MHester

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Hi Gene,

The aileron servo lead is just run through a hole cut in the wing. Just a piece of brass tubing, bored all the way to the servo box. It's simple.

Yes I'm glassing the fuse and painting with PPG. It can be monokoted if you're REALLY good with monokote; I'm not.

Sorry I haven't been able to keep the content rolling like I'd hoped, the holidays are killing me with 3 kids and trying to get everything else organized. I'll start back up either tonight or tomorrow, if I ever get a minute.

-Mike

MHester

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Wing sheeting

This really isn't as hard as some people make it out to be. All you really need is a flat hard surface (that's the real trick) and a piece of 3/4" MDS board cut slightly larger than the wing.

As for the sheeting, select 8 pieces of 1/16"x4"x36 for each wing panel. These pieces should be light with minimal defects, about 14 grams a piece is ideal.

Begin by edge sanding the pieces. Stack them up and sand the edge while weighting them down.

Next lay 6 pieces out on a flat, clean table. Check the fit and make any adjustments now.

With 1.5" masking tape, tape the pieces together lengthwise so they are tightly fit against one another.

Do this only on one side. You should be able to open the seam like a hinge.

Open one seam at a time and apply glue.

Apply a small bead of white Elmer's glue to each joint. Wipe off the excess with a paper towel. Weight the skin down so that it doesn't rise and buckle. Move your weights around occasionally so they don't get stuck.

After about 25 minutes, lightly sand the surface with 220 grit paper. Let the dust migrate into the seam, this will fill the crack well. Now let the skin dry for about 1 hour.

Carefully flip the skin over and peel off the tape. be careful here because it's easy to break the sheets apart with too much force.

Wait about 15 minutes and repeat the light sanding. Let dry for a few hours.

Trim the skin square so length-wise the assembly is 33" long.

Taking measurements from ONLY the bottom edge, make marks at 16" on one side, 9" on the other. Using a long straight edge and a very sharp blade, cut the skin in two diagonally as shown.

Now edge sand the skin on the diagonal cut with a long straight bar.

Tape down and attach one piece of 1/16"x 4"x36" balsa using the same methods previously mentioned.

Make a mark at the tip (from the bottom!) at 2" and using a long straight edge, cut away the TE taper as shown.

Let the skinds dry overnight, then block sand them with 220 grit paper.

Using compressed air or a vacuum, clean the skins thoroughly.

Spray the surface of the skin that will attach to the wing with aqua net (or similar) hair spray. Be careful of your skin orientation. The skins will curl up, but don't worry about it.

Let this dry for a couple of hours, then lightly sand with 400 grit or finer. Clean again and you're ready to glue the sheeting.

MHester

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Begin by laying the core on the sheeting and making some marks just inside the honeycomb area. Remove the core and connect the dots; the inboard (larger) section is the area you will spread resin onto the skin. Don't spread resin in the honeycombed area, you'll defeat the purpose. if you didn't honeycomb, skip this step.

Spread a good quality laminating resin such as West systems, MGS, EZ Lam or similar onto the surface of the skin that has been treated with hairspray.

Use a folded piece of poster board for this. Spread it as thin as possibly, it should be darker but not soaking wet looking.

Take a glue syringe and lay a bead of resin on the core outlining the honeycomb pattern. The bead should be about 1/16" thick. Use 2 beads around the edges and tip.

Spread also a thin bead across the false rib and spars to make sure you get a good bond there.

Applying top skin first, lay the top shuck on teh flat table and line up the TE of the top skin into the shuck. Carefully lay the core on top of the skin and press gently.

Now apply the bottom skin, again lining up the TEs with both skins and the shuck.

Apply the bottom shuck and flip the whole assembly over, so it is sitting right side up on the surface.

Lay the piece of MDS board on top of the shuck, and go around and align the corners so that everything is in the correct place. A little tweak here and there is usually needed. But this step is critical, make sure it's straight.

Now apply weight to the top of the MDS board. You will need about 200 lbs per panel. '

At this point, check the LEs and TEs with a straight edge. It should be perfect, if not, shim it with poster board until it is.

Let cure overnight, and your wings are sheeted.

MHester

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Turtle deck sheeting

This one can be tricky. Easily it's the most difficult of all the sheeting chores you'll have to do with the Black Magic.

Select the lightest 1/16"x4x36" balsa you can find. It should be A grain, that is you should be able to easily bend it across the sheet. It will need this flexibility. Especially the center sheet.

Lay out your sheeting as shown in the diagrams. Use the same techniques as we used for the wing sheeting, with one change: use Duco cement instead of white glue. These sheets will need to be applied wet so we don't want to use water based glue.

