Piper Tri-Pacer from Wendell Hostetler is now here!!
04-03-2016, 09:20 PM
#251
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Location: Eastwood, NSW, AUSTRALIA
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I want to line the inside of the cabin but cant come up with a suitable material to look like the vinyl on the full size, have any of you guys got any ideas of what I could use?
04-04-2016, 04:51 AM
#252
I buy my cockpit material at fabric stores, like Joann's. They may have something that you can use.
04-13-2016, 06:28 PM
#258
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Very nice motor and cowl installation. How did you make out with the vert. fin covering? It took me 6 tries to get it right on the one that I did. i was afraid of running out of fabric. John R.
04-13-2016, 06:47 PM
#259
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Thanks for the encouragement guys.
I haven't done the fin / fuse covering yet, I'm still scratching my head on the way to go. John and John R did you cover the back of the plane and fin separately from the rest of the fuse or did you do the side and fin in one piece of covering. It's such an important feature that you guys have got right.
Cheers
I haven't done the fin / fuse covering yet, I'm still scratching my head on the way to go. John and John R did you cover the back of the plane and fin separately from the rest of the fuse or did you do the side and fin in one piece of covering. It's such an important feature that you guys have got right.
Cheers
04-13-2016, 07:36 PM
#260
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I put down a 1/4 wide strip of balsa sheet on top of the last fuse former and covered the top fuse - ending with a wrap there. Then covered the fin separately with a 1/4" overlap at that point. The fin was covered in left and right halfs. I can post pics, if this explanation, doesn't make sense. John R.
04-28-2016, 10:30 PM
#262
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The back of the Tri Pacer has a pretty unique blend of shape from the fin to the fuselage that I had been giving a bit of thought about how to replicate. The first two pictures are of the full size.
I took a tip from John R and gave up on the idea of covering fin and fuse in one piece and ended up creating a frame around the front of the tail and fillers around the elevator torque tube so I could attach multiple pieces of Solartex.
I covered the fin down to the first frame and then tried to span the gap between the fin and the outer fuse stringer. Two hours later and four pieces of wasted Solartex and it was done.
I found that the white painted Solartex was just too stiff to bridge the gap but raw unfilled Solartex stretched enough to do the job. Down side of using the raw cloth is that I'll have to paint it with a primer or I'll end up with two covering textures.
This is a fun build with plenty to do yet
Cheers
I took a tip from John R and gave up on the idea of covering fin and fuse in one piece and ended up creating a frame around the front of the tail and fillers around the elevator torque tube so I could attach multiple pieces of Solartex.
I covered the fin down to the first frame and then tried to span the gap between the fin and the outer fuse stringer. Two hours later and four pieces of wasted Solartex and it was done.
I found that the white painted Solartex was just too stiff to bridge the gap but raw unfilled Solartex stretched enough to do the job. Down side of using the raw cloth is that I'll have to paint it with a primer or I'll end up with two covering textures.
This is a fun build with plenty to do yet
Cheers
05-14-2016, 11:35 PM
#265
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Well guys got the Pacer in the air today flew fantastic no bad habits said to the Mrs get out the camera but no she left it home didn't she well that's when the fight started
anyhow not to worry will try and get some photos up next week how is yours going Stan ?
John
anyhow not to worry will try and get some photos up next week how is yours going Stan ?
John
05-15-2016, 12:26 AM
#266
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Congrats on the maiden John, well done, I'm still chugging along, just finished all the electrics, batteries, servos and now are making some cable trunks to hide the leads as they go into the wings also fiddling with the cabin lining and seats. I made some cardboard templates and covered them with heatshrink now I can fit door handles and trim wheel to the linings before I glue the linings to the cabin sides.
Hey John, what did you make your chairs from? I've tried foam but it looks a bit "howaryougoing", dont like seeing the open cells and filling them is pretty messy.
Cheers
Stan
Hey John, what did you make your chairs from? I've tried foam but it looks a bit "howaryougoing", dont like seeing the open cells and filling them is pretty messy.
Cheers
Stan
05-15-2016, 01:38 AM
#267
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Hi Stan thanks
I used BLUE foam for my chairs when you have cut and sanded it it won't look like foam when painted with water base house paint you can either use PVA or supa glue for your gluing
weight wise it is only a few ounces you can get the foam from any place that sells roofing and flooring insulation I got mine local in Perth so you wont have a problem getting it over there I think it only cost about $20 for a 1200x600 x25 sheet
John
I used BLUE foam for my chairs when you have cut and sanded it it won't look like foam when painted with water base house paint you can either use PVA or supa glue for your gluing
weight wise it is only a few ounces you can get the foam from any place that sells roofing and flooring insulation I got mine local in Perth so you wont have a problem getting it over there I think it only cost about $20 for a 1200x600 x25 sheet
John
05-30-2016, 10:21 PM
#268
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I had made up a panel for all the electronics and its time to connect up all the wiring so I needed to know where the batteries were going to live. I lashed up a balancing beam and surprise, surprise the plane is nose heavy with the big Saito and the substantial nose leg and wheel. The four LiPos wil reside as far down the back as physically possible.
Four LiPos under the stab
I fitted both wings so I was able to set up the cabin top root ribs and glued the wiring with a bit of Zap Goo to the inside of the ribs, I then made some extra ribs and fitted them 10mm inside the root ribs. The wing wiring was located between both ribs with an exception around the wing mounting spar. I would have liked to drill a hole in the spar to hide the wiring but thought that might be a bit unwise!!
All done with the first rough coat of Daytona White inside the cabin
Four LiPos under the stab
I fitted both wings so I was able to set up the cabin top root ribs and glued the wiring with a bit of Zap Goo to the inside of the ribs, I then made some extra ribs and fitted them 10mm inside the root ribs. The wing wiring was located between both ribs with an exception around the wing mounting spar. I would have liked to drill a hole in the spar to hide the wiring but thought that might be a bit unwise!!
All done with the first rough coat of Daytona White inside the cabin
05-31-2016, 12:11 AM
#269
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Looking good Stan, my old full size Piper was red on the inside but I attacked it with a spray can of Piper grey looked much nicer after that
Keep up the good work mate
John
Keep up the good work mate
John
06-04-2016, 06:54 PM
#270
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Now that I've completed all the wiring and the internal painting I was able to glue the linings and instrument panel in place.
The door handles are a pretty crude make up from aluminium tube and plywood after my total failure to master CAD. I had hoped to draw scale handles and then print them out on a 3D printer, next life maybe.
Next step seats, seat belts and pilot.
The door handles are a pretty crude make up from aluminium tube and plywood after my total failure to master CAD. I had hoped to draw scale handles and then print them out on a 3D printer, next life maybe.
Next step seats, seat belts and pilot.
06-13-2016, 11:22 PM
#272
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Biggles has arrived, still not very happy. Time to make some seats and seat belts.
Thanks John for the XPS foam tip, I bought two 1200 x 600 x 30 sheets from Bunnings for $12
06-13-2016, 11:40 PM
#274
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Gooday John,
I've had it for some years, one of those buys that might come in handy one day. I think I got it from Vailly Aviation. I bought a few pilots from them when I was doing my warbirds so they would be the most likely.
Cheers
Stan
I've had it for some years, one of those buys that might come in handy one day. I think I got it from Vailly Aviation. I bought a few pilots from them when I was doing my warbirds so they would be the most likely.
Cheers
Stan