cbk07

My Feedback: (64)

Hi Dave, after about 10 years out of racing I am building a couple of your planes along with Dan's Hurrikanes. Just finishing up a Seeker...hoping my Snakers will be here tomorrow. Great kit....I love the tab lock construction. Please let me know if you encounter any issues with the Snakers. I am guessing they will be every bit as nice as the Seekers. Here's some pics of the one I'm covering along with an old Racer II kit I just put together. Covered the RacerII fuse with Ultracote Carbon Fiber covering..pretty cool looking stuff

cbk07

My Feedback: (64)

Here's the Carbon Fiber Ultracote on the Racer II, although it probably looks black in the pics

p.s. Thanks for the pointers you PM'd me.....very helpful

daven

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Great looking planes, nice job.

The kit looked great on first inspection. A couple extra parts, but I don't think anything is missing. Looking forward to get started, but not tonight.

vicman

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Got mine yesterday but need to finish the Seeker first.

CBK, I have used the CF and CF/kevlar covering for a few of my models and really like how it looks. They always attract attention.

Bill Vargas

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Cool looking Racer II,,,,


BV

daven

My Feedback: (1)

So far so good, everything has fit nearly perfect so far.

Thin and Medium CA for everything else up to this point.

You can see where I added a doubler just in front of the V-tail, and another former back there. Adds a little strength, and helps keep it spaced back there so you have room for your pushrods.

daven

My Feedback: (1)

put in the servo tray. This 1/8" light ply that we use, needs a little more stiffness especially where the servo screws go in so we made a doubler so the screws have a bit more beef to hold everything secure.

daven

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Glued the sides together and then the firewall. Used up a tube of Ma-310 for the firewall, good stuff, and clamped it in 4 spots till dry. I really like this multi layered firewall. In the end it will be equal to 4 pieces of 1/8" aircraft ply all stacked. Tied to the former which is tabbed and locked at perfect incidence, and the outside piece ties the firewall to the outside surfaces of the fuse.

daven

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Last pic of firewall being glued together.

cbk07

My Feedback: (64)

Thanks for the comments guys!

Got some work done on my Snalers. Had some problems with the first build (not a design flaw, one of the fuse sides was some punky wood which literally snapped while curving around F3). Kit #2 is going together nicely. Parts fit is overall quite good. I modified the stab tips a bit just because I wanted to try a different look. Not having to build a wing is nice!! The Viper wing I have fits the saddle absolutely perfectly, although the distance beteen F2 and F3 could probably be shortened 1/8" as the wing chord is 9 3/4" I believe and the opening is 9 7/8"....really not a big deal. I have heard some Viper wings have different shaped airfoils and require potting, but this one is dead nuts to the fuse. Hoping to get the wing bolted up and finalize the incidence on the stab. This kit is a great option for the Viper wing. So far I like it alot

cbk07

My Feedback: (64)

Few more

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

Dave, why don't you have that nifty tail former in the Seeker?

daven

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I never needed it, but I have heard from others that feel that it is a weak point in the Seeker design.

Since the Snaker is more of a 424 type plane, that will get flown off of grass and rough fields by a newer racer, felt it made sense to beef it up a hair.

It is simply 1/16" balsa doubled up for the former, and a small piece of 1/16" balsa doubled up on the fuse side as a doubler.

Vic, if you want a little extra strength back there you can take a piece of .007 carbon laminate,or 2 oz glass about 1/2" wide and 6" long and lay it up inside of the fuse sides in the same area.

daven

My Feedback: (1)

Nice job cbk07. Do you intentionally have your landing gear with the wheels forward? I know we use to do that with the Doddger off of grass fields, but I haven't found it necessary with the seeker. Just curious.

I got a little crack on one fuse side also wrapping around the former at the TE. If your building one of these, start from the back and glue forward.

Rear balsa former first, then the servo tray and rear former, and this is when you need to be carefull going forward when you pull the sides in to the front formers. You may even want to spray down the sides with a little water as you pull them in to glue up the front. My wood was good, it is just so dry here right now, and I don't think thats helping.

My wing saddle is a bit long also, and my wing fit is not perfect, I have a couple gaps a little over 1/16" at about 3/4 back from the LE. I have a couple other wings, I'll check those, but I'm guessing its just a wide variance in shape and size of the viper wings.

