TOMMYSTA

My Feedback: (15)

Hi guys,
I'd like to share my winter foam buolding project. I love building with foam, everything from wings to the fuselage to the tail section. And doing so many times I have honed some techniques that have allowed me to build "sport scale" designs that fly great, are quick and easy to build and are strong and lightweight. I decided just to design a sport low wing plane and cut the entire plane out of foam. I'll show pics as I go along.....NOTE I APOLIGZE FOR THE QUALITY OF THE PICS. I USED A CHEAP DISPOSABLE CAMERA THROUGHOUT THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS AND THE PICS COULD BE BETTER.......I use the Tekoa Feathercut system and make all my templates using formica. The first pics show the completed prototype, it has been flown numerous times and I've been very happy with the charactaristics, it's very docile, stable and slows down nicely for landings. It was powered with a US Engine 25cc gas so the weight was abit more that I anticipated with the heavy gas engine, I even had to add weight to the tail to achieve proper balance. The weight of the airframe is around 8-9 lbs so a flying weight of 12-15 lbs is what I was hoping ofr. The wingspan is 86" and gives me 1376 sq inches of wing area. I like to use sheeted foam for all my surfaces for many reasons but mostly because no matter where you grab onto the plane you don't ahve to worry about breaking through a sheeted area with an open bay under the sheeting. And it also lends itself to many different finishing techniques.

TOMMYSTA

My Feedback: (15)

I always start my project with the wings. I've cut out the wing cores, cut out the ailerons and cut the diehedral for both panels. I then made a 1/4" ply root end plate and glued it to the core. This plate has holes drilled for the alignment dowels as well as access for the aileron servo leads. I then cut out the fuselage foam parts.....the fuse will be split down the middle and comprised of 2 sections for each side. After all 4 parts are cut I then cut out the box on the inside fo the foam pieces as well as the wing saddle and cockpit area. These are done with negative templates. The pieces are the glued together giving me a complet left and right side for the fuse. I then sheet the inside of fuse with 1/16 balsa from the front to jsut past the wing saddle. You don't need to go all the way back to the end of the fuse.

TOMMYSTA

My Feedback: (15)

Now onto the tail section. I use 3/8 inch foam with a 1x3/8 balsa stick attached to the edge. The will become the leading and trailing edges of the tail section, this will give more bite for the hinges also as well as add strength without much weight. After they are sheeted I then edge glue 3/32" balsa around the foam edges. Around the curved edges I simply wet the 3/32 balsa strip with ammonia/water and bend around slow, tape in place and you're done. I use the ploy glue also for this. Now I've basically made a foam component kit. Now for the fun part......sheeting all the components.....For sheeting I will use a couple differenent adhesives. The tail section components I will use polyurethane glue and the other components I use a spray gun applied adhesive called Simalfa #309. It works great on foam and once it's sprayed it tacks up and the parts can be joined immediately.

TOMMYSTA

My Feedback: (15)

For the cowl I am going to try my hand at making fiberglass mold. So I started with a pink foam plug, shaped it, glassed it, primed and sanded numerous times and then made a parting board. I laid up one side and then the other and popped the mold off. I'll let the mold cure for a couple more days and then lay up my first cowl this weekend. I'll psot pics after that.

TOMMYSTA

My Feedback: (15)

Now, half way throught this I decided to amke a 2nd fuselage and make it a two seater. And actually I liek the look of that better. It was made using the same technique, jsut had to make a couple different templates. I now have 3 almost ready to cover kits nearly completed. I need to make the windshields yet and do some final sanding. I'll post better pictures as things develop.

TOMMYSTA

My Feedback: (15)

And finally here's some pics of the one seater and two seater next to each other....
What do you think?
I'll post some more pics as things progress.......
Thanks
Tom

Lomcevak Duck

My Feedback: (14)

Very cool. I, too, like using foam. I havn't got the hang of doing fuselages with it yet, but I do a good many wings with it.

roltech

Looks good!
I'm also interested in foam building, I'm almost finish my first foam plane. It's a bit rough as I panic when first sheeting the wings with newspaper and the wrinkle were every where, and trying to smooth them out, I used a heat gun that foam don't like too much I'm still learning and the next one will be different, wingspan 60" fuse 47" motor OS46AX. picture below. I will be watching this
thread.

