RE: Tricking out WB wheels?

RE: Tricking out WB wheels?
View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> RC Scale Aircraft >> RE: Tricking out WB wheels?

Page: << < prev 1 2 3 [4]

Login

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

RE: Tricking out WB wheels? - 12/2/2005 5:51:43 PM

allanflowers

Posts: 871
Joined: 9/26/2004
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Status: online

The Flair wheels are on the way from RadicalRC. $2 shipping, that's a lot better. Thanks Randy.
I haven't looked around yet for the litho plate in San Diego. I see that I can get alum tape (like FliteMetal) through SR Batteries. They will let me order smaller quantities although I think it is thicker than the FliteMetal.
Bob, no sterolith machine here. That would really be nice, though.

Allan

(in reply to abufletcher)

Post #: 76

RE: Tricking out WB wheels? - 12/2/2005 6:00:33 PM

BobH

Posts: 4347
Joined: 4/1/2003
From: Springfield, VA,
Status: offline

Alan, no stereolith here either sad to say.. Ed C. at ScaleAero will also sell you some small quantities of flight metal at times. Send him an PM over on RCSB and see what he says.

_____________________________

BobH.

(in reply to allanflowers)

Post #: 77

RE: Tricking out WB wheels? - 12/3/2005 6:36:24 AM

ElectRick

Posts: 469
Joined: 8/31/2002
From: Jacksonville, FL, USA
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: DMJ199

Thanks ElectRick,
I've been looking around for a WW1 bipe to build over the winter and that design has always interested me, are there electric motors that can handle that? I also have the MAN 1/4 scale Fokker D-7 which should be a winner for easy flying, I'll probably end up doing it this year since I have had that set of plans longest. I know what you're saying about the procter nieuport, I have the plans to that one but it looks like a building nightmare, sure would be nice to have one with the scale outline and simplified internal structure ala the old VK kits. I've flown more modern bipes is there anything radically different about WW1? DMJ

To answer your question, yes there certainly are big motors suitable for the Nieuport and other quarter scale WWI planes. I have an AXI 4130/20 outrunner that I'm about to begin some prop testing on, to determine if it will be enough for the N-28--my calculations say it will be, but there's no substitute for bench testing with real data gathering.
If it isn't, there is always the 53xx series AXI motor line. For the power these motors make, they are quite a bargain. There is a thread somewhere around here where a guy did a BUSA Nieuport 17 with an AXI 4130/20, and said it flew fine. I've also seen the big SR Eindecker flown with the same motor.

Rick

(in reply to DMJ199)

Post #: 78

RE: Tricking out WB wheels? - 10/8/2006 5:14:02 PM

abufletcher

Posts: 5010
Joined: 2/13/2004
From: Zentsuji, JAPAN
Status: offline

Next installment. What I had was WB 5" wheels. What I needed was British Palmer Cord Aero Tyres with the pronounced hub cone. And as we all know necessity is a mother...

Now all that's left is to paint them with Nelson's PC10 (or maybe red depending on which color scheme I go for).

Hmmm...photos aren't loading properly (full-size instead of thumbnails). I'll try again later.

< Message edited by abufletcher -- 10/8/2006 5:35:05 PM >

(in reply to ElectRick)

Post #: 79

RE: Tricking out WB wheels? - 10/8/2006 5:20:29 PM

abufletcher

Posts: 5010
Joined: 2/13/2004
From: Zentsuji, JAPAN
Status: offline

...

Attachments

Click for fullsize	Click for fullsize	Click for fullsize	Click for fullsize
Click for fullsize	Click for fullsize	Click for fullsize	Click for fullsize

< Message edited by abufletcher -- 10/8/2006 8:10:12 PM >

(in reply to abufletcher)

Post #: 80

RE: Tricking out WB wheels? - 10/15/2006 8:05:10 PM

abufletcher

Posts: 5010
Joined: 2/13/2004
From: Zentsuji, JAPAN
Status: offline

I thought I'd post these photos of a rather aged-looking wheel cover on the RE8 at the Imperial War Museum. Looks like I need to add that center reinforcing bit.

Attachments

Click to see fullsize image.

Click for fullsize

Click to see fullsize image.

Click for fullsize

(in reply to abufletcher)

Post #: 81

RE: Tricking out WB wheels? - 10/15/2006 11:13:11 PM

BobH

Posts: 4347
Joined: 4/1/2003
From: Springfield, VA,
Status: offline

Don, take a look at this wheel. Maybey the center reinforcing isn't always done.

Attachments

Click to see fullsize image.

Click for fullsize

_____________________________

BobH.

(in reply to abufletcher)

Post #: 82

RE: Tricking out WB wheels? - 10/16/2006 1:45:08 AM

abufletcher

Posts: 5010
Joined: 2/13/2004
From: Zentsuji, JAPAN
Status: offline

Bob, teh wheel in your photo is sure a lot slicker looking than in mine! There's one Snipe with red painted wheels and I'm almost willing to do that aircraft JUST for the wheel color!

But one thing that doesn't seem to be authentic about that excellent looking reproduction wheel on the French SE5a is the way the wheel cover was attached. Nearly all period photos of British planes that used Palmer Cord tyres show the band around the rim which contained the numerous hooks that were used to attached the cover. There were holes around the rim for these hooks to go into. This is what the bits of glue on my remodeled wheel (and the lines on the Flair wheels) are meant to represent. Many photos also show a reinforcing ring around the valve hole -- in some cases in a noticeably contrasting tone.