About the only concern I have so far, is the thickness of the two wing hold down blocks and the landing gear block. They are 3/16", but I think I may want to go up to 1/4". I may epoxy little 1/8" ply pads where the bolt holes are going through for a little more nylon bite.

cbk07

My Feedback: (64)

Thanks for the gear tip Dave. As I had said, I have been out of this for a long time. We fly off all grass and always found it 'safer' to go with it swept forward....will try turning them around.

As far as the wing saddle goes, I used a wing from a Viper ARC I had. Just set a nother Viper ARF wing in it and there is about an 3/32" gap behing the LE. Stange how the Viper wings have that much variance.

As far as the cracking goes, I think the dryness isn't helping here in the Northeast either. I did weight my 2 fuse sides with the ply doublers after the one broke. The side that cracked was 23 grams, the other was 40 grams. I tried CA'ing the crack and it just broke on the other side of the former. Not a big deal. Wood is wood.....it can't all be good. Carole said she will get me a replacement side in the next run of kits. Please let me know if you make any design changes as this will necessitate 2 new sides obviously.

Craig

daven

My Feedback: (1)

Let me talk with Dan on this and see if he has any ideas. I think part of the issue is the 1/64 light ply on the inside?? Or maybe it makes sense to start gluing from the front back??

I like to start from the back with a drop of thin CA at the tail so I know that its lined up perfectly. When you start gluing at the front, I could see not possibly having it straight, even with the tabs and slots.

I built over 50 seekers, and I had this happen a couple times, but it was the exception, and I've never had one that I couldn't just hit the crack with thin CA and be fine.

Also, as to the gear, I think part of the problem in the old days was we were running much more forward CG's. Since many of us have moved the C.G. back around 3" in most cases you don't need the middle of the wheel at the LE. Computer radios with dual rates and expo have allowed us to get the throws set perfect so a rearward CG is not as big as issue as it was when they were using their Kraft radios. You can take off and race on low rates, and flip to high for landing and have enough throw.

daven

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A few more pictures, so far so good.

daven

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You can see the added 1/8" ply I added under the blind nuts for the landing gear, and the small piece I added before the lite ply piece on the bottom of the fuse. Otherwise, evertthing has fit just about perfect.

Time to mount the wing this week, and get started on the tail. For less than 5 hours so far stretched out over the weekend, this thing is going together fast.

I used cheap TS-35 Tower servos for the elevators (look to be Hitec 225 knockoffs), and a Hitec 85 for throttle. I did use a new JR gold Deluxe switch, as I've had good luck with it.

the landing gear is Dural Great Planes L-1 which fits perfect, with a pair of BB wheels from Mike Helsel. I love these wheels for grass apps.

daven

My Feedback: (1)

a little more work tonight, mounted the wing to the fuse. Had to relieve almost 1/4 of material from the rear wing hold down to allow the torque rods to fit. Minor, but annoying.

I took a picture and marked in black what I removed with a dremel. Mounted the wing with 10/24 in the rear, and 1/4 20 in the front. Looks like a good match.

daven

My Feedback: (1)

List of minor issues up to this point.

1. Rear wing hold down block needs to be relieved to fit aileron torque rods.
2. Either the balsa bottom sheeting needs to be extended about an inch, or the rear light ply triangular piece on the bottom needs to be widened and extended.
3. Slight stress riser at the rear former. Care needs to be taken to bend the fuse tight at the nose without cracking.
4. The ply that is used at the front, that anchors the firewall pieces is kinda mushy. When installing blind nuts, they sink in farther than I like. Would prefer this piece to be a better quality aircraft ply.
5. Thickness of the landing gear block, and wing hold downs may be a hair thin at 3/16", would prefer to go to 1/4", or supply 1/8" doublers that could be glued to the pieces.

Thats my critisism so far, I'm sure others will have ideas to make this a better kit.

kane

Dave,

I can make the changes pretty easily.

1. No issue at all.
2. No issue. How did the sheeting fit to the fuselage shape? This was a concern on my proto.
3. I always started at the wing saddle then moved forward with clamps and then moved my way back. I haven't seen this before. One thing that is different is that the 1/64th ply does not have the lightening hole that previously existed. Perhaps with more glued surface area, it created a really stiff side and didn't allow for any flexing when curved around the former. I have not built any of these kits, I can't comment on the whys and hows without seeing it. Does anyone have parts they can send me? I will replace the kit.
4. It is the same material as the formers. The ply is 3 ply and not five this is the best I can get from the supplier, unless we do this part by itself. Let me know your thoughts.
5. Changing to 1/4" adds another material to be cut, as the firewall is also from 3/16". I don't have any thoughts either way. Just let me know what you want.

