Balsa USA 1/4 Scale Nieuport 28 Build
01-30-2014, 04:17 PM
#528
Thread Starter
Been busy enjoying the flying weather outside so I haven't been doing too much building. I have, however, started on the "Battery Keepers". So far I have made some aluminum shafts that will connect to the top and sides of the motor box and are the basis of the "Keeper" system.
I still need to flatten one side of the shafts where then will bolt to the inner side of motor box. I cut a groove into the bottom of the shafts that will accept a keyhole slot I will make into the bottom plate. This will allow me to push the batteries up into the motor box and install the bottom plate using the keyholes. The keyholes will hold the batteries in place long enough for me to install two 6-32 bolts and custom washers onto the bottom. These washer are quite a bit wider than the keyhole will be and should provide bulletproof retention of the batteries.
The ends of the shafts are already drilled and tapped for the 6-32 bolts.
SunDevilPilot
I still need to flatten one side of the shafts where then will bolt to the inner side of motor box. I cut a groove into the bottom of the shafts that will accept a keyhole slot I will make into the bottom plate. This will allow me to push the batteries up into the motor box and install the bottom plate using the keyholes. The keyholes will hold the batteries in place long enough for me to install two 6-32 bolts and custom washers onto the bottom. These washer are quite a bit wider than the keyhole will be and should provide bulletproof retention of the batteries.
The ends of the shafts are already drilled and tapped for the 6-32 bolts.
SunDevilPilot
01-31-2014, 01:28 PM
#529
Thread Starter
This morning I put a flat edge onto each of the shafts. I also drilled and tapped three holes through the shafts to connect them to the motor box sides. Then I drilled the motor box top for accept the bolt in the top side of the shafts. In order for the batteries to come out both shafts would have to fail, something I really doubt would happen... ever.
This may be slight overkill but I would rather it be extra strong then too weak.
Next, I'll glue the top on and create the removal bottom.
After that I need to work on laminating the wood to the struts then this plane enters covering / finishing.
SunDevilPilot
This may be slight overkill but I would rather it be extra strong then too weak.
Next, I'll glue the top on and create the removal bottom.
After that I need to work on laminating the wood to the struts then this plane enters covering / finishing.
SunDevilPilot
01-31-2014, 01:50 PM
#530
Thread Starter
Off Topic:
This last weekend my flying field held its 10th Annual Arizona Electric Festival Fly-In. I play a small part in organizing the event and it is one of my favorites to attend. There are all types of aircraft in attendance including planes, gliders, helis, and quads. It really doesn't matter what you are into, as long as it is power via electricity.
I take a bunch of photos over the four day event and here is a video I made with some of the photos:
http://youtu.be/MB3jeG4p2pA
SunDevilPilot
This last weekend my flying field held its 10th Annual Arizona Electric Festival Fly-In. I play a small part in organizing the event and it is one of my favorites to attend. There are all types of aircraft in attendance including planes, gliders, helis, and quads. It really doesn't matter what you are into, as long as it is power via electricity.
I take a bunch of photos over the four day event and here is a video I made with some of the photos:
http://youtu.be/MB3jeG4p2pA
SunDevilPilot
02-06-2014, 12:46 PM
#531
Thread Starter
Finished up the battery hatch cover. At this point the motor box / battery box is all but complete. The only part I need to finish up is mounting the ESC to the side of the box. That shouldn't take very long then onto the struts.
SunDevilPilot
SunDevilPilot
11-10-2014, 04:59 PM
#535
Thread Starter
Well....... After a break of almost 8 months I finally got back to the build.
I sorta forgot where I was in the build so I started back by rounding off all the tail feathers. Next I need to add a small piece to the rear of the fuselage to provide properly alignment with the rudder. Then it is onto the landing gear spreader bar.
The plans call for a simple piece of wood and some rubber bands for the spreader but I'm not going to do it that way. I have an idea in my head of what to do so I think I will start with the connection point to the axle part of the gear. Photos on that to follow after they are made.
I have a router bit in route to help with the creation of the wood laminations of the struts and gear so those are on a short hold.
SunDevilPilot
I sorta forgot where I was in the build so I started back by rounding off all the tail feathers. Next I need to add a small piece to the rear of the fuselage to provide properly alignment with the rudder. Then it is onto the landing gear spreader bar.