Here's another photo of the gear from the SE5a at Hendon. I'm not sure but I think these are probably repro wheels to -- in fact there seemed to be precious few period wheels around.

Attachments

Click to see fullsize image.

Click for fullsize

< Message edited by abufletcher -- 10/16/2006 1:59:42 AM >

(in reply to BobH)

Post #: 83

RE: Tricking out WB wheels? - 10/16/2006 2:15:32 PM

BobH

Posts: 4347
Joined: 4/1/2003
From: Springfield, VA,
Status: offline

Don, yes I'm aware of the hooks for the covering. I'm not sure how obvious it was when viewed from a little distance? I'm researching my next subject, a Camel , and some of the pictures show the wheel covering to be pretty tidy.

_____________________________

BobH.

(in reply to abufletcher)

Post #: 84

RE: Tricking out WB wheels? - 10/16/2006 3:08:10 PM

abufletcher

Posts: 5010
Joined: 2/13/2004
From: Zentsuji, JAPAN
Status: offline

Bob, my glue lines would certainly be wildly out of scale but I added them strictly for effect. When dried they are little more than vague ridges and when painted a darkish PC10 wlll be all but invisible.

Here are a couple of shots (one each) of the Camels in the RAF museum (Hendon) and the one in the Imperial War Museum. Sadly the way they are hung and the light is not condusive to good photographs. Anyway, at least to my eyes the ring of fabric around the rim is clearly visible on the IWM Camel but less so (but still there) on the RAF camel.

BTW, from the answers I got from the people I happened to ask at these two museums, very few of the WWI era aircraft have original wheels, much less tires. So again it's all up to what you individually like.

Attachments

Click to see fullsize image.

Click for fullsize

Click to see fullsize image.

Click for fullsize

(in reply to BobH)

Post #: 85

RE: Tricking out WB wheels? - 10/16/2006 5:03:22 PM

BobH

Posts: 4347
Joined: 4/1/2003
From: Springfield, VA,
Status: offline

Don, I would guess the rubbe compound used for WWI planes would have a hard time lasting for 90 years ya know.

_____________________________

BobH.

(in reply to abufletcher)

Post #: 86

RE: Tricking out WB wheels? - 10/16/2006 6:29:49 PM

Airwarrior

Posts: 35
Joined: 9/27/2003
From: Cherry hill NJ, NJ, USA
Status: offline

It depends upon how it was stored. A rubber tire sitting in a barn for 90 years will be almost nonexistant when found, but a tire that has been maintained in a climatecontrolled environment, i.e. inside an airconditioned or heated building will stay soft and retain the original rubber qualities. That being said, not many if any tires were stored that way, so fining anoriginal tire in intact condition is almost impossible.

_____________________________

Dave N.

(in reply to BobH)

Post #: 87

RE: Tricking out WB wheels? - 7/19/2008 7:13:27 PM

von_Hammer

Posts: 28
Joined: 6/11/2002
From: TX
Status: offline

Hi all- I just found this thread and was looking at all the modifications being done- very interesting!
I figure I'll add some info on the WmBros wheels we make. The hubs are an ABS plastic, and we use a thickened form of MEK solvent to 'glue'- more like weld- them together. The thicker MEK (basically MEK with some form of plastic dissolved into it) gives us time to brush it on both halves, and assemble. The assembly part is the tough part, ifyou don't have the proper tooling. It only takes about 12 seconds to apply the MEK and assemble the wheel, but as soon as it's together, it needs to be compressed to some degree as the tire is like a spring trying to split it open. So, we have custom aluminum presses for each and every wheel size and type, which conforms to the shape of the hubs- front and back- with a loose axle piece to hold the whole assembly together. So a vintage wheel, for example, would assemble like this- set bottom press (hub back shape) on table with axle installed, apply MEK to back hub around out lip and inner post, set on axle and slide down to press- apply foam filled tire to hub (there is no glue that holds the tire- it is captive)- apply MEK and drop the front hub on, put front hub press on top, then take the whole set and put it into a clamping fixture (we have several of these in a big wheel format, with 12 clamping screws around the perimeter), and screw the clamping foot down to press the assembly together- let dry 40 minutes. If you take a hub apart- and we've done 'rework' on early failed assemblies where the press was not tight enough) it's actually best to use straight MEK to reactivate the surface- but then you have to work faster, due to dry time, and be more careful as it's very thin and tends to want to go everywhere- (and a little on a finger will leave a print on the hub!). We usually don't do rework anymore, and scrap it to regrind. Without the press parts, I think it would be pretty hard to do the assembly and have it come out right, and hold together. I'd advise the end user to make something out of hardwood or plastic, and a big C clamp would do. You just need to clamp near the out rim and around the axle hole, so you don't need to match the profile of the wheel perfecty.
Anyway, I hope that info helps to explain the assembly of a new wheel and shed light on the mods being done.
Maybe in the future, after we get this place really back on its feet, we can look into making a new line of wheels which are more varied in types and scales! We just finally got the molds all functional for the 4 main product lines (pilots, wheels, cylinders, guns) by the end of 2007, and entered volume production this year- and we still have a big job to get the word out that WmBros is back, and to get our products back into the pipeline of distribution- which requires a lots of inventory, which we're working on producing this year. I hope to see us profitable sometime in 2009- then we can start looking at the next step! So spread the word- I really appreciate the support.