My concerns with this first run:
The rear former and the assembly splitting the balsa. Any feedback here would be great.
The shape of the fuselage behind the wing. Is it a smooth transition from the TE to the tail of the fuse? The servo tray needed to be widened and the rear former smaller to get a smooth transition. How did this come out?
Incidence? How did the stab match up to the wing?
Tab slots... too small, too big???

Any other feedback on the first kits would be helpful.

Please let Dave and I know.

Thanks,

Dan

daven

My Feedback: (1)

Dan,

2. The bottom sheeting was a near perfect fit, it overhung each side by less than 1/8" all the way back, and as close to a 1/16" in some places, I wouldn't change that at all.

3. I think the full 1/64" ply is part of it, it does not bend as well as the ply with lightning holes. Maybe we could add some lightning holes near the rear wing hold down area. The main reason I wanted to go full light ply was for the nose and back about 1/2 way on the wing.

4. I think this needs to be 5 ply 1/8", the blind nuts just keep sucking in if you tighten with a t-handle. I hardened the area with thin CA, but its just too soft the way it is. Fine for 424, but afraid your backplate mount would loosen up over time with a stronger motor. Maybe we could make a seperate cut board of 1/8" 5 ply and include the firewall tabbed piece, and doublers for the landing gear, front and rear wing hold down plates. The doublers of 5 ply would eliminate some of the cracking you get when drilling through the 3/16" ply.

5. Answered in #4


As to your concerns - I don't have an incidence meter down here, so couldn't check. I'm picking mine up on Saturday. I just lined it up in the saddle the best place for the airfoil. Pretty much split the difference from the front and rear former. The saddle is a good 1/8"+ wide, plenty of room to pot, but maybe a little too much. If the incidience is off, I will just shim it with 1/64" ply before I pot it in.

I liked the transition of the fuse behined the wing. Its a little fatter then the seeker, primarily due to the width of the rearmost former, but it gives a little more room for the linkage. The seeker is tighter, and I know some poeple struggle with that. This is better for this plane/class. If you take a look at the bottom sheeting, you'll get a pretty good idea of the shape.

I also liked the slightly oversided holes in the 1/64" ply. Helpful for glue spooge. They all lined up perfect, except the front two. Everything was centered in the holes, but these lined up perfectly to one edge (can't remember if it was front or back). The tabs and slots on the formers were a hair looser fit than my Seeker, but not too lose, I think they are good.

Steve J

My Feedback: (4)

Dave, I'm about as far along with assembly as you are.
My suggestions other than those you have already mentioned:
1 - make new rear former from ply rather than balsa - both of mine broke. The balsa side doublers are fine.
2- make both upper and lower rear triangles larger (item 2 in post 45)
May be luck of the draw but most of the balsa in my two kits is pretty ugly stuff.

I noticed that the rear of the tail sadle has been lowered about 3/8" compared to the Seeker plan I used in the past (12/24/04 version). It will be interesting to see how the incidences line up. I had no prolem with 0/0/0 on the earlier plan.

Thanks for the chance to build/buy the preliminary kit.
Steve

cbk07

My Feedback: (64)

With my wing at zero, setting the tail was no problem. My firewall does have somewhere between .25 and .5 degree upthrust in relation to the wing. Not sure if this is designed in, but figure probably not enough to matter much for 424. Worst case, it will be easy enough to shim the engine down a bit if I notice it flying

Not sure if you guys changed suppliers for this kit, but the 2 Hurrikanes and 2 Seekers I purchased last month seemed to be of much better quality wood and seemed like a bit better laser cutting too. Not unhappy with the Snakers....just having recieved your other kits feel like there is a slight decrease in quality. Please don't take this as a complaint, just an observation.

Dan, not sure if you are asking for someone to send you a kit, but I would be happy to send mine to you (the one where the side cracked). Let me know if this is the case and PM me an address along with what you would like sent back.

Craig

daven

My Feedback: (1)

Craig,

This run of kits came from Sig Manufacturing. I am not sure where the Seekers from a month or so had come from. For years I had used NorthEast Aerodynamics, but unfortunately they closed their doors here recently. I'm not sure if Dan had still been getting them cut there though.

As to balsa, there has been a world wide shortage of good light balsa for about the past year. The balsa in my kit was pretty good, I was more concerned about the mushy light 3ply.