Doug Cronkhite

My Feedback: (34)

My only complaint so far with the Focus 2 is like the Focus 1, its pipe channel cannot handle the long ES pipe properly. Need to figure out a way around this.

bla bla

Cut it back, further towards the tail. There'e plently of room... and make a perminate fill piece out of say 1/16" ply from the fire wall to say the UC area. I'd glue the whole tunnel in place anyway.
I did this years ago on my Hydeout and made the access through the canopy area... still works perfectly.
The removable tunnel concept as used on the Hydeout and the Focus 1 is just a hopeless design concept and a real downer on my Focus.
Lets hope it's gone for ever.

Pro pattern

Hi there bla bla,

I’ve not thougt that , putting the tank on the side.
I did some measurements and it looks like it will fit in, not a mm to spare.

Thanks a lot,

Pro pattern

And also, what is the set-up that would not fit in the pipe tunnel. (length of pipe etc, etc)
I’m planning on using the Webra 160 with Jayson header and the engine mount
will be the Hyde A-type with the Greve Pipe.
Would I also need to enlarge my pipe tunnel?
Length of the pipe is 25”.

Thanks, in advance for the info

bla bla

Remember that the tank will expand if your using a pressurised setup so make sure it isn't to tight!
Just want to share something with you. Some guys like their aeroplanes spick and span, even going to the trouble of having a little pilot in the cockpit, hummm... I'm not quite that way.
I've even stopped using a cockpit floor. Sounds strange untill you've tried it. Even with the canopy in place you have a total visual on what's going on in there, at a glance. You can see the servos, the linkages, the aileron leads and conections. You can eyeball the tank, and know exactly how much fuel you have left... it's, well in my humble opinion, the only way to go after you've tried it.
And belive it or not, it kinda looks cool. Real business like, real Formula 1. No nonsence frills.
But then again, those who like a pilot, will never understand.

Pro pattern

That is not a bad idea at all!!
[8D]

Thanks again,

Don Szczur

My Feedback: (1)

OK, sounds like just about everyone is finishing up theirs. I'll give credit for starting this kit to my son, who kept asking me when "we" could build it.

Fit the engine box. As Doug said on his, trimmed 5/8 for a perfect fit. I looked at both my FOCUS I's and realize I prefer a little more down and right thrust. I built this in to try and get it a little closer to start out... I trimmed the right engine box side 1/16 less (9/16 rather then 5/8). Attached is the diagram with the Hyde ARI mount and YS 140DZ engine.

Drawing attached....

Don

Don Szczur

My Feedback: (1)

Mounting Blind nuts on the firewall.

When putting the Hyde mount on (without dissassembling the beams) it was difficult getting a drill in for the holes. Here are the steps to get them in. By the way, I found the Hyde ARI mount to be quite expensive, but worth it. I've never had problems with any of the ones I've run, and servos last longer, batteries don't run down as fast and the plane just seems to last longer.

1. With the mount positioned and secured with the 1/'4 x 20 knob in the back, took a drill (just fit in the holes) and hand-turned some holes (the plywood is soft enough). then remove the mount and drill the holes from where the hand-drilled marks are.

2. Now, install the blind nuts (not like I did by hammering in from the back or through a punch for the two on the left side) but by first cutting away some of the triangle stock to clear the blind nuts on the left, then start the screws through the mount, start to tighten (half way) and put in a few drops of CA, then tighten up all the way.

3. Done. I then mounted the box with some CA and put triangle stock behind and in front of the firewall to secure the ply sides; then added the top and bottom. I took a hole-saw (about an inch and a quarter) and drilled a hole in the middle of the top plate to access stuff inside if needed in the future.

Next step is hinging. I tried the elevator pushrod and yes, as others have discovered, its a right snug fit in the rear support block. I'm going to drill a hole from the back tail post and enlarge the pushrod support hole some. (then hinge all the surfaces to include the rudder).

Going to the hobby shop for some thin CA.

Don

Pro pattern

Hello Don Szczur,

I’ll will take a pic of what I use to enlarge the rear busing.
Wait a sec .
I’m assembelling it right now.

