Tee Bee

I've never run one of those little props before so I'm curious to see how it works. Tim W. sends them with his Skyline engines, so I guess they work ok. I bought a couple of spares as well. I'll try it but will be prepared to replace it with a larger prop if needed on maiden day.

Luna_Rendezvous

Just going over your post again and noticed that it was a 4.2 x 2 not a 4.2 x 4 [X(] you may find x2 pitch not sufficient?

Tee Bee

Sorry about that. It's a 4.2x4. I had to go look to make sure. Sure enough one of the spares I bought at the LHS a while back is a 4.2x2. I doubt I'll ever use that one unless on an .020, maybe.

Tee Bee

Today I cut out the servo holes in the top of the fuselage. The servos will be mounted upside down inside the canopy. I then cut out the aileron servo hole in the wing center section. Used a Dremel tool to hog out the center rib as needed to fit the servo. Since my plane will have no throttle, I only need 2 servos inside the canopy and elected to keep them forward for CG purposes.

Pay no attention to the nylon locknuts on the firewall. Those are only temporary until my blind nuts arrive.

Tee Bee

Question to other Skydrill builders: What is the best build sequence for the wing center trailing edge/torque rod/ailerons/covering? I'm confused about how to do this without painting myself into a corner. I'm guessing that you need to slot the trailing edge for the rod/sleeve and glue it in place first? Or do you glue the rods to the ailerons, cover them, cover the wings, hinge the ailerons, then glue the center trailing edge in place over the torque rods? Am I even making sense?

Thanks

av8rsodt

My Feedback: (23)

TeeBee,

You are correct on your guess:
1. Slot the trailing edge for the aileron linkage, glue w/ linkage to wing (of course test fit everything to make sure everything works smoothly). Drill and slot ailerons so they fit the linkage - I also hinge my ailerons at this time.
2. Cover ailerons and wing. The hinges, at this time, will also be glued in place holding everything together.

I am about at the same stage as you on my Skydrill, so I will try and keep up with ya.

Brian

skaliwag

My Feedback: (1)

Here's a couple of pics when I built mine. Slot the small pieces of T/E stock. I slightly oiled the wire and glued it all together with Carpenter's glue.

Tee Bee

Thanks a lot, guys! That helps me out. So skaliwag, after seeing your last pic, it looks like you then cover the wing and aileron as a unit? I've always covered my control surfaces separately and maybe that's why I was confused.

My build has slowed due to working night shifts this week but I did manage to squeeze in a few flights of my .010 LaStick on the way home this morning. Nice weather, good fun.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

TB, covering the ailerons when you do the wing is a good way to go. Cover all the ends where the ailerons and the wing meet first. When covering the main expanses of the wing, use very low heat to just barely tack the covering to the edges without shriveling the excess that you plan on sending over the hinge line and over the flap. I use a 6 inch machinist rule to tuck the covering down into the hinge line, then iron the rest of the covering over the flap. Then turn up the heat and go back over the whole wing panel. Like anything else, the more you practice this, the easier it gets.

skaliwag

My Feedback: (1)

Pics of my method of covering Wing / Aileron joint.
Sorry.. but I don't have a pic showing the aileron being folded back and the covering being folded in and wraped over the edges.

Tee Bee

Thanks a lot! I understand, now. Just need some time to get back on it.

Tee Bee

Ok, I got the center trailing edge pieces cut out and notches cut in them for the aileron torque rods. Then I taped them to the wing and cut out the ailerons from the trailing edge stock provided in the kit. I also spent some time sanding/shaping the leading edge into a round shape.

On the down side, I ruined my canopy yesterday. I was attempting to tint it dark with RIT dye in hot water on the stove. I made the mistake of trimming the excess flange material from the canopy before I decided to do this. The dye took well and tinted it nice and dark, but the canopy edges curled up. I'll have to order another one and next time, I'll try to tint it at a lower temp and leave the trimming for afterward.

Tee Bee

Oops! Will be ordering another one from Select Hobbies.

fizzwater2

My Feedback: (61)

Can you warm it up and re-shape it a bit?

Tee Bee

"Can you warm it up and re-shape it a bit? "
Not sure. I'll play with it later.

