skylarkmk1

Ken,

I wouldn't know, the only plans included were for the fuselage. It wouldn't take much for your method to be more scale by flipping the front and rear struts end for end.

Big_Bird

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John, that is an excellent idea. I'll do it.

Thanks

RCBOATMANIAC

It is kind of funny, but you just don't realize just how big a 1/6 scale Waco is until you size it up to another Biplane. My Great Planes Super Sportster 40 Biplane my have a 55" WS, but when you put it up against the 1/6 scale waco it makes it look like a baby. So far I have been able to set the incedence for the top wing and currently working on the bottom wing, with the meter on the bottom wing it looks like I need to sand some on the back pads to allow the trailing edge of the wing to go up inside more to zero out the incedence on the bottom wing. Here is a couple of pics to show size comparison.

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

Looks good Dave.

John, how bout this?

WacoNut

Ken,
I received your e-mail, Thanks!!! I am at work now and I did get my gear welded. I will check the drawing you sent me against the aluminum strut material, from what I se it looks good. I will keep you posted on how I do with my struts.
Thanks!!
Anthony

skylarkmk1

Ken,

Looks like that will do the trick. Maybe extend the tongue inside a little longer and trim the corners of the struts to get a little steeper angle (see the photos above) at the ends. Suggestion to prevent pullout; drill a hole through the strut and tongue and insert an aluminum cross pin filed smooth with the outside, once painted it will be invisible.

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

I almost have all of the pieces made so I don't think I'll change the shape. After the pieces are bonded into the struts I'll drill and pin them. I think I have some aluminum brazing rod that will do fine.

Big_Bird

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Parts

skylarkmk1

Ken,

Looking good.

WacoNut

Ken,
How long are those 4-40 screws?? I might need to pick some pre up tomorrow.
Anthony

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

1". Did you by any chance hold a piece of strut material up to the drawing for comparison?

WacoNut

Yes I did and I found that I had to reprint it, the software I used to print it the 1st time scaled it up. After reprinting and selecting actual size it looks good. The lines appear to match up perfecly with the ID of the struts. I am guessing that the edges of the pieces will need to be rounded over to get them to fit properly. All in all it looks good.
I just finished up my tail gear, the yoke is finished up with the axle holes drilled and everything is painted. I will post some pics tomorrow. I am trying to get a list of hardware I need to pick up tomorrow, I have about a 35 minute drive to the hobby shop and I hate making extra trips. Where do you get your solder and white paste? I need to pick up some more solder and paste tomorrow also.
Anthony

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

I'm glad it matched the drawing.

The flux that I use is called Stay-Silv White Brazing Flux P/N 4002. My local ACE hardware carries it and the silver solder. Don't use the Sta Brite silver solder that some hobby shops sell. It isn't strong enough. The silver solder that I use comes in sticks and is commonly referred to as refrigeration solder. I think I bought 15% silver. Any welding supply carries this also.

I usually lay the parts to be soldered (brazed) on a flat brick. Clean the parts and apply a thin coat of flux to the parts. Use a propane torch and apply enough heat to cause the brass to just start glowing. Apply the rod and when it flows remove the rod and heat. Allow it to cool naturally. You can blow on it but don't quench it. Brass acts just the opposite from steel when quenched. If you want to prove that to yourself take a stick of brass tubing and heat an area to glowing and plunge it into water. It will get very soft and easy to bend.

Tip: Make the tab/tubing slightly longer than needed and grind the ends to the exact length.

WacoNut

Thanks for the tips,
I will pick up all the necessary items over the next day or two and get busy on my brackets and struts.

WacoNut

Ken,
I am having problems finding the silver solder. I found 15% at a welding supply house but they sell it in a 1lb tube for $63. Too much money for what I need. I did find 5% at a auto parts store. Will 5% silver be strong enough to hold the brackets? I checked with the local Ace Hardware and all they carry is tin/lead solder. I am on hold until I figure out what to do here.
Later!!
Anthony

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

Did you get the silver solder paste? Our ACE hardware has stopped handling welding supplies. I guess they didn't have enough demand. Locally Airgas minimum is 7 sticks of 15% silver solder in a tube for $20 + tax. I can go buy it for you and mail it if you want. Check in your area for an Airgas welding supply.