Block sand and use the hair spray sealing method just like on the wings. Sand and clean when ready.

Using a wet rag, dampen the outside of the skin (the side not bonded). This will allow it to better take the shape of teh turtle deck without cracking.

Spread good laminating resin extremely thin, you don't want to use any more than you absolutely have to. The bond isn't nearly as critical as the wing, but it needs to be down and tight. Especially the front area and the edges.

Lay the outer shuck on the flat table, and center the skin in the shuck. Paying particular attention not to twist the skin and keep it aligned, gently press the assembly down into the shuck. Since the nature of these cuts tend to cause a loose fit at the rear, you need to move the whole assembly toward the rear slightly (about 1/4" or so). Put the inner shuck in place.

Now, get creative. You'll need to weight down the center shuck with as much weight as you can get on it, up to 70-100 lbs. Yet you need to be sure you don't get into teh edges, so you'll need something to press down the center.

I use an old level and weights. They'll want to slide, so use masking tape and once again, get creative.

The rear can be a littl problematic. Here I use a carpenter's clamp and adjust until barely snug, being careful not to distort the shape and keep the edges true.

Let it cure overnight, then trim the skins flush with the foam.

Tricky, but not really difficult.

Note: the one shown in the last picture was sheeted before I made the center cut on the core.

troyhm

Hi Everyone

I hear all the pieces for the Black Magic are ready to go. All those builders out there what a oportunity, lets get Mike busy, order you kits

Troy

gene webber

My Feedback: (3)

OK Mike,

Got an order for a madera cucharacha on its way to ya. Hope a little southern " Black Magic" can put a hex on the NorCal Precision Aerobatics boys. By the way- Govana Anold says if you don't scratch build your own pattern plane you're a girly man.

See ya

Gene

P.S. Come back to the thread Mike. Where are ya?

MHester

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I'm here, just got 2 brand new computers online and set up after a complete failure of my old one last week. Oh well, I didn't really need to spend that much money, but these systems are pretty smokin [8D]

of course I played hell with this wireless router system, but it's working good now.

More content to come later tonight and tomorrow for sure. I'm still transferring files and such. Stay tuned....

And yes, I have some stock of parts and am full throttle now. When I get everything settled I'll update my web site too. Jeez, I lost a lot of stuff.

Break out that industrial can of whoop ass Gene

Stay tuned....

-Mike

MHester

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Capping the wings

Basically it's done the same way as the tail section. The critical thing here is do NOT sand into that wing root when you're trimming the sheeting. Sand it flush, then STOP. An old trick Sam Turner used to use was to color the foam on the root with magic marker. That way if the color wtarted to disappear, you would know you were going too deep. plus it might look cool if you use the right color [8D]

The wing tube hole is aligned in a jig, and should be exactly perpendicular to the root. If this changes, you'll have kittens when it comes time to align the wing to the fuse. So make sure it stays correct. Got the point yet?

The leading edge is just trimmed flush and sanded with a straight bar sander, and the tips are the same. Flush. On the trailing edge you'll want to remove about 1/4" and sand it square and flush.

Use strips of 4-6 lb balsa for the leading edge, 1/2" thickness. Glue it on with polyurethane glue and masking tape in place.

Glue on a piece of 1/4" balsa to the trailing edge. Allow leading these to dry completely.

Sand the LEs and TEs flush with the root and tip, andt hen mark a center line down the leading edge on the forward surface. Sand to this line in a nice curve...take your time....and your wing will be nice and straight.

The TEs are sanded flush with the surface, and you'll notice this is a little on the thick side. This aids in tracking lines.

lay the wing halves TE to TE, then LE to LE, the tip to tip and root to root and check for anything out of whack. They should be the same. If they aren't, make them match. Take it off the tip or the TE.

Make the tips by either using a piece of 2" 4-6 lb balsa, or by glueing 2 pieces of 1" together. Lay this against the tip and mark the outline. Cut this to about 3/16" larger than the line...just a rough shape. Now keeipng in mind where the ailerons are going to be, hollow out the tip. Don't get TOO crazy here, but just remove a good chunk of material. Then glue on the tips with poly glue and then sand to rough shape when dry.

Now set the wings and tails aside in thier shucks, it's time to start framing the fuse.

-Mike

MHester

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BTW Gene, Ahnold is one of my inspirations. Not for the reasons most think, but through his unshakable will and ability to turn any situation to his advantage, no matter how bad. Anybody that thinks he's a brainless muscle head is exactly the kind of person he'd crush....because one of his advantages was how his opponents always underestimate him. This trait goes back all the way to his bodybuilding days. Politics aside, this guy went from Aurstrian nobody to 7 time Mr Olympia, movie star, cult icon, pop icon, real estate millionaire, married a Kennedy (again, politics aside LOL) and ultimately Governer of California. A brainless muscle head can't do that. And he did it just by sheer willpower. And all the while, even now, people STILL underestimate that guy.

