Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
05-22-2010, 09:12 PM
#26
RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
GAP-RCU,
I am sure there is a valid computer generated requirement to install them while forming the fuselage, probably for the reason you mentioned, but I bet an experienced builder could hold off until step 17 and no one would know the better. I will wait when I build my next kit (clipped wing version) BTW, I am working hard to get threw step 17, those stick just scare me.
Davidgeorge212,
The pull pull that comes with the kit looks good; I just have never installed anything like this, so I do not know what is good or trash. I will be using a GP (610mm) flexible cable pushrod for the throttle instead of the supplied pushrod.
Does anyone see a problem with using foam for padding the fuel tank? I fuel proofed the tank compartment and will be doing some kind of blocking for the tank, and maybe a rubber band to hold it in place. Glue is drying, back to work.
TB
05-22-2010, 10:17 PM
#27
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RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
I dont think you will need foam necessarily. I think the tank actually fits pretty tightly into the front compartment top and bottom. They have you put in blocks of wood to keep it from sliding left or right. The only place for foam would be on the sides of the tank.
I do remember now another thing that you might eventually half to engineer something for and that is the top door latch, or lack of latch. The instructions will only tell you to make the latch for the bottom door but they dont do anything for the top door. If you leave the top door stock, it is supposed to just "press fit" onto the bottom door but when the engine is running and when it flies it will have a tendency to pop open if not secured some how. There are many ways you can make a latch but I think one of the easiest methods might be to just add some tiny magnets.
Here is an example of what I am talking about.
pic 1 is a peice of sheet metal glued on to the bottom door
pic 2 is the magnets embeded in the top door
pic 3 is a close up of the magnet
I do remember now another thing that you might eventually half to engineer something for and that is the top door latch, or lack of latch. The instructions will only tell you to make the latch for the bottom door but they dont do anything for the top door. If you leave the top door stock, it is supposed to just "press fit" onto the bottom door but when the engine is running and when it flies it will have a tendency to pop open if not secured some how. There are many ways you can make a latch but I think one of the easiest methods might be to just add some tiny magnets.
Here is an example of what I am talking about.
pic 1 is a peice of sheet metal glued on to the bottom door
pic 2 is the magnets embeded in the top door
pic 3 is a close up of the magnet
05-23-2010, 08:01 AM
#28
RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
Yes the tank does fit like a glove, I was thinking just for the sides and maybe a formed piece of leftover ply to close the front of the cab and just have the end of the tank stick threw. I do not plan on tricking out the cab, I will just have a pilot and seat in it.
Thanks for the info on the window door, looks like a great way to keep it from flapping in the wind.
I stayed up late last night finishing step 17, really wanted to get past the cabin post.
Off to get some flights in.
TB
05-23-2010, 10:11 AM
#29
RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
Good luck with your build....Well worth the effort. Like others said, probably one of the best kits around.
Here is my build:
http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38812
I'm subscribing to your thread to enjoy the build again.
SunDevilPilot
Here is my build:
http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38812
I'm subscribing to your thread to enjoy the build again.
SunDevilPilot
05-24-2010, 08:19 AM
#30
RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
SunDevilPilot, very nice plane you have there. I have a few questions for you. Did you make the wing struts? If so could you give me a material list? I will be installing Robarts landing gear also; did you use the supplied landing gear blocks? Thanks.
Progress;
I worked late last night on the fuselage, got the top hatch installed. One thing I will be doing is replacing the nylon socket head bolts with metal bolts. During fitting the head striped out and I had to drill them out. The fuel tank compartment completed with some scraps of ply on the sides with some foam and balsa in the sides, all fuel proofed and ready for paint. She is really coming together nicely, what a gem of a kit. I did not get to much building in last night being I was watching the finally of Lost, what a disappointment. I will spend time tonight finishing the fuselage, with the exception to the landing gear, on order and very patiently waiting it’s arrival.
