riond

I just finished building my 7th SPAD. I built the corocub at 80% scale to the one found on SPADtothebone. I used coroplast I got free from the local coke distributor. The only plastic I pay for is the top of the wings. I am about to start building two more (one like the plans call for and one at 80%) Just wondering if there is any interest out the for me to take pictures and describe the build as I go along! I have built the Debonair (3), SPADET (2), Debut (1), and Corocub (1). All the planes fly nicely but I lean toward the SPADET so far. They both fly nicely. I will maiden the Cub in the morning. Weather is supposed to be 4 MPH most of the day today and with snow forcasted for Thursday, I better get this done. Let me know if there is any interest.

lecrote

My Feedback: (1)

There's always place for build thread!!!
If you build it by the plan technique it' welcome!!!

But if you build it with new technique it's even more welcome!!!

take care

Dan

DLSmith2

Yep, pictures always welcome! [8D]

riond

Well, I will be starting this thread tomorrow morning at 0430. I will take pictures each step of the way and explain each step with pictures as I go along. Like I said at the start, this won't be my first build and I completed a Corocub last weekend. It is 80% size to the directions in SPAD to the bone since I get free coroplast from the coke guy. I learned a few new things with this build and after the maiden flight yesterday, I learned allot more tricks I will add to this one to make it even better. I will post a picture of my first one later tonight. This build will take about 2 weeks as I work from 0430 until 0600 each morning before work. My sleep schedule is a little off since playing in the sand over seas so bear with me.

Smooth Spanky

riond:
Looking forward to the details and pics. Good luck.

riond

Well, let us finally begin. This will be the 80% version build from SPADtothebone web site. This will be slow to begin with. I will be posting photo's so everyone should be able to view. If I goof up along the way, please let me know. We will just start with making of the vertical stab. It is cut from 4 mil coro. The piece measures 9 5/8" high and 13 3/4" long. I added 1" to the length for more throw in the control of the stab. This was from the recommendation of my flight instructor. Leave the control service to stay 3" as original plans call for. Next I cut out the horizontal stab from a 7 1/4" X 17 5/8" piece with the flutes going the 17 5/8" direction. The hinge is cut 2". By cutting out just one flute from one side (I ussually cut the bottom side) for your hinge seems to work great. I also attached a few pictures of the first Cub I built. Fixed the landing gear and will wait for the winds to die down hopefully on sunday. Right now we have 35 MPH winds. 38 degrees outside. Winter looks like it might come early this year. More photo's as the day goes on.

riond

Here is the next thing I did. Cut out the fuselage. The starting piece should be 32" x 18 1/2". Flutes run in the 32" direction. This I found out in an earlier build was very important. measure from one edge to the centerline as close as posible (For this build, 9 1/4"). Mark the centerline and send a wood skewer or a 2-56/4-40 rod down through the flute and mark the center line with a pencil down the length. Measure everything off that line. Follow the instructions from the SPad to the bone diagram. Here are the conversion measurements I used: 3 1/2 " = 2 7/8"; 12" = 10"; 1" = 7/8"; 2 1/2" = 2"; 4" = 3 1/4"; 4 1/2" = 3 3/4".

When cutting the tail sides, make sure you count the flutes so when you cut the slit for the elevators to sit, it will be level. I found this to be a very important step so everything sits a square and level as possible.

Here is a picture of the cut out fuselage. Also pictured are the tools I use. Steel yardstick, utility knife, and a tool used for putting sreens in windows. The roller works great for creasing the fuselage and when building the wing later.

riond

I better make sure I give the credit to the guy who started all this for me. My battle buddy that went to Iraq with me back in 2004 started me in flying. We both bought electric models to take with us to the desert for our time off. We both flew a little in Kuwait before we moved forward into Iraq and I did a little flying at the base camp I was at. Since returning to North Dakota, he got me into nitro planes and then to SPAD to the bone. I'm hooked beyond a cure. I have always liked the looks of the cub and waited for a year for the guy to make a DVD on the build but so far I think his job and personal life may be getting the best of him. I couldn't wait any longer and went for it myself. I did all right on the first build and want to make a few more of these as presents to a few club members to toy with and a few as presents to relatives. JJCARTER did an excellent job (IMHO) with his layout in SPADTOTHEBONE and following his instructions would get you a great plane. I've just added or deleted a few things in my build but leave it up to the builder to use either or both.