My favorite Arnold quote ever: "Somewhere, somebody out there is training harder than you. And when they meet you in competition, they are going to beat you". Pattern is no different. If you want to win, you simply have to want it more than the other guys. You have to be willing to take a road less traveled and learn everything that is learnable....and enjoy it. All of it. Even when people hate you (and I have a couple of those, thankfully not many...but a couple that can be real thorns) you have to press on and find how to persevere.

Sorry to go off track, but it's 1am and these thoughts are important to me right now.

Tomorrow: fuse build up.

-Mike

kennyandannie

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Just curious, Mike.

How's my plane coming? Do you think you will have it done for me by March?

Ken

MHester

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Fuse Formers

These are fairly easy. Every former except the firewall and F2 are made from 1/8" 4-6 lb balsa. you need good, stiff C grain wood for this.

First cut the formers to approximate size.

Lay the former on top of the plans, and mark a center line with a sharpie.

Now using a block sander, sand the edges until you can barely see the outline all the way around the former.

Flip the former over and transfer the center line to the other side.

using a straight edged cork back ruler, mark the notches for the stringers and cut them out. note that a few of the formers in the front have flat bottoms, they simply sit on top of the stringers at those locations.

Now cut out the centers and sand smooth.

For F-2 and the firewall, you'll need to ither cut the plans, or make a copy and cut the copy. You will use that as a template. You'll need 2 copies of F2 as the parts overlap, or you can just wing it.

Spray the back of the paper lightly with 3M 77 spray adhesive. Let dry for about a minute, then apply the F-2 templates to a piece of flat 1/8" lite ply.

Apply the firewall former to a piece of 1/8" AC ply.

Cut them both out on a scroll saw or band saw.

transfer the center lines to these as well. Transfer the trust line onto the firewall. Sand F2 to final shape and you're done with it.

For the firewall, it needs to be laminated with a piece of 1/8" 4-6 lb C grain balsa. if your building a glow version, you'll need to make a circular cut out to back up the engine mount. Make a circular hole the same size as the plywood piece in the balsa, and fit it into place. Laminate them with a thin covering of epoxy and weight down and let cure. See pics for details.

If you're building the electric version, you need to laminate it straight with a piece of 1/8" balsa, with carbon on both the outer surfaces. Use 2 ounce carbon, and you can either vacuum this down or put piece of mylar over both sides and a LOT of weight on it.

When this cures, drill the holes for your motor mount. This will vary a LOT depending on what you do here. But using a drill press and a 3/8" piece of charpened brass tubing, cut into the balsa side until you hit the ply (you'll know). At this point remove the cut out piece with a small screwdriver or whatever. then laminate in pieces of 3/8" dowel. Let this cure and then redrill.

MHester

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Fuselage sides

Select 4 pieces of flat, straight,, very nice C Grain 4-6 lb 1/8" balsa for the fuselage sides. Try to keep the weight around 26 grams or so.

Begin by marking a center line down the sheet, end to end. Now at the ends, measure out 1 3/4" and make marks.

Using a long straight edge, connect the marks and cut away the excess just outside of the marks. With a long, flat bar sander, true up the edges so that when you lay the piece flat on the table, it touches nicely all the way down.

Now refer to the plans and use a good square corner for your tail post, which all measurements will be taken from. Notet he location of the splice cut, and make the cut.

Paying no attention yet to the length of the front piece, match up the cut on the front piece. You should be able to butt them together flat on a table against a straight edge, and the edge follow the straight edge from one piece to the next.

Using a piece of scrap from what you just cut away, make your splice joint piece. Make sure the grain runs accross the joint in the same direction as the fuse sides. Leave 1/4" at the edges for the stringers! the bottom will be a little closer because of the cut angle, so just make it a little shorter.

Lay the whole thing on a piece of wax paper and glue it together, using a long straight edge to guide you in keeping it straight. Remember to make a right AND LEFT side. Make sure your center line marks will be on the inside of the fuse.

After you have this made, measure the left side down the length from the squared tail post. The total length of the left side when laid flat should be 63 5/8" long at the center line. make a mark at this point on the C/L. The total length of the right side whould be 63 3/8". Again make a mark.

Using a protractor, mark a line at 1.5 degrees tilted DOWN at the mark location. Cut this away, this is where the firewall lines up.