Pro pattern

Hello Don Szcur,

This is how I did it. See pic for the assembly.
This will pass through the plane just like you will assemble the elevator push-rot.
But longer.
To do this you will need the following:
A 5mm drill, than you’ll need a coupler to hold the drill on the push-rod and with this
rod you will put it on a wood rood to extend it as long as it need to pass through the fuselage and still has a grip to hand drill the hole. See pic.
The wood is soft and off to do this by the hand.

So you will not need to drill a hole in the and of the fuselage to enlarge the Pushrod Bearing.

Hope this helps.

Danny

Don Szczur

My Feedback: (1)

Danny, I had drilled it before seeing your post. However, if I had already mounted the rudder I'd be using your technique. Thanks!

Attached is a drawing of what I did. It only took about 5 minutes and the results are pretty much invisible. Cut the covering away, drilled the hole, then folded the covering back and glued with a drop of CA.

Hinging...

I really like the directions. I've never done this right (always ended up with a little binding). What's the secret? The instructions state to bend the control surfaces and then put in the thin CA. I normally push the control surface in hard to reduce gap, and then drop in the thin CA, but there is no where for the surfaces to (give) and this creates the binding. By bending the surfaces first, it creates about 1/64th inch gap which gives the surface enough to move freely without binding.

Backing up a little, carefully drew a centerline on each wing and stab plus the rudder and single knife cut on the centerline resulted in well-centered contol surfaces. I cut the supplied hinges in half then glued them in 6 per surface. For the Stab and rudder, I put a hinge on each side of the control hard-points.

Finally sealing the gap with some transparent covering.

Mounted the elevator and rudder servos per instructions, from the bottom in the back bay, against the forward bulkhead of the rear bay.

pminmo

My Feedback: (4)

I'm building one, and as this is my first pattern ship build up, I'd sure like to see some pictures of the finished linkages, radio installation, tank... If somebody would take some I'd post them on a website.

Phil

NSRCA newbie

Jeff-RCU

My Feedback: (4)

I tried to tint my canopy yestserday with little success. It's been in the dye for 12 hours and is barely colored. I'm using the fabric dye that comes as a liquid and hot water?

fishgod

My Feedback: (13)

If it has not taken dye it probably won't. Some plastics just wont take dye. You can try a little hotter water but you run the risk of deforming the canopy. I would paint the inside with lexan r/c car paint. Then you would'nt have to worry about messing up the dye job if a little fuel gets on it.

Jeff-RCU

My Feedback: (4)

Thanks, I'm about over trying to dye it. My wife is having a fit about the plastic trash can in the laundry room with about ten gallons of disaster waiting to happen!

larmark

My Feedback: (5)

Don

Please give us some set up information.

Control throws?
CG?
Aileron differential?

Thanks

Larry Markey

Don Szczur

My Feedback: (1)

After 22 years, I finally figured out how to put the trim in to seal control surfaces. Cut piece of clear monokote strip from the roll- 1 inch wide at one end, 3.4 inch at the other end. I folded the piece of monokote in half then tucked it into the aileron, then used the iron to seal the monokote strip starting at the base of the aileron. The monokote folds very well, almost like paper so one can get a nice straight line and tuck it in without a lot of wrinkles. It looks nicer too. Trim the excess from the tip of the aileron.

Ok- I put in the control horn screws (the screws that came with the bag of hardware). The longest one I screwed into the rudder and then took a dremel and cut off the screw head. Then I screwed on the control horn on each surface. For the elevators and rudder, screwed in the control horn just to the threads were thru it. Oops, one aileron did not seem to be drilled out. No problem (there was a mark that looked like a drill hole) I just drilled it out with 1/16 then enlarged it some before putting in the supplied control horn screw.

If you set yours up similar to mine, I'll e-mail the radio setup (if you fly JR 10X) to make your setup really consistent.

I took the landing gear out of the bag and lined it up with the LG block. Looks to match up really well. I cut two pieces of that 1/4 by 1/2 inch stock for the tank mounts. Looks like a 24 oz DuBro that I had laying around fits well. May be a bit of an overkill. Don't want to get Dave or Troy upset if I'm flying for 20 minutes practice flights at the NATS. Actually I think I get more out of 11 or 12 mintute flights than I do from 15 minute flights.

