rdouglas

Hello all,

This is my first post and my first build, so please excuse any questions that I may ask that seem simple. Sometimes I may ask questions that I still have problems understanding in order to get an explanation that I can fully understand.

Today I should receive my Goldberg Anniversary Piper Cub Kit .40-.61,76.5" . I'm planning on going to Home Depot to get a few essential tools and some carpenters glue. My question is, is it safe to start building the kit without having the required hardware on hand? At what point in the build to I really need to be concerned that I can't move forward until I have purchased (???) parts that need to be built into the plane.

Thank you....

Ohhh and be perpaired for many more questions after I read/re-read/read again the build docs and start building.

stang

My Feedback: (1)

Yes, you can start building. I'd start with the wing first.

But more importantly, is this your first build? How experienced are you?

stang

My Feedback: (1)

Ok, I missed that this is your first build. Do you have a good building surface.? If not you could get a hollow core door from Home Depot and cover ot with ceiling tile to have a building surface. You might consider other glues too.
Fire away with any questions, there's lots of help available here.

rdouglas

I have an old bathroom cabinet bottom, had no top. So I attached a large 3'x5'x3/4" peice of plywood, it's a sturdy surface. Our Home Depot dodn't carry the ceiling tiles, so I opted for a good size peice of green board. I also found the x-acto knives, tape and other minor things there. I then went to our dollar store and purchased 8 of their cheap plastic spring clamps and rubber bands. Finally I went to our local craft store and found the Tee pins and they happened to have the x-acto mitre box and back saw, so I got those as well...

Now all I need is a good metal ruler, a notebook and a good pen to write the names of the parts while sorting the box.

Missing anything?

stang

My Feedback: (1)

"Missing anything?" Well. that gave me a chuckle. Before you know it you'll have a workshop full of stuff. That's half the fun of this hobby. I would suggest you get some various grades of sandpaper before you start though.

rdouglas

I've been looking around the forums peeking at other peoples build threads and I have a question. I tried searching on Proper gluing techniques but didn't find what I was looking for. Looking at the other builds I see pretty beads where they mated two supports together (yellowish). Is this the epoxy and is there a thread that explains the best practices when applying the different glues needed to complete a kit?

Thankx

SDM

My Feedback: (9)

You should be able to do a search and find info on gluing technique. It really all depends on what kind of material you are trying to stick together as that will dictate what kind of glue will work for that application. EG using epoxies for the firewall is important but not
for gluing wing ribs in place. The kit manual should have a section in the front that covers gluing application on the different parts of the plane. That section can be very useful and will answer alot of questions. The aliphatic resin or wood glue is very good stuff but takes longer to dry than the ca glues. CA glue is more expensive but you can really frame up a plane alot quicker if you don't have to wait on the drying time. Alot has been written about the different glues and you should be able to figure out what will work best for you.
Hope this helps
Sam

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

I have two comments:

First, get a razor saw - these things are VERY useful while building

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXLJ20&P=ML

Second, build the Clipped-Wing version. A lot of people are under the misconception that the Clipped Wing makes the plane harder to fly. Actually, the full-size wing is TOO BIG - The Cub was designed back when engines had no power and it needed a HUGH wing to get off the ground. But it is actually HARDER to fly with the Full-Size wing.

With the clipped wing it will also do some very nice basic aerobatics, but it will still slow down and float in on landings.

rdouglas

Yup.... Got a saw and the little miter box... Funny thing is the miter box is too tall for the saw to reach the bottom before hitting the back support on the blade.

My plan was to build the kit with the shortened wings; I'm more interested in having a good flying plane then to have it accurate to the original.

The instructions that came with the kit are poor quality copy machine copies, but there is a PDF file where I purchased the plane that is far more readable.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Yea, you don't need that little miter box - hell, I've never seen a plane where I had to cut 90, 45, 60 degree angles anyway. The angles are always 53 1/2 degrees or something odd like that.

And when you DO need a 90 degree cut (Like on the ends of a spar) they are already glued in place, so you can't put it in the box anyway!

ChuckW

The None of the Home Depots in the Fresno/Clovis area said they carried ceiling tiles either but apparently the "knowledgeble, experienced associates" that I asked were wrong. I did end up finding them over near the drywall at the Shaw/Willow store..

I see you are in Hanford. Have you paid a visit to Visalia Hobby? The are near the corner of Witendale and Mooney right next to Me & Ed's Pizza. It's a pretty decent hobby shop and you'll find a good assortment of adhesives, tools and other supplies. Of course compared to the Hobbytown up here, any hobby shop looks good.