The plans call for a simple piece of wood and some rubber bands for the spreader but I'm not going to do it that way. I have an idea in my head of what to do so I think I will start with the connection point to the axle part of the gear. Photos on that to follow after they are made.
I have a router bit in route to help with the creation of the wood laminations of the struts and gear so those are on a short hold.
SunDevilPilot
11-17-2014, 01:51 PM
#537
Thread Starter
Well... I spent way too much time on the couplers for the landing gear spreader bar but I had a great time doing it. I am quite the novice when it comes to using my Sherline Mill but I managed to bumble my way through the process.
I plan on laminating some thin brass around the ends of the wooden spreader bar to strengthen that piece against breakage but other than that I am really happy. The couplers clamp onto the landing gear axles and provide a solid mount for the spreader. I, in the future, may add some type of a mechanism to the spreader bar to allow it to expand as the gear encounters the landing impact but we'll see.
(Wheels / Tires are still in their bags to minimize cleanup of those parts prior to painting)
SunDevilPilot
I plan on laminating some thin brass around the ends of the wooden spreader bar to strengthen that piece against breakage but other than that I am really happy. The couplers clamp onto the landing gear axles and provide a solid mount for the spreader. I, in the future, may add some type of a mechanism to the spreader bar to allow it to expand as the gear encounters the landing impact but we'll see.
(Wheels / Tires are still in their bags to minimize cleanup of those parts prior to painting)
SunDevilPilot
11-18-2014, 06:33 AM
#539
Thread Starter
I took these photos at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, WA.
Not really sure what is going on in the gear but I would assume is has some suspension built into it. Two spreader bars with an axle in the middle?
There are also a series of cables in the middle of the gear giving stability.
For this "Standoff Scale" model I was not about to go all out and duplicate the full scale gear. I just want a "nice" plane.
SunDevilPilot
Not really sure what is going on in the gear but I would assume is has some suspension built into it. Two spreader bars with an axle in the middle?
There are also a series of cables in the middle of the gear giving stability.
For this "Standoff Scale" model I was not about to go all out and duplicate the full scale gear. I just want a "nice" plane.
SunDevilPilot
12-09-2014, 03:50 PM
#540
Thread Starter
Today I finished up adding the shaped wood to the metal wing struts. It took quite a bit of patients with the dremel to make the struts fit around the soldered joints of the strut structure but they came out pretty good. I plan on adding some wrappings to the struts as seen on the real plane then they will be polyurethaned.
I made the semi air-foiled (Symmetrical and not totally airfoiled) wood out of some spruce stock. It was made in two halves and the wire got sandwiched in a groove in cut into the middle. This totally conceals the wire.
I varied from the full scale at the ends on the forward strut cover. I wanted to cover up the solder joints so I did not cut the forward one to have the cross wire totally on the outside, which would expose the joint.
SunDeviPilot
I made the semi air-foiled (Symmetrical and not totally airfoiled) wood out of some spruce stock. It was made in two halves and the wire got sandwiched in a groove in cut into the middle. This totally conceals the wire.
I varied from the full scale at the ends on the forward strut cover. I wanted to cover up the solder joints so I did not cut the forward one to have the cross wire totally on the outside, which would expose the joint.
SunDeviPilot
Last edited by SunDevilPilot; 12-09-2014 at 07:51 PM.
12-17-2014, 03:53 PM
#541
Thread Starter
Today I spent a little time making the axle adapters. The bent music wire inherent to the kit's landing gear is quite a bit smaller in diameter than the hole through the William's Brothers wheels / tires. Taking this as an opportunity I made some nice adapters out of some brass. After I find some small cotter pins I will drill a hole through the end of the adapter which will secure the wheel in place. The adapters have an 8-32 hole drilled and tapped in the innermost section which will secure the adapters to the gear wire.
I also made some brass washers for the outside of the wheel which will be next to the cotter pin.
Once the holes are drilled for the pins I will trim the axle adapters to length.
SunDevilPilot
I also made some brass washers for the outside of the wheel which will be next to the cotter pin.
Once the holes are drilled for the pins I will trim the axle adapters to length.
SunDevilPilot
Last edited by SunDevilPilot; 12-17-2014 at 04:36 PM.
12-18-2014, 03:43 PM
#542
Thread Starter
If you ever want to wildly complicate drilling a hole purchase a mill. There is just something magical about how perfect a mill can drill. Here area few photos I took while drilling the holes for the axle cotter pins.