Stopped at the Hobby Hangar and picked up a Dubro 2x56 pull-pull cable kit, DuBro 20oz fuel tank and some small fuel tubing to secure the tank.

Bed time

Don Szczur

My Feedback: (1)

I did a real smart thing this evening. The holes I put in for the control arm screws on the ailerons (although I did find the indentations of where I thought the holes were). I put the screws in, only to find them off quite a bit. Well, nothing a pair of vice-grips can't "straighten out". Learn from me, use a jig and a drill press if you do this before mounting the ailerons. (or just bend the screws like I'm about to do). I think I'll put in a bit of a back- bend to give it some differential.

How am I going to make my 8:30 meeting with the roads like this... hoping for that phonecall to scratch the meeting.

Just in case better get a little sleep. (2 hours to DC, I'm guessing, since thats how long it took to get home tonight)

Pro pattern

Hi Don Szczur,

I also have a FOUCUS II as I already said in my previous reply, I have the ARC version.
Any ways I would like to know what are the servos that you are going to use.
I was planning the following:
Rudder – JR DS8411 SA Digital Ultra Torque
Elevator – JR DS8411 SA Digital Ultra Torque
Aileron’s – JR DS8231 Digital Ultra Precision


Thanks, in advance for the info


Danny

Don Szczur

My Feedback: (1)

Servos...

Well, I had two 8411's handy, so I put them in for the elevator and rudder. However, the 8411SA's are perfect. They are lighter and have a tighter gear train over long periods of time, yet have all the high torque needed for precise rolling loops and snaps. You made a great choice.

For the ailerons, It will be hard for me to resist using the trusty 7005's because I have them and they fit right in the aileron cutouts. However I'd like to try the 9411's because they are light, precise and pretty much optimized for pattern applications such as ailerons.

The 8231's you have selected for the ailerons are quite acceptable, and will give you good performance.

Don

Don Szczur

My Feedback: (1)

I mounted the elevator pushrod according to the plans. Attached below is a diagram which shows the measurements of the pushrod and the split rods.

Now, this is just something I did on my own... a "mid fuselage support". I don't know if this airplane will need it, but an ounce of prevention... saves Murphy from coming to visit later. Basically, remember the 5/8 piece you cut from the engine box side? Take that piece, drill a 13/64 hole in the middle (provided your elevator servo is positioned to center the pushrod down the centerline of the fuselage) and then just slide it down the pushrod (holding the nose up) until it rests against bulkhead number 3 (the one that is 17 inches back from the rear bulkhead in the pipe-tunnel. After testing the fit, put a dab of epoxy on both sides, connect the clevis to the servo and lift the nose up so the mid-fuselage support piece slides back to bulkhead #3 and your done.

After I put the pushrod in and tested it, I realized the rear pushrod support helps, but does not eliminate the "aileroning" of the elevator halves (the pushrod flexes right and left inside the fuselage where the "Y" meets the pushrod. Knowing this, I would have done the same process above for bulkhead number 1 first (the one just in front of the elevator). Not a major deal, I'll fly it as is.

Now, if one uses the slop-free elevator linkup sold by Central Hobbies, one would have even a more precise setup still...

Jeff-RCU

My Feedback: (4)

Don,
Thanks for posting that sketch. I was just complaining to a flying buddy that a simple sketch in the instructions would save me a bunch of time figuring out the dimensions on the elevator pushrod, and now you have gone and figured it out for me!
Jeff

patternrules

My Feedback: (6)

Don your doing a real good job here, just want to clarify something, in your text on the elevator pushrod it say's 13/64 and the sketch show 17/64. Which is right.

Thank You
Steve Maxwell

Jeff-RCU

My Feedback: (4)

Made up my pushrod tonight. My rear pushrod bearing was also too tight also. Went in with a drill from the back. Fitted teh elevator, but didn't glue in because it needs a little shimming to level it out. Also have the engine mounted and the cowl (I'm skiipping around the instructions a little!).

Jeff-RCU

My Feedback: (4)

could someone post a few pictures of servo and fuel tank mounting in the fuse?