Here is the HDPE Landing Block installed into the front of the plane. I use CA+ medium for all my builds. Don't forget to flash the coroplast. Or sand it if you want. I've tried both ways and they work.

I put the windows in the first plane but I am just going to use silver or black vinyl sign covering this time around.

riond

Next comes the fitting up the sides of the fuselage. I cut a 5" x 5" square of 4 mil coro and cut 2 flutes one side out approx. 1 1/4" from each end as shown in the photo. Next I cut the stripes @1 1/4" the other direction accross the flutes. Then cut those pieces in half. As you can see in the next photo, I have 12 pieces ready. I won't use them all but I wanted to make sure I had what I need.

I use paint cans with leftover paint as weights. I used 4 drops of CA on each side of the tab and pushed them in place. Make sure you keep them tight and the outsides pushed down against the table/work bench. This step takes a while to complete so give it time if your not useing Activator.

ChrisSpad

who did you go to Kuwait with? His nickname wasn't BamBam was it, aka Larry?

riond

Nope. Mikee. He was my battle buddy. He was 58 and I was 44. Both went as SFC. He's now retired and I will Sep next year. I made MSG so I need to stick around 2 yrs to retire at that rank.

riond

Well, I've did some building this weekend and went hunting this evening. The building went better. I've had a problem as my wife is gone for the weekend (darn) and took the 3 boys with her (darn again) so I'm left to fend for myself. The problem is she has the charger for the digital camera and when I started down loading, the camera turned off. So I'll have to stop building on one of the two Cubs I've got on the bench now to wait to take pictures of the build. She'll be back tomorrow so we'll have a few more things to post monday morning at 0400.

riond

Well, the first picture is of the fuselage tabs glued in place. The next few pictures are of the front wing hold down screwed into place according to the directions of JJ. I put 2 each 4mm skewers down the flute of the fuselage to give it more strength. I also put some CA to help with holding the wood in place.

riond

Next, I put short skewers in under the landing block about every 3rd flute for added strength. I pushed them in past the bend using 4-40 rod. I tend to over build at times but I had the landing geat and block ripped right out of the last plane. (The cub you saw in the first post has been planted) We had 9 good twitchy flights before the engine killed in the downwind flight 30 feet off the ground and went right in. I am completing this build doing the full size 60 build. Hope you don't mind.

riond

Well, I jumped to the elevator for a quick second. I bend a 4-40 rod to make a U channel that I will push in the hinge area as you can see that will make the elevator operate nicely. I just measure the widest area from hinge to end of elevator and bend a 90. measure accress to the widest area on other side and bend another 90. Works great. Mikee says I should mount the control horn straddling the rod but I think I go to far out to make this happen. Any thoughts out there! I just slowly push the 4-40 rod throught the flutes slowly so I don't push one out the side. (Yes - I did it once.)

I can now cut the center of the elevator further in and just leave 1 or 2 flutes .

O2man

My Feedback: (5)

On my COROcub I had the same problem with the landing gear mount. The additional strength is important. You might want to consider the cabin area too. I have had the wing torque the mount at the cabin and demand a rebuild. I would consider building with fake windows and cross brace the cabin for the sake of the inevitable ground loop. Cubs do that you know.

Good looking build thread--keep it going.

riond

Here we go again. Sorry for the delay. Been working on it but haven't posted for awhile. Got a lot more done and hope to have this one built to fly this Sunday if possible. Will definitely take picture of the plane before flight and maybe a short video of the maiden.

Well, back to the build. Next I mounted the rear wing mount as shown in the first picture. The back side (tail end) of the rear wing mount is located 12 inches back from the Front wing hold down. I have already drilled the hold down holes and inserted blind nuts. (I found the cheapest place to buy these was Macs here in ND at 4 cents a piece. There are located in the upholstery area. Also found the plastic bolts there cheaper than from Tower.) I mounted it with 2 screws each side and CA glue prior to tightening. Set it one flute down if you plan on setting the rear end cap inside. Insert a couple of skewers before you screw it in place to strengthen the area. (I know I add wait once in a while but I guess I like to overbuild at times.)