I have decided to cover this plane with solartex, and I am thinking red or blue, maybe even both (my favorite colors) for the color. Are most plane interior the same color as the exterior, or does it not matter? Furthermore, what clarances do you need to allow between removable parts for paint and covering. Nothing more annoying is to have to sand down a part you already painted or cover because it no longer fits. Hopefully, this week the wind will sit down a bit, no flying this weekend gave me a lot of time with this beauty.
TB
05-25-2010, 09:05 AM
#31
RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
I worked late into the night finishing the fuselage. The fuselage stingers that go on the sides are a little tricky; make sure you get a strait line on the fuselage before you glue them. Sanding them is more of a feel thing look at the plans and keep looking down the fuselage to determine if you are on the right track. This is one of those areas where no two planes are alike.
Double check the location of the elevator, and ruder exit guides, the plans show one thing and the reality of the kit shows another. My spider senses were tingling as I lined the elevator guide up like on the plans, but it did not jive with the model, unfortunately I stuck with the plans (they can't be wrong). It all worked out and I knew I should have gone with my first assessment that it did not look right.
This is my first real kit, so I do not have the experience of control exit alignments; the pull pull exits for the ruder are a little tricky (for a beginner). The plans show to bend the tubing in a radius so it turns strait to the servos. So I bent it and fit it in, it looked good on the inside but the angle coming out was harsh. It fit tightly in the guide, and I glued it in place. Before I went to bed, I knew that it did not look right. The next morning I studied the plans and saw that it really was more of a slight Z bend. So I drilled them out and started over. I bent it until I liked the way it lined up with the servo and the way it came out of the fuselage.
This I would think is a very important step, if the cable comes out with too great of an angle, it will bind as it comes out. I also used a dremel wheel to grind it flush with the fuselage exit, much easier and cleaner than trying to cut it with a razor. The only mystery is the two scrap pieces of balsa that go agents former F-7, I am assuming this is for covering at the stabilizer and fuselage, I do not think it is structural. So I put it in and the first attempt just did not look right so I took it out and installed it again so it will flush out with the fuselage. If someone has a good shot of the finished product (uncovered), or can explain the function of this piece. So all that is left to do is sand the fuselage, then move onto the tail.
TB
05-26-2010, 08:08 AM
#32
RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
Progress
I finished the fuselage yesterday, short of the landing gear. The fuselage is very delicate so take care when sanding, I broke one of the side stringers during sanding, CA bandage worked well. The tail section went together nicely; make sure you use a strait edge for the stabilizer and the elevators. I will have to make my decision on what hinge to use, I am probably going to use the CA hinges supplied with the kit.
TB
05-26-2010, 09:59 AM
#33
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RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
Tony,
Nice build you have going. Based on what you've done so far, I thinkyou're going to have a very nice plane.
I'm currently building my 2nd 1/5th scale Sig Cub. Liked building the first one so much, I finished it, flew it a few times, thought about some personal touches I'd like to do, and gave it away to a new flier, simply so I could build it again.
I DEFINITELY know your pains about fuselage formers and the stringers breaking from simply looking at them wrong.
For this build, I pre-ordered some extra spruce and heavyweight balsa, just in case
The recommendation that you paint the interior now, rather than after covering is a good one. MUCH easier to do it now, when overspray can't affect any of your coverings.
Good luck, and keep up the good work! I'll be watching this thread, eagerly awaiting updates.
Nice build you have going. Based on what you've done so far, I thinkyou're going to have a very nice plane.
I'm currently building my 2nd 1/5th scale Sig Cub. Liked building the first one so much, I finished it, flew it a few times, thought about some personal touches I'd like to do, and gave it away to a new flier, simply so I could build it again.
I DEFINITELY know your pains about fuselage formers and the stringers breaking from simply looking at them wrong.
For this build, I pre-ordered some extra spruce and heavyweight balsa, just in case
The recommendation that you paint the interior now, rather than after covering is a good one. MUCH easier to do it now, when overspray can't affect any of your coverings.
Good luck, and keep up the good work! I'll be watching this thread, eagerly awaiting updates.