Now lay the right fuse side down on the plans, and line up the rear TOP corner with the rear top corner shown on the plans at the tail post. The angles do not match, but that's fine, we'll make this cut later.

Transfer the former locations to the fuselage sides. This line marks the front edge of the formers.

MHester

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Ain't happenin. LOL

-Mike

kennyandannie

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LOL,

Nice looking build thread, I'll be checking back.

Ken

MTK

I agree, you gotta admire any foreigner who, through sheer perseverence, accomplishes a hell of alot more than most of those privileged enough to have been born in the country of question. BUT, in all honesty many countless foreigners particularly at the turn of last century, made a great impact on today's America.

I certainly hope he hasn't spoiled his kids into brats.

That quote rings especially true when you look at someone like Tiger Woods, another fellow I admire. Seems he says the same thing. And speaking of quotes, here's another from another foreigner...... "You can't teach DESIRE"

regards

Matt

gene webber

My Feedback: (3)

Yo Mike,

In the fuse former post you located the motor mount blind nuts on the firewall, are you using a Hyde mount? I was going to use a Budd mount, would there be any issues with locating it prior to setting the cowl on the fuse so the prop shaft is centered in the cowl/spinner opening? Or do you adjust and fit the cowl to the already installed engine and mount later on in the build sequence?

With the Budd mount you can change the metal mount part to accomodate different engines. For instance you can go from an OS 1.40 to a Webra 1.60 and still retain your spinner to cowl spacing if I understand it correctly. I'm not sure which way to go with the engine, OS or Webra, any thoughts or personal experience?

I'll be back!

Gene

MHester

My Feedback: (1)

Gene, absolutely locate the mount first. If you build it straight and take your time, everything will line up perfectly.

OS vs Webra: No question in my mind. OS 140rx all the way.

A Budd mount is fine, but you'll need to use the nose ring former. When you do this, make sure you reinforce this former with strips of glass or carbon on both sides.

-Mike

MHester

My Feedback: (1)

Continuing on with the fuselage sides.....

Now mark the rear of the fuse at the tail post to cut the bottom taper from F5 back to the tail post. nothing fancy, just use a straight edge and have at it. Do not cut the angle forward of F2, the 1/8" side is left in place.

Lay the fuse sides top to top and make sure everything is still straight, and your former locations match exactly.

Now you need to glue on the 1/4" stringers. If you're using 1/4" stock, weigh themmmyou won't believe the eiddference. If it weighs more than 5 grams, don't use it. If you just can't get any good stock, make them yourself by cutting strips from a 4-6 lb 1/4" balsa sheet. Use Ca, keep it light. They won't go all the way, so you'll need to splice them 1 bay forward of the fuse side splice. The best way to do this is cut at a 45 degree angle with a razor saw and mitre box, then they will spread the load better.

Note: the stringers stop at the front of the tail block location.

Forward of F-2, on the glow version the bottom stringer angles upward to the firewall. You may have to make a relief cut here.

On the electric version, the stringer runs straight just like the top.

When you have all of the stringers in place, llay the sides top to top again and have a look. Don't do anything yet, just make a mental note.

MHester

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Fuselage doublers

The doublers are made from 1/8" lite ply. The rear one reinforces the stab anti rotation pin. The 3 front ones reinforce the gear block, forward adjuster, wing tube, and rear ajsuster. I like to cut lightening holes in these, as it does save a few unnecessary grams. Pay CLOSE attention to the locations of the holes if you do this step. Use the pics here as an outline. You can get a little more aggressive on the electric version. if you're using a 4 stroke, leave the wood in place.

Also note that the only 2 doublers that go all the way from top to bottom stringer are the wing tube doubler and the rear adjuster doubler. The front gear/adjuster doubler runs from the top stringer to 1/4" above the bottom stringer. Use a scrap piece of 1/4" AC ply to make sure this is a snug fit. if it's loose you'll have to slop some epoxy in there and the joint will be both weaker and heavier. So take your time and make it fit.

After you install the doublers, tack glue the sides together back to back. Now with a long sanding block, true up the sides so they match perfectly and especially make sure the top side is absolutely straight. This is critical for alignment purposes. Also take care not to sand too much off, we're talking 1/64" tops.

Don't break them apart yet, we have one more thing to do first.....

MHester

My Feedback: (1)

For this step, you'll need a 7/8" hole saw and a sharpened piece of 1/2" brass tubing. The hole saw that I use is from Ace hardware, it's the type with a 1/4" drill guide bit and a large shell with saw teeth. Don't use anything else, they will tear your wood to bits.