I'm going to use dowels and rubber bands to hold the wing on since I'm not using landing gear and plan to fly off the grass. Yesterday I made some 1/32" ply gussets and glued them onto the inner fuselage sides where the wing dowels will go later. I also added some triangle stock to the lower front fuselage floor as per the plans. For aileron control linkages, I bought the Dubro #231 1/2A aileron control set. I soldered on the little springs and threaded the plastic linkage to them per instructions. Then I slipped the brass tubing over the wire before measuring and bending the 90 at the aileron end. I'm deviating from the plans again here and instead of gluing the torque rods to the end of the ailerons, I plan to move them outboard a bit and drill holes in the aileron leading edges for the wire. I'll epoxy the wire into the holes during final installation and hinging.

This project is going slowly due to limited time but it's been fun so far.

longdan

I know it's a bit late as you've already done them, but the method shown on ptulmers DNU plans for doing aileron torque rods is the best way for a slop free linkage IMO. The epoxy makes a great bearing surface, and saves a tiny bit of weight by doing away with the brass tube. I was a bit dubious about it at first but I'd never go back to tubes now that I have tried it.

ProBroJoe

Tee Bee - about those queer, 1/2A, DuBro, solder-on, spring-thread thingies on those torque rods. I was going to use that set on my SureShark, but I didn't feel comfortable with the thread engagement on the nylon, screw-on, rod ends. A quick tug on the rod end confirmed my suspicion - they pulled right off! (Good thing I didn't glue the torque rods in place - the whole kit and kaboodle went right into the trash.)

I dunno, maybe I used a bit too much solder and filled in the "threads", maybe the nylon ends were old and brittle, or maybe I was being overly cautious, but I just wanted to give you a heads-up.... Give 'em a good tug and make sure they stay in place, OK?

-Joe

tewitt1949

PB. I can't tell by the picture but are you talking about the little spring like things you solder on the end of the rods and the spring acts like threads? If it is, I didn't have any like with them either. wouldn't stick to the rod even after sanding and cleaning. Them when it finally did stick I coulldn't get the nylon to screw over the theads, maybe too much solder. I pitched them. Terry

skaliwag

My Feedback: (1)

I dont send the dubro 231 .....

http://www.shopatron.com/product/part_number=231/101.0

with the kits any more. I never could get the spring thing to work either. Always just glued the rod end on the upstanding wire.

I include the SIGSH628 now.

http://sigmfg.com/cgi-bin/dpsmart.ex..._02SIGSH628_01

much better and simpler system

Tee Bee

Thanks for your concerns, guys. I used Stay-Brite silver solder on them and they seem to be holding fine. I've tried to pull them apart and tried it again after seeing these posts. In hindsight, I'd rather use the Sig setup, but I already had the Dubro kit on hand. BTW, the fittings were much easier to screw on once I figured out that the springs have LEFT-HAND "threads". Maybe I'll also add a drop of epoxy at the base of the fitting for extra insurance.

This evening, I drilled the fuselage for the wing dowels and built the wingtips. The wing is nearing completion.

ProBroJoe

Oh, I was able to get the solder-on springs to stick, (flux helped) but the Nylon, screw-on ends would pull right off...

Tee Bee

The fittings appear to be holding fine. The wings are about done except for gluing the center trailing edges, hinging the ailerons, and covering. I still don't have the covering material for it so I'll press on with the fuselage/tail construction next.

mylamo

My Feedback: (1)

Left hand threads ? AAARGH [X(]

Tee Bee

I haven't worked on the Skydrill much lately but found some time today to drill the control horns to the tail surfaces. I'm using Sullivan Golden Rods in lieu of the carbon pieces recommended on the plans simply because I had some extra ones on hand. I'll make some balsa pushrod guides later to hold the rod sleeves in place and prevent binding in flight.

Tee Bee

I received a new canopy a few days ago from Select Hobbies and dyed it with RIT black dye on the stove top by mixing the dye with water in a pan. I was careful to keep the temp lower this time and avoid any warping. I would have enjoyed mounting a pilot in the plane but the servos mount inverted sticking thru the fuselage into the cockpit area in order to clear the aileron torque rods. I think it will look sharp enough like this.

The mailman also delivered my covering material yesterday. Woohoo!