First I put the axles on the wheels and added the outer washers. Then I marked the axle so I knew exactly how far out to drill the holes for the pins. Then I pulled the axles and secured them, one at a time, in the milling vice. This vice has a groove built into one edge for just this purpose. Then I adjusted the X,Y axis on the mill. Once adjusted I started the hole with a center drill. For anyone who has not used one the entire purpose of the center drill is to create a place for the standard bit to begin cutting. Because the center drill resists bending the hole gets started in the perfect place without any wandering. Then the center drill is removed and the regular drill bit installed. Then the hold is drilled.
Wildly complex, but it does make things perfect.
SunDevilPilot
First I put the axles on the wheels and added the outer washers. Then I marked the axle so I knew exactly how far out to drill the holes for the pins. Then I pulled the axles and secured them, one at a time, in the milling vice. This vice has a groove built into one edge for just this purpose. Then I adjusted the X,Y axis on the mill. Once adjusted I started the hole with a center drill. For anyone who has not used one the entire purpose of the center drill is to create a place for the standard bit to begin cutting. Because the center drill resists bending the hole gets started in the perfect place without any wandering. Then the center drill is removed and the regular drill bit installed. Then the hold is drilled.
Wildly complex, but it does make things perfect.
SunDevilPilot
12-18-2014, 03:50 PM
#543
Thread Starter
I did violate one rule of the lathe. I used (Only temporary) the live center on the tailstock to center the axles while cutting the excess off the end. I cut about 2/3rds the way through the axles then pulled the tailstock away. As you can see in the photo there was not much excess for the lathe chuck to grab onto. I should have left more excess on the axle shaft when they were originally made to allow proper mounting in the lathe chuck when cutting them to length. As most things are, I am still learning.
The tailstock just helped keep things in place until most of the operation was done. You wouldn't want to complete the cut with the tailstock still in contact as it would likely cause an ugly jam.
SunDevilPilot
The tailstock just helped keep things in place until most of the operation was done. You wouldn't want to complete the cut with the tailstock still in contact as it would likely cause an ugly jam.
SunDevilPilot
01-25-2015, 08:39 PM
#547
Thread Starter
I guess you can call this the "Beginning of the end". Over the last few days I have finished up the landing gear spreader bar and the inner wing struts. The spreader bar became the test bed for the finishing product, Deft brand spray lacquer. I have never used this product before and found it really easy to work. The spray lacquer provided exactly the finish I was looking for.
I am taking some liberties with the scale finishing on this plane. I believe the center struts on the real plane are painted but I am going to leave them as you see in the photo. I really like the look of the lacquered spruce. Next I need to laminate the wood onto the landing gear, then start the finish sanding, then onto covering.
You will note the brass on the spreader bar. That was another liberty with the "scale" finishing. The brass wraps around the end preventing the joint from falling when the plane is landing.
SunDevilPilot
SunDevilPilot
I am taking some liberties with the scale finishing on this plane. I believe the center struts on the real plane are painted but I am going to leave them as you see in the photo. I really like the look of the lacquered spruce. Next I need to laminate the wood onto the landing gear, then start the finish sanding, then onto covering.
You will note the brass on the spreader bar. That was another liberty with the "scale" finishing. The brass wraps around the end preventing the joint from falling when the plane is landing.
SunDevilPilot
SunDevilPilot
01-26-2015, 06:23 PM
#549
Thread Starter
Unfortunately no magic carpet, just the guest bedroom bedding.
Didn't go flying today so I spent a few hours working on the struts. Got the white string wrapping on one of the struts and got it lacquered. Because the wrappings go at an angle I had to glue the sting in place as I wrapped each new row... Not really sure what it is but my wife's craft "Tacky Glue" worked out perfect. It would hold it in place after only a few seconds.
Did an experiment with CA and it wicked way too much.
Really happy with this one, tomorrow I'll do the other side.
SunDevilPilot
Didn't go flying today so I spent a few hours working on the struts. Got the white string wrapping on one of the struts and got it lacquered. Because the wrappings go at an angle I had to glue the sting in place as I wrapped each new row... Not really sure what it is but my wife's craft "Tacky Glue" worked out perfect. It would hold it in place after only a few seconds.
Did an experiment with CA and it wicked way too much.
Really happy with this one, tomorrow I'll do the other side.
SunDevilPilot