CAREFULLY mark the center of the holes for the wing tube and stab tube. You know the saying "measure twice cut once"? Well, measure 8 times and cut once. If you screw this up you'll have to start over....so make sure it's in the right place. A little bit of drift won't matter, but no more than about 1/32".

Using a piece of hard material and preferrably a drill press, cut the wing tube hole. At 7/8" it will be slightly smaller than the socket. Take a piece of tube wrapped with sticky back sandpaper and pass it through the tube until your socket fits the hole snugly....but doesn't require a lot of force.

On the stab tube hole, just back it up with something hard and center that tubing and twist.

Now you should have 2 matched fuse sides and the holes should line up perfectly.

Carefully seperate the sides.

MHester

My Feedback: (1)

This next step is optional, and I don't have any pics of the operation (but will add them next time I frame one up) but it will make your life much easier.

Using the plans as a giude, make a master root rib. This will be used as a template for many things, so make it out of something flat and durable. Take your time on this one.

When making this template and the root ribs, bore the wing tube hole first. Line everything else up by using that hole as the main point of reference. Cut the adjuster socket holes exaclt 7" from the center of the tube holes and exactly on the center line of the rib (the main hole is slightly offset, so pay attention here). After you cut the first socket hole, place an adjuster socket in that hole and a piece of wing tube socket in the main hole. THEN drill the second adjuster socket hole.

Go ahead and make the root ribs (shown).

Lay your root rib on the outside of the fuse side, and put a piece of socket in the hole to line it up. Take note that this plane has 1/4 degree positive wing incidence to start, so you'll need to tilt the wing root upwards at the front about 1/16".

Hold it firmly in place and back up the rear adjuster area under the fuse with something hard. Now make the hole and place an adjuster socket in the hole.

With both wing tube socket and rear adjuster socket in place, make the hole for the front socket.

Now when it comes time to align the wing to the fuse, it'll be a piece of cake.

gene webber

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ATTENTION ALL PATTERN FLIERS

As the unofficial, self appointed and self important director of the Caleeefornia Department of Pattern, I have concluded extensive consultations with Govana Ahnold. The subject and focus of our meetings was the advantages and motivation for constructing your own pattern plane in general and the Black Magic V2 in particular. Govana Ahnold made his position known at the annual State of the State address Thursday, January 5. There should be no question as to the direction and outcome of this proclamation.

Gene Webber
Director
Caleeefornia Department of Pattern

MHester

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HAHAHAHAHA now THAT'S funny

-Mike

MHester

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Tail block

This is a piece of cake, but sort of critical.

Use a piece of 1" 4-6lb balsa, cut to slightly oversize vertically. Forward to rear should be the exact dimension between the end of the stringers and the rear of the fuse sides, still squared off.

Begin by marking a center line around the circumference of the block.

Now make your measurements for the edges; use the top plan view for the size. Connect all the dots and you have your "sand to here" lines.

Using a band saw, scroll saw, razor saw, craving knife or whatever, trim to just outside of the line.

Lay the block down flat on a hard surface and sand with a hard flat sanding block. Take care that the surface remains flat and doesn't develop a curve to it. With soft balsa, this is pretty easy.

Now we're ready to jig the fuse.

MHester

My Feedback: (1)

Building the Fuselage

First, get your jig set up. using a level, triangulate everything and make sure your jig is level. On mine I have it mouned to a piece of 3/4" MDS board.

I've included a pic of a slight modification that I use to make everything straight. At either end of the jig, dead on the center line, mount a piece of "C" channel MDS board with a piece of music wire, thick brass tubing, or whatever.....and make it high enough to clear the fuselage in the jig. The only thing that is critical is that the wire/tube is centered and perfecly vertical.

Next tie strings and pull them tight at the top and the bottom of these tubing/wire pieces. Now you should be able to sight down the strings and have a perfect vertical plane. this is what we'll use to align the fuse.

Starting at the tail block, adjust the jig so the center line of the tail block is perfectly centered in the plane. Lay in the fuse sides so that it's upside down. the long flat surface on the bottom. Using the jig itself and a couple of pieces of scrap wood and clamps, glue the tail block with a thin coat of slow cure epoxy. Make sure the fuse sides are exactly asligned with respect to one another, if you are off here it will throw the wholep lane off. If it takes an hour to get this step right, it just takes an hour.

After the tail block has cured, put the formers in place from F3 back. Don't glue them yet. Tweak everything and continually sight down the strings until everything is perfect and you are satisfied that it's straight. Also be sure to step off to the side and be sure it's seated down properly in the jig and one side doesn't raise up.

When you're happy with what you see, apply thin CA to the formers and make sure you geta good bond. if you have any small gaps, use thick CA. I usually go down the back sides with thick CA anyway just to make sure.