Bipe Flyer

Try these posts for info on vacuum forming.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.a...370&tostyle=tm
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.a...360&tostyle=tm
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.a...605&tostyle=tm

Thomas B

My Feedback: (4)

I think it might be possible to obtain a clear canopy for the model. The Brit magazine that published the same FanTrainer construction article (from Paul Willenborg that was published in the states in MAN) offered clear canopies. Also, Paul was researching offering clear canopies himself, and might even have some. Paul also sells the Fantrainer plan directly.

Drop Paul a line at:

[email protected]

Big_3Dan

Bipe flyer,

Thank you for your post that sure is one piece of information i'll be using in the future!! I didn't know vacuum foming was so easy...Those parts come out really neat!

Bipe Flyer

Vacuum forming is easy and inexpensive. The hardest part is carving a plug, but once that is done you can make as many duplicates as you want with very little extra effort.

SeanT

Just in case some of you haven't seen, a modeler from Hollad has made a speed 400 electric Fantrainer. He has an epoxy/glass fuselage, balsa fan shroud and tail pieces and a carbon fiber canopy.

You can see at http://home.tiscali.nl/~wvr/

I had the intent to do a composite fuselage and bagged foam wing running a Norvel .061, but I don't have the time to start another project.

Sean

Thomas B

My Feedback: (4)

Have seen the glass fuse one. (One was on EBay recently), would love to have one, but would never buy it. It is an illegal knockoff of Paul's plans. The guy even resells Paul's plan sheet, and there is no royalty money changing hands. (Yes, the plan is copyrighted)

It is a shame when someone does not respect intellectual property rights.

Thomas B

My Feedback: (4)

Paul Willenborg is going to drop into the thread and advise of a Canadian source for a clear canopy for these new Fantrainers that are popping up all over.

SHOPilot

HI,

Im doing the regular sized version from the plain plans right now, and have already printer out double sized plans for doing a double sized one with retracts.

I found this page with very good designs, with excellent retracts details in their images:

http://www.aecbiella.com/gab/fantrainer/fantrainer.htm

Im making enough parts to build 4-5 more, murphy's law and maybe building one or two spares for sale crossed my mind.

N

Big_3Dan

Man that sure is one detailed fantrainer! right now i'm transfering some parts to wood with the photocopy method....i know this project will take me a while but it'll be very rewarding to me.

SHOPilot

I'll do some simpler retracts for my larger one, the ones I linked to above are very very nice, but for the amount of throw needed to move them in and out there's simplere solutions.

N

Thomas B

My Feedback: (4)

SHOpilot, a very excellent FanTrainer model link.

I ran over to the other forum and kidnapped a pic of Paul's second Fantrainer model, the one he eventually converted from 1/2A to electric.

Other good detailed Fantrainer pics are in the thread over here:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...ght=fantrainer

Note the incredible job he does in places like where the fan shroud supports blend into the trailing edge of the wing. He is a real craftsman.

I flew this model for Paul and we won the scale event at DEAF 2002 (team entry allowed)

Big_3Dan

Hello everyone...i just wanted to post a pic of my progress...this parts have been done on any spare time i have so it's coming out sloooooowwwwww.....but i'll get there

SHOPilot

Did you just trace them out? I made a few extra copies of my plans, then cut out the parts fromthe paper and traced them onto the wood.

N

Big_3Dan

Shopilot

What i did was i mirror photocopied (they don't realy need to be mirrored) the parts of the plan that i had to cut out from planks or sheet (ribs, stab, keels ect) and then i placed them on the balsa sheets and transfered the images to the wood with my covering iron set on high.....they come out neatly transfered to the wood...this is the first plane I'm building totally from scratch form a plan and this method has made it extremely easy to copy the parts...only problem is when people see the parts they think they came out from a kit Also i'm using a bench disk sander/belt sander and a dremel tool to shape the parts..part fit has been perfect...so far this has been a complete new building experience..Those kits i have build in the past have sure teached many building techniques which i have now found very useful...

SHOPilot

That's a poifect solution.

I made extra copies of my plans and traced them out. The mini belt/disk sander is how I am doing the final shaping as well. There's a nifty nifty dremel accessory that lets you mount one so the bit is up, and you can use a dremel speed controller to put a cutting bit on there running slow, and use that as well, I like that for the gross and inside cutting, then the sander for the fine work. I use the dremel at a low speed, then sand with the disk/belt.

Keep an eye out for a fantrainer website, there will be one soon that would love to have your 'in progress' pics.

Big_3Dan

Shopilot

The dremel has been extremly useful..i have the spiral cutter extension..i tried using the spiral cutter bits but ended up trowing away the part that i was cutting with it. Not much control with that so i used the extension but with a kind of a router bit that i have arround for the dremel, made a base cut with that and then did some final shaping with the dremel sanders...i use this for the inside holes of the formers..I'll try to get some more pics of my progress. now i have something that's starting to look like a fuse have to do some more shaping and sanding on it...soon i'll have some more pics of that complete piece...

Dan

SHOPilot

I find using the foot speed control will let you wind that dremel down pretty far so it's nice and slow, but still plenty fast for little wood pieces.

green river rc

My Feedback: (2)

I got a copy of thr Fan Trainer today and plan to use my .061 Norvel. I'm going out to the shop right now and start my new project. I plan to use 3 channels, throddle, elevator and ailerons. I'll post the results!

Schu

My Feedback: (5)

CrocEnd Are you still out there? I could not find your PM -- Did you find your cox pusher prop for your fantrainer yet? I located one and wanted to know if you still need one? Let me know Dale

Jim_Purcha

My Feedback: (8)

How did your fantrainer work with norvel 0.061?

nouser

I have the Fantrainer plans if you ever need help, I started working on mine some months ago but with a 2 year old and pregnant wife progress has been slow.

Instead of a ruining your plans, photo copy the pieces you need. Then use contact cement to glue them onto plastic sheeting like some signs are made of, cut them out and now you have a permanant template you can trace to balsa all year long.