roltech

fokker38cc

Very nice Plane
I am interested in your project.
Foam is cheap and in my country balsa need many hours at work to pay it.
I have a weedeater poulan engine, 25cc, only broken in.
See your progress.
Specifications of foam ?? , I have only white foam in various densities.
Thanks for your time
Jose
Argentina

roltech

Thank You! I use construction grade pink foam, ( www.owenscorning.com ) it sand real good and there is less fumes when cutting with a hot wire, in fact I cut it in the basement without a exhaust fan, the blue is also good but stinks and cutting should be done outside, both of those sands just like wood. might be a little heavier than the white foam?

roltech

roltech

Here is a better link to the foam I use. http://www.owenscorning.com/around/i...s/foamular.asp

roltech

fokker38cc

Hello
I have read the link you send but in my country have no sellers of it.
The last time I make question to DuPont they sell me a container ??.
Only have white foam with varoious densities. From very low quality, the white glue thinned with water go thru it when "sheeting" with brown paper to the most dense , used in big freezers.
I have small parts of blue foam discarded and make experiments sanding , it is beautifull but no dealers.
But I read your posts.
It is interesting and bring me new ideas.
Many thanks for your time
Jose
Argentina

flyintexan

My Feedback: (1)

Great thread!!!!!!!


I love the combination of good, light balsa sheeting, styrofoam, polyurethane glue, and a vacuum bag...

I do however, normally build a simple fuse box from wood and then add my foam parts (sheeted) to it....to turtle decks, belly pans, and of course the tail feathers and wings...heck, I even made little cheek cowls from sheeted foam....

roltech

Nice looking plane! have you taken her up yet? What motor will you be using?



roltech

cyclops2

I have finally turned the 2 engine housings for the 1/8 --A-10. BOY, are 3.25" hole saws expensive!! I need it to hollow out the centers for the fan blades. I more day playing on the lathe should complete them. I will then have a 81" A-10 Blue Foam glider.
I am going to green camo. her as soon as I finish the Engine Housings. I am getting itchy.

I went with 4 seperate HS-55 servos to drive all the tail feathers. Keeps all controls std. in the Transmitter.
All solid parts are about 5# for the foam parts.------
Not sure if I will hollow and lighten.------Everything right now feels so damm sturdy and light.

And at about 6 sq. ft. the wing load looks great for a sport flyer.

I am bouncing back and forth on the engines. A O. S. 46 or 2 transmitter remote controlled, electric starting OFNA .21 or .26 glow car engines. I really like the remote start up of each one independantly.

I am almost complete on the engines in the front wing area with long flexiable shafts to the rotors only, in each engine housing. Still a little more sizing to do there.

If any of this sounds like the GEEZER has lost it, let me know.

roltech

It's time to see some pictures! sounds like your doing a heck of a job can't wait too see how it turns out.

roltech

flyintexan

My Feedback: (1)

roltech,

thanks for the kind comments, I designed the plane for pattern flying and it has flown many, many times and several others have built them as well for pattern or sport....

span: 74"
length: 78"
engine: OS160fx
weight: 10lbs. 8oz.


I WANT to see pics of this A-10........

cyclops2

Tommy . Is there anything faster or easier to form a wing from, that has several breaks in it ?

My age is starting to show.

I had completly forgot that I had built a complete, higher performance wing with the landing gear housings for the A-10.

Newer, fully scale, deep cambered wing is almost finished.

Foam IS very fast even for a Geezer. [sm=thumbup.gif]

TOMMYSTA

My Feedback: (15)

Guys, I'll hopefully be getting more pics on here soon of my foam project. The planes are essentially done. All components are sheeted, I've pulled 3 cowls from my mold and made all the landing gears. I'm just kind of screwing around with making easy, cheap but good looking wheel pants from some pink foam and 1/16th balsa. I also have to make some windshields for the cockpits and I should be done...
I'll actually have 3 ready-to-cover airplanes...two 1 seater and one 2 seater....
I'll have GOOD pics soon...
Thanks
Tom

TOMMYSTA

My Feedback: (15)

Here are some pics of both the one seat and two seater finished version.
I'm calling them the Silhouette and the Silhouette II.......

TOMMYSTA

My Feedback: (15)

and some more pics