I just had another idea that would work equally as well. Buy a strip of 1/32" x 1/2" K&S flat brass and double it over a 4-40 screw. You can use a vise or vise grip pliers to crimp it down over the screw. Then trim it to shape before using 60/40 solder to solder the sides together and solder the 4-40 blind nut on one side. If I had thought of this earlier I would not have gone the silver solder route.

WacoNut

I am going to try the 5% silver solder, I will solder up one bracket and load test it. I figure each bracket would need to support 15 lbs. That is figureing a 25 lb plane 5g's and devided by the number of attachment pints holding the wing in place. Not sure if my match/figureing is correct?? Anyhow I will to a load test and see where it fails. Better to find out now than in the air.
Later!!
Anthony

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

As long as you put a good pull test on the fitting it should be fine.

I received my GTM strut material by 2 pm and had one side completed by 3:45 except for fairing in the tips. The first photo shows what I did to get the correct cut length. I drilled (#33 bit) holes in a stick that would precisely match the tabs. I then measured the distance to the points where the strut would fit and cut the strut. I rounded the corners of the fitting until I got a very snug fit as I pushed the fitting into the strut. A few drops of thin CA secured it. I did the same to the top fitting but did not CA it. Both ends were screwed into place. CA was applied to the top end. All the rest followed the same procedure. I am extremely pleased with the results.

Remember John, it's "Model Airplane Practical".

WacoNut

Ken,
That looks great, once you get them faired in with the JB Weld they will look very scale and they are fully functional and you just can't beat that. I picked up the solder on the way home and I will give it a try in the morning. Hopefully it will work out fine. I want to make sure the strength is there if not I will find another option.

I would like to see a pic a little further back showing the entire strut assembly to see how it looks.
Later!!
Anthony

WacoNut

Ken,
I cut the pieces for a bracket and put the torch and solder to it and it worked great. The solder flowed perfectly through the joint and it is strong. I put a drill bit through the tubing and held the brass plate with vice grips and pulled with all my might and the joint held fine. I will test each bracket in this manner before fitting it to the plane. I will start cutting and soldering the remaining brackets then I might catch up to you on the struts in a couple of days
Thanks for your tips and help!!!
Anthony

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

Another photo.

WacoNut

Ken that looks great, I don't see a thing wrong with that at all.
I now have 5 brackets soldered, I need to pick up some of the rod ends that you are using for the connections of the strut angled pieces, the 1st hobby shop I stoped at only had 2 and the 2nd hobby shop didn't have any, I should have grabbed the 2 when I had the chance. Anyhow can you compare one of them against a Dubro 4-40 quick link or just tell me the overall lenght so I can work around that until I get some ordered.
Thanks!!
Anthony

RCBOATMANIAC

Ken,
Nice struts your plane is really looking good! Keep up the good work look like your putting a lot of pride into your work.

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks Dave.

I would not use the quick links. To keep radio noise down I would only use the Dubro rigging ends because of the strength and the clamping action. It's always a good idea to buy what they have in stock even if it's not enough.

The Dubro ends have an overall length of 0.807" and 0.70" from the tail end to the screw hole.

I went by the hobby shop about an hour ago to get two more ends and that's all they had. It's a Hobby Town and if you are into Dungeons n' Dragons or stuffed animals it is a good place but not for RC. They don't keep up their stock of popular RC items. And this is a city of almost 300,000 people, home of Six Flags Over Texas, the Texas Rangers, and the Dallas Cowboys in 2009. You would think we would have a good hobby shop.

WacoNut

Thanks,
I will not use the quick links for flying just for building the struts if the measurements are close. We also have a Hobby Town and they also only had the 2 links The other Hobby shop just opened and he is still trying to get his shelves stocked.
Anthony