Next you will cut out one flute on the tail 7 inches long to receive the tail section we are building next. Make sure these are level. I counted the flutes to help out.

riond

Test Fit the Tail elevator in the fuselage. I just left the elevator in the fuselage and slid the rudder back to it with it facing the other direction as in the picture. Next, cut the rudder as shown in the picture 4 mil high all the way back leaving one flute just before the rudder hinge so the horizontal tail will fit. I then inserted bamboo skewers int the bottom of the vertical tail and pushed them through the elevator and up into the top part of the vertical tail. This makes for a very strong tail section and helps keep everything straight.

riond

Next we will install the new tail into the fuselage and glue it in place making sure it is centered. I used a 36 inch ruler and marked the center of the two wing hold downs. This seemed to assist there. I use CA and a bunch of clamps to help with the glueing and Use plenty of glue. ( A drop every inch and you will see it move into the openings. I did the top both sides and then waited a few minutes before doing the bottom two sides. The last few pictures show where we should be at this point. The fuselage is starting to look like a plane. I just have the fuselage sitting on the landing gear but it is not attached yet.

rookie8

Hi guys, I have been reading your post and find them very interesting. I have been thinking about building the corocub and am glad to see yours being built. So far your plane looks pretty good, can't wait to see the video of the maiden flight. I am kind of new to SPADS, even though I have built and flown a couple. I can't believe the enginuity that some people have, until I found out about SPAD-to-the-bone. Any one can buy an ARF, but this is "REAL" building and flying. I am recently retired and plan on building several planes. You probably already know this, but if not, I found out that it is a lot easier to put the skewers in by putting them in my drill, turn at a slow speed, and they go right in with out any problems.

Clink

Looks great riond. I have been working on getting some of the big election signs after the elections are over. (is voting for the guy with the big signs wrong, the ones with the flutes reining the long way,of course)haha just kidding. Recycling signs could get you a few votes though. The local news reported election signs being stolen and my wife checked my coro stash to see if I stole them.haha(btw, all my coro is legally obtained!) On second thought , voting by sign size may be the best way! This is not a political statement is it? Sorry if it is. Have you seen the "you might be a spader if........" site? very funny stuff. Back to the cub,I used spray foam in the fuse under the tail section. It is very solid and I don't think it added much weight. Any thoughts on this? It weighed in at 6lb8oz with a TT Pro.36 on it, not going to fly with this engine, but looking to get a good weight of my cub. The .36 weighs 13oz. Thunder tiger says 11oz but, mine was weighed with prop and muffler. TT says a Pro.46 weighs 1lb, I think,any one know for sure the difference? They claim the .36 to be as powerful as larger bushing engines so it should work great on a SPA3D in the future. Thanks for the great photos. I will shut up now. later, Clink

Villa

Hi riond. This is a nice build thread. Designing and then building a plane is a very rewarding experience. You have some very good ideas. Here are some of my ideas you may wish to consider: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4844839/tm.htm The most important is the cabin sides reinforcement. I have had 3-4 very hard crashes with my COROCUB. Still flying it. The added weight has not been a problem. Be glad to answer any questions.

riond

Thanks for the encouragement. Your link brings me back to my thread. Try posting again. I'm interested in the fuselage modification. I'm actually about done with the plane but haven't had time to finish the thread. I'm taking a few days off next week to fly and complete the thread. But if I can modify the plane before the first hard landing, would be better. Thanks.

Clink

Hello, riond, I bumped villa's tread, coro also, I enjoy reading you guys' treads, can't wait til your day off for update. I must share this, in Joplin,MO at Regal Plastic's, yellow coro plast 4mm-$9,2mm-$11. Good deal while it lasts. I think they will keep a little around if get to gather and buy some. There is some 2mm gray for non cub fans(Mr.Clean)! The guys and gals there are are nice. They usally deal with business's, but didn't seem to mind geting me a couple of sheets. I found them while buying acrlic for my fish tank, they have all the good stuff. they also had some stuff that looked like poly cutting board, any one know about this stuff.

riond

Next we can build the gutter pipe motor mount. Cut a 10 inch piece of PVC gutter pipe. Also cut 12 each pieces of 2" X 2 1/2" coro 4 mm. Stack and Glue 6 pieces to a pile. Keep on edge stacked as straight as possible on each stack. Once your piles is glued Glue them to opposite sides as you see in the pictures. Form up the front of the aircraft to receive the gutter pipe mount. I used some old scrap balsa and used CA glue.