ChuckW

I almost forgot, you'll like this airplane. I built mine with the full span wing but it would definitely be the clipped wing if I build another one. I managed to get mine together on glass table in a small apartment while waiting to move into our current house.

rdouglas

The Home Depot here said the Hanford store didn't carry the tiles, but the Visalia store does. I think the greenboard will be fine for this first build. If I really get the bug to build more planes, I'll either go buy a roll of cork and apply it over my table or I'll look into the magnetic building system.

I know exactly where the hobby store is in Visalia, but I've never been in it. We have a small store here in Hanford, but he doesn't really carry much stuff. I might be able to get some of the more popular glues and such, but the next trip I make to Visalia I plan on dropping in.

rdouglas

That plane looks familure, did you post those pics in another build thread? Looks like you did a great job on it. I hope mine comes out close to that quality.

ChuckW

Yours should come out great. Just follow the instructions and be meticulous and you can't go wrong.

rdouglas

Chuck, When building yours, did you have issues with the plans being alot bigger then the precut balsa? On mine the elevator parts were so far off I had a 1/4" gap between the peices... What is the recommended proceedure when the cut parts are so much smaller? These were just the elevators, so I choose to tighten them up leaving the gap on the outside. I'm worried that once I get into areas more sensitive to size, that it's going to become a real problem.

Live Wire

Plans shrink and expand depending where they are kept. Most generally you leave the plans lay flat with out build on them where they can return to normal size. Wood can do the same thing depending on how old the kit is and where it is (was) stored

ChuckW

My kit was on old die-cut version from the 80's or early 90's that I bought on eBay. There were a few tiny variations but nothing major. It was a very high quality kit.

My most recent Goldberg kit was a different story. I thought I'd build a Tiger 2 and ordered a brand new kit. Opening the box, I noticed it was laser cut so I got pretty excited. That excitement didn't last long. Most of the parts were very different than the plans. Hell, some of the wing ribs didn't even match the others exactly and it is supposed to be a constant airfoil, constant chord wing! While, I don't know this for sure, I suspect that the plans were original and somebody did digital drawings for the laser cutting at a much later date. When they did this, the drawing must not have been duplicated accurately. Either that or the laser cutter is way out of calibration, and or worn out. Not only that, the preformed TE was way different than shown on the plans and didn't match the shape of the ribs at all. New TE's will need to be made.

The kit can be built, it will just take a lot more work than anticipated. I'll likely cut a lot of my own parts and it will turn into more of a scratch build than a kit build.

On your cub, just make sure things are straight and square, even if they don't match the plans exactly. You may also need to cut a new part now and then. You'll still get a nice plane out of it though.

I hope that Hobbico/Great Planes puts some quality back into the Goldberg stuff now that they own it.

Gary496

good luck on the build. I also agree that the clipped wing version is a better flyer. I built the full wing version and what a pain in the butt. If any wind at all , ground looped like a #*%$##. Once off the ground it still was not a fun flying airplane. I finally traded the darn thing with my buddie for an old Tiger 60. He is a good flyer,my instructor, the Cub in his hand lasted only 2 flights. I did enjoy the build, its a tank that floats lol

gary

bps

My Feedback: (3)

When CGM released this model in die cut form I built the clip wing version. Had a Enya .60 4s for power and Futaba for radio. Flew well but would ground loop and snap roll with real authority. So if you clip the wings just be ready for the slow flight snap roll, it will happen. Still I am satisfied with the clip wing version. Sold the plane after many seasons of flying, to bad to hear the new laser cut kit is not much on quality.

rdouglas

I'm at the step in the build where the plans want you to drill the holes in the firewall for the engine. Problem is, I have no engine yet. Are most engine mounts standard so that I can drill these holes and move forward?

ChuckW

Do you know what engine you plan on buying? If so, you might be able to get a width measurement from the manufacturer web site. Still, it is best to have the engine on hand if possible.

Another option would be to get a Great Planes adjustable engine mount. They some with a template to drill the mounting holes and you adjust it to fit the engine.

hungryandbroke

Just slap it together, stick an OS 46 AX on it and let us know how the first flight goes.

If this is your 1st tail dragger, you better get someone else to maiden it for you. That cub can be a real nightmare once it starts going down the runway!

Once it's airborne the Cub is fun to fly, especially if you clip the wing like that guy up in Minnesota told ya!

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

If you had a slow-flight snap, you were probably tail heavy. I have had two of these planes and my dad has had 3 (All clipped-wing) plus I have flown several built by others (Both clipped and full wing) and have never had one that wanted to snap (Unless the snap was intensional)

rdouglas

At the end of last week I purchased [link=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXPUE1]this engine[/link]. It arrived Monday and I tried to setup the mount points as the instructions suggest, but the muffler is so big I can't arrange it in any fashion that will fit. Are there smaller mufflers available for this engine that maybe sweep back and exit the plane bottom right?