05-26-2010, 11:29 AM
#34
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RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
Tony the build looks great so far,
Just make sure you dont hinge your Elevator halves as pictured.. One of them is backwards.
Just make sure you dont hinge your Elevator halves as pictured.. One of them is backwards.
05-26-2010, 05:48 PM
#35
RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
rmantoo,
I was up late working on the kit, and after I took the photo and posted it, I realized I had placed the elevator backwards for the photo, I will install the hinges with it positioned correctly, but nice of you to notice. I love building this kit, kind of like a great book you can't put down. I was going to build another one after this and make it a clipped wing, but I think it would be cool to build the Sig ¼ scale clipped wing instead.
trax540, being you have built this kit already can you tell me what this ½ piece of scrape balsa is for that they ask to be glued just ahead of former F-7? I am thinking for covering where the horizontal stabilizer meets the fuselage. There is no clear photo or explanation on its position or purpose.
Thanks
TB
05-26-2010, 05:53 PM
#36
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RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
I know exactly which piece and where you're talking about at F7, but I think that it actually might be for structural purposes... although it can't be exactly critical, or they'd have specified which way the grain needed to run, and/or provided an exact piece of wood for it... well, I say structural, but what I really mean is, to support the stringers.
My impression of it is that it's to stabilize the stringer in relation to F7 and the fuselage.
I don't have a pic of mine from the first build, and I'm not in the same place as my in-process plane today, but when I get back there- probably sunday- I'll take a pic of how mine came out.
My impression of it is that it's to stabilize the stringer in relation to F7 and the fuselage.
I don't have a pic of mine from the first build, and I'm not in the same place as my in-process plane today, but when I get back there- probably sunday- I'll take a pic of how mine came out.
05-27-2010, 10:33 PM
#37
RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
So my Robart landing gear came today, wow what a beautiful addition to this kit. I played around with the gear and assembled it, fitting it to the fuselage and seeing how it all comes together. I will do some modifications to the floor of the fuselage with some ¼ ply. One thing I did notice is that there was a lot of play in the linkage on the landing gear. I am sure it really doesn’t mater, but if this were real landing gear, there would be bushings that kept everything tight and in position. So I fabricated some bushings out of nylon tubing, nothing fancy, just enough to keep things tight and in place. I have a few days of utility work to do, mount the landing gear, throttle control set up, and hinge the door and window, and a few other items before I start on the wing.
TB
05-27-2010, 10:47 PM
#38
RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
I did the same modification in terms of bushings to tighten the gear up. In my case I used Tygon Gas Fuel Tubing just because I had it around. Helps tighten up the gear.
Here is something else you might like, video from the top of my Cub. Made a duplicate wing hatch to hold my Webbie Camera.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwDVYizrI1U
Phil.
Here is something else you might like, video from the top of my Cub. Made a duplicate wing hatch to hold my Webbie Camera.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwDVYizrI1U
Phil.
06-01-2010, 10:06 PM
#39
RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
So I took a week off from building, catching up on things. This weekend was spent flying; beautiful conditions, and I soloed to top it all off. Therefore, back to the build, with my newly fueled motivation to see my own creation fly. I started to tie up some loose ends. First was to mount the landing gear. I installed a ¼ ply bottom over the existing floor, some reinforcement at the sidewall of the fuselage also. I installed the cable for the throttle, and I like how it turned out. Instead of the dowels supplied for the braces at the window, I went with aluminum tubing to give a more metallic look. The fuel tank is in nicely, looks like the interior is ready for paint, now if I can decide what color.
I still have the door and window to hinge, then the tail and on to the wing.
TB
06-02-2010, 10:27 PM
#42
RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
Working late to get some of the loose ends completed, got the door and window hinged, so so delicate. While messing around I decided to reinforce the hatch with some balsa ribs to keep the shape of the hatch. I can just see in time those little corners will start to bend up. It fits nice and snug all the way around. Now that the chores are all done, onto finishing the tail.
