old dodger

Getting ready to start building the Astro Jeff kit from sky bench.
Wondering if there are any suggestions to modify it. I always think about beefing up spars, is it needed or just good insurance.
I originally got it for Nastalgia class But have a Meistro Megan for that. Thaught about flps on it for launch.

any info would be nice.
Thank you

Chris Brundege

hattend

My Feedback: (20)

The Astro Jeff has been a favorite "must have" sailplane of mine ever since I saw an article about it back in the 70's. Unfortunately, I never built one but have been eyeing the Skybench kit for a very long time. Unfortunately I have way to many kits in the building list that the AJ would just sit for years gathering dust.

I have a lot of Ray's "Bird" gliders so I know the quality of his wood kits. However, how good is the glass fuselage in this kit? On a scale of 1-10, one being crap and ten being excellent. Just your opinion.

Look forward to following your build thread, post lots of pictures.

Don

old dodger

Hi Hat,

I looked closer at the fuse. Is 17oz. straight, few waves in tail boom but only see if you look closely. Ide give it and 8.
Its a BIG fuse. A Fat guinie pig could lay in it.

Thanks for the posted interest

Have a project to finish then will start A J in about 1-2 wks.

Dont know where Galena AK is, I was in the Coast Guard in Kodiak for 3 yr.

Latter

Chris Brundege

Rick K

My Feedback: (6)

Hi, I'm building a Skybench Viking . . . but I do know of a guy, Loran who Iv'e been in contact with since March when he purchased a 'Astro-Jeff' at the same time I bought the Viking. Anyway, he's at the point of covering now and I'm sure he'd like to share 'tips' with you. You can contact him at [email protected] He as I have had alot of problems in our building adventures with these kits. I'm quite sure he has advice/insights that you'd find useful.
Rick K
LSF 6493 (1)

hattend

My Feedback: (20)

Chris: Galena is way inland about 350 miles NW of Anchorge (6444N 15656W)

Rick, Sign Loran54 up on RCU and have him post his tips for all to see!!

ejett

My Feedback: (4)

Jack Womack of Houston built one this year. Just recently sold it. It was absolutely gorgeous. I got to see in "in the flesh" so to speak. I don't know if he's on RC Universe, but he posts regularly on RC groups /sailplanes/thermal forum. You might be able to make contact with him there.

EJ

old dodger

Awsome guys,

Thanks for the leads, Im member on RC Groups also, and now that you mention it there is a thread for Nastalgia I should have
been asking there also.
Thanks ejett,hattend, Rick K. Gee I feel kink of embarrassed I dont have an lsf nr. I had one 23yr ago but dont know what it is/was
so im starting over. Got to get some spots done.

Later all.

Chris Brundege

michpittsman

My Feedback: (11)

Chris-If you attained level III your LSF number should be still on record with them; my voucher hasn't been added to since 1982, but one of these days... JIM LSF 796

Chocks

Ok, everybody, This is how far I have gotten.

Chocks

If anybody wants to see more pictures or needs more info, just e-mail me and I will reply back, thanks

ejett

My Feedback: (4)

Chocks:

Don't be bashful, put them on the forum for everyone's benefit.

Pics, lots of pics, if you have them. Discussion of problem areas and resolutions are great info as well.

EJ

Chocks

I have 89 pictures and a lot of changes. So e-mail me and I will send then. Most of the pictures show my building jig that I made. It uses the magnetic and clamp technique.
The instructions that you get with the kit are terrible. All you get is a review from one of the mags in the 70's. So I had to build everything the way I thought it should be. I added my own ply to the top of the fin so it is stronger. I also added a piece of hardwood to the fin where the rudder mounts so I could use actual hinges. I curved it out so the rudder fits flush and you can't see the hinges. I didn't like the 45 degree way they show in the plans. I also changed the way the spoilers work. I made them direct with small sulivan cable type push rods. With computer radios you can adjust the travel the way you want it and this way I don't have to use magnets or rubber bands to make sure they close right. The main thing I told chris was to build the wings first. I built the stab and rudder first and when I went to see if the wings were paralell they weren"t and I had a hell of a time getting things lined up. It took a lot of die grinding on the fuse where the wing rods mount a now there is a little mismatch where the wing mates up to the fuse. Also on the rudder on the inside of the fin I mounted hardwood blocks so that the tubing that goes through will have more support and take out any wobble. I had the wobble problem when I built a Gemini MTS in the 80"s. Also I am mounting the canopy to an aluminum frame that I machined with 1-72 button head screws. The same screws that I used to mount my spoilers to the hinges. My spoilers are also aluminum. Any questions let me know.

old dodger

Chocks e-mailed me a bunch of pics- they look great. Ive been curriouse about the magnetic building
board method and how well it works. Im still useing the old firtex 1/2 in sheet on a straight door for a bench. (two of them at this point) and " T " pins/push pins. I havnt seen any 4 x 8 sheets in the local shops for a long time.

Im still downloading the Pictures, thank you Chocks.

You were thinking about the paint to use- Ive not done to much painting and when I did I just used something off the local hardware store shelf. I think I tried an E-poxy paint looong time ago but was such a hasle dont think I will do it again. I plan on covering with Monocote so will use there paint since it matches the colors.

Thanks again Chocks

Chris Brundege

Chocks

I built the board in my machine shop at work. I needed something that was 7' long because the wings are a little over 6'. I used 2"x2"x1/4" aluminum angle then I screwed 18 guage cold rolled stel over the top of it. I purchased just the magnets from Tower the found some earth magnets at Restoration Hardware when I was shopping with my girlfriend. I also have a big assortment of aluminum angle of different sizes the keeps everything 90 degrees to the board. The magnets actuaully just kept my spars leading and trailing edges flat to the board. The aluminum angles and clamps did the rest. Loran

old dodger

Chocks,

Are the magnets strong enough to actually be able to clamp things to the board. I.e. cap strips, top spar,
trailing edge sheet ect?

Chris.

Chocks

The magnets are more thatn strong enough to hold things down. as far as cap strips? I usually sand them down to an exact fit and if ithey are a little lose I pin them down. I also purchased some magnetic clamps from Tower that are tall enough and they have a piece of threaded rod to hold down the stripor anything else that is off of the magnetic table.
In an earlier post my email was mentioned. It has since changed. It is [email protected] Feel free to email me with any questions. I will answer them the best I can.. Thanks, Loran