/16" slightly can crack it. Water or some other agent to get those wood cells nice and fat is a must in order to wrap a 2" circle. On the other hand, after the summer, the opposite is probably true. In the late summer and early fall, humidity here is pretty high. It's a good time to grow mushrooms and make wheel wells...
I used the floor bonding technique while still on the "mold" as well. I decided against CA though and just held three 1/3 sections cut from 3" wide 1/16" balsa in position with rubber bands around the microballoons container. I then applied gorilla wood glue at the joints between the rubber bands. After a couple of hours, I peeled the bands off and added a little more glue at the seams now that the bands were no longer needed. Again, once dry, I sanded the outside of the wells to get rid of the excess glue and any band remains. What I liked about this approach was that there is never any glue on the inside of the well. The wood glue just penetrates the grain but doesn't pass through and dry on the inside. This allows one to sand the inside edge smooth beforehand and then, if desired, one can even use film covering to line the wells instead of paint - just an option.
The nice thing about doing this in a dry climate (at the moment) is that the balsa molds overnight (actually it molds pretty fast - water would be gone in a few hours) and then locks into place as it dry's so one can prep a bunch of wells if desired for future builds. In the fall, this wouldn't work. The balsa would remain flexible. The whole humidity thing actually plays into when its best to do certain tasks like covering a model. If it is too dry, it can end up warping after being covered when some of the humidity returns. Covering during the late Spring and Summer is not a bad time.
I'm looking forward to seeing those colours flow on to that beauty some day soon.
David.
04-18-2011, 01:11 AM
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RE: MK Beetle Build
Hello David
It has cooled right off here and the damp is starting to invade. With the lower temp the relative humidity is right up (fog) but absolute is probably down a bit. I think I just got lucky with the thickness of the balsa and the choice that MK made. All of the kit wood has been really good and has stored realy well. I think it helped being in Singapore where it always sems humid.
I guess since there are only a couple of bits left in the box it must be about time to think about sanding smooth and applying covering and colour.
Cheers
Tarquin
It has cooled right off here and the damp is starting to invade. With the lower temp the relative humidity is right up (fog) but absolute is probably down a bit. I think I just got lucky with the thickness of the balsa and the choice that MK made. All of the kit wood has been really good and has stored realy well. I think it helped being in Singapore where it always sems humid.
I guess since there are only a couple of bits left in the box it must be about time to think about sanding smooth and applying covering and colour.
Cheers
Tarquin
04-18-2011, 09:19 AM
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RE: MK Beetle Build
Tarquin,
that's excellent news! What's going to be your approach to finishing? Film/paint? Have you decided on a trim scheme - same as box or brochure that I posted earlier?
It looks like a fair bit of work but worth it in the end.
David.
that's excellent news! What's going to be your approach to finishing? Film/paint? Have you decided on a trim scheme - same as box or brochure that I posted earlier?
It looks like a fair bit of work but worth it in the end.
David.
04-18-2011, 11:34 PM
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RE: MK Beetle Build
Hello Everyone
I though it was about time for a few assembly shots to perve at since the fuse has been inverted for a year or two.
Cheers
Tarquin
I though it was about time for a few assembly shots to perve at since the fuse has been inverted for a year or two.
Cheers
Tarquin
04-18-2011, 11:44 PM
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RE: MK Beetle Build
In a PM rougedog asked about the top and bottom turtle decks shapes.
The bottom one is made from a single piece of balsa so is a simple partial cone shape.
The top is made from two parts that join at the top of the fuse to form a hard edge. Also the top deck has a curve up and flare out as it aproaches the canopy.
The fuse sides are made of two pieces that join midway down the aft fuselage.
Cheers
Tarquin
The bottom one is made from a single piece of balsa so is a simple partial cone shape.
The top is made from two parts that join at the top of the fuse to form a hard edge. Also the top deck has a curve up and flare out as it aproaches the canopy.
The fuse sides are made of two pieces that join midway down the aft fuselage.
Cheers
Tarquin
04-18-2011, 11:47 PM
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RE: MK Beetle Build
I have started shaping the under wing fairings to match the belly pan.
To protect the wing skins and belly pan I put three layers of tape on wing and one layer of tape on the FG. I started using a mini plane and knife and then used a coarse sand paper.
Cheers
Tarquin
To protect the wing skins and belly pan I put three layers of tape on wing and one layer of tape on the FG. I started using a mini plane and knife and then used a coarse sand paper.
Cheers
Tarquin
04-19-2011, 02:05 AM
#166
RE: MK Beetle Build
An early morning cup of coffee and updates on great looking airplanes. Not a bad way to spend a few minutes before the day starts. Looking great Tarquin.
09-11-2011, 03:50 PM
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RE: MK Beetle Build
Tarquin,
I have good news. I have completedfuse formertemplates from F1 to F22. Only one missing is F21 which i think is just a brace across the wing saddle. Looks like you round it out for the tuned pipe. Seems to be a useless piece as it goes over the hollowed out center section of the wing, so not sure what purpose it would serve if you have to cut out most of it anyway to make room for the pipe.
I lofted the ribs for the wing last night but still have some work to do to convert them to a 2d template file. I don't think anyone would want to cut out the notches in the TE for the ribs to set into so I lofted the ribs as if they would just touch against the TE. I did it in such a manner that it would not affect the shape of the air foil.
Still need to loft W23 - W30 on the wing and the horizontal and vertical stab.
Bryan
I have good news. I have completedfuse formertemplates from F1 to F22. Only one missing is F21 which i think is just a brace across the wing saddle. Looks like you round it out for the tuned pipe. Seems to be a useless piece as it goes over the hollowed out center section of the wing, so not sure what purpose it would serve if you have to cut out most of it anyway to make room for the pipe.
I lofted the ribs for the wing last night but still have some work to do to convert them to a 2d template file. I don't think anyone would want to cut out the notches in the TE for the ribs to set into so I lofted the ribs as if they would just touch against the TE. I did it in such a manner that it would not affect the shape of the air foil.
Still need to loft W23 - W30 on the wing and the horizontal and vertical stab.
Bryan
12-28-2011, 03:03 PM
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RE: MK Beetle Build
Well after work and life got out of the way I finally flew the beetle 
wind 15 or so this is a great flying plane now I need to find a rear exhaust OS engine have .61sf-p in it but no pipe [
] just can't believe how well it flyes in the wind.
wind 15 or so this is a great flying plane now I need to find a rear exhaust OS engine have .61sf-p in it but no pipe [] just can't believe how well it flyes in the wind.