TB
06-04-2010, 07:41 AM
#43
RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
Progress
I got the elevator and ruder hinged. I went with the Robart hinge points. I figured the only way to know what you like is to try it. I have used CA hinges before so this will be my first with the hinge points. I like them, easy to set up and install (so fare). I am starting to weigh the plane to monitor her weight. So far, the tail is coming in at 2-5/8 oz only thing left is the control horns and covering. The fuselage is weighing in at 2-lb 8-1/2 oz (fuselage, landing gear, and fuel tank), it is pretty much done short of covering, wheels, engine and radio equipment. I did a little more tinkering (trying to not do too much to keep the weight down). I installed a scrap of balsa at F7 to keep the ruder pull pull cable tubing secured.
I am getting excited about starting the wing.
TB
06-05-2010, 08:52 AM
#45
RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
Some more on the hinges!
I really like the Robart hinge points. I used both the drilling temples to achieve the counter sinking of the hinge; a small piece of tubing was used as a gage to not over drill the countersink. The hinges are tight and feel really solid. The real test will be when I glue them in after covering, if that goes as smooth as the rest, then I have found my preferred method of hinging. I kept the sanding template from my CG Chipmunk, and it worked great on rounding the LE of the tail, fast, clean and very uniform.
On to the wing.
TB
06-11-2010, 10:04 PM
#46
RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
Hard at work on the wing! What would be the proper installation of the Robart hinge points for the ailerons? The kit is designed with Sig easy CA hinges that install at the top of the sheeting. I would think that a Robart hinges could be installed at a somewhat 20-degree or greater angle to get into solid blocking, any advice would be great.
TB
06-12-2010, 09:32 PM
#47
Senior Member
RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
Hi- Robart hinges will work very well. You can even use the ones with the horns on them. That's what I did and is perfect for a nice sport airplane. The Cub was 'top hinged' so this will be perfect. Here's my Goldberg Cub and I'm currently building a 1/6 Sig Cub converted to a Grasshopper, one converted to a PA-12 Super Cruiser and a J-4 Cub Coupe! You might put hard points on yours to attach floats. I have a 1/4 SIG Cub, too! You may not realize it but I like Cubs a little! Tailwinds!
06-13-2010, 10:36 PM
#48
RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
I have been hard at work on the left wing (self note, build right wing next, not another left wing). I really like the way it went together, very simple but elegant. The most rewarding part of this wing build was the wing tip, very cool. You have to take care when handling the wing during construction, the last spar web #5 is very venerable to getting snapped of, had a few close calls. The aileron is also a nice last finishing touch to this wing build. I will do the Robart hinge point on the ailerons. Overall I am very pleased with this wing, and I am even excited to get started on the “Right” wing. I can almost smell the covering iron heating up.
Nice plane ARUP.
Nice plane ARUP.
TB
06-14-2010, 05:46 PM
#49
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RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
ORIGINAL: TonyBuilder
Hard at work on the wing! What would be the proper installation of the Robart hinge points for the ailerons? The kit is designed with Sig easy CA hinges that install at the top of the sheeting. I would think that a Robart hinges could be installed at a somewhat 20-degree or greater angle to get into solid blocking, any advice would be great.
TB
06-14-2010, 10:37 PM
#50
RE: Sig 1/5 Piper J-3 Cub, a building adventure into the unknown!
Working with balsa is a finicky thing. I am using tape to keep from over sanding areas that need sanding. Like the trailing edge of the aileron, it is thin and delicate, the balsa sheet on the face of the leading edge needs sanding and the tape allows me to be aggressive and not sand away the TE. I will use deferent types and thickness of tape to mask off areas I do not want sanded, usually thin and delicate areas that are close to thick and harder areas. It works great for rough sanding. You do need to be careful because you can sand threw the tape. Sometimes I will reapply the tape, and I like the blue tape, so I can see it better. Marking the area that I am sanding to with a marker also helps to not over sand.
Thanks Fast Guy, that is exactly what I was thinking, and I added blocking for a greater area for the hinge.
Tomorrow I will install the Robart hinge points.
TB