Where's Autoguns got to..?

Joe, I just checked out Perkins on the site. Cool! I like these. Had not heard of them, but will order and see how these work out. Thanks.

I'm still here . Iv'e been taking a break from the computer....I like the Condor pic's you posted. JW

what about an os 91 fx

Well.......the plane recomends a 61 to a 91 in the 2 stroke catagory. My personal opinion is its a little heavy compared to a 4 stroke, and the 4 stroke is more powerfull. But that is neither here nor there since you got what you got. On the up side the 91FX will accept the same header as the 61SF so, if need be you can put a tuned pipe on it. Cool! Also up your nitro and if the current muffler has a removable baffle, toss it. You will pick up about 200 rpm. Go with a low pitched prop. OS reccomends a 13/8 or 13/9 Nooooooo!!! At least a 14/6 or I would check out a 15/4 The low pitch will help you spool up quicker with a larger diameter. The larger diameter will give you more wash over the control surfaces and more torque if you want to try some TR. I could be wrong on a 15" prop but I don't see a problem since it is a 4 pitch. Somebody else will probably step in and shed some light on that or you may just have to experiment. Good luck, Joe

Is anyone having problems with the engine flooding due to it being inverted? I had a OS 91 4stroke that I changed to a Saito 100. No change--still floods. Fuel pooring out of the carb throat. Any suggestions?

Joe S

I can't figure that one out. I have been flying a Saito 100 without so much as a drop coming out. No kick back and never spun a prop. I've heard that before, but mostly OS. What I do is fuel up, open the throttle and flick the prop a couple times to clear it out, then start it normally or sometimes by hand. Good luck, Joe

I have that problem with all my inverted 2 strokes. Here are a few tricks to help you

1. when you re-fill the engine make sure the carb is closed and your trim is all the way down. Minimize the chance of it overfilling.
1. when done filling and its pouring out the muffler, take come out of the tank. I have it easy since I use an electric fuel pump I run it in reverse and pull a few ounces out.

Hi Joe, Hi Roger

good luck

Hi Matt........Joe I agree right up until the O.S. comment. LOL - I have the O.S. 91 four stroke inverted and not a drop out of the carb when refueling. I'm using a fuel valve which may be why. No problems with backfiring, or the prop coming loose. Using an APC 14/6 prop so no hand starting. Hasn't happened after 50 + flights. Engine is running very well with unlimited vertical. Do a short take-off and then let the elevators rip and it's no stop to heaven. LG is holding up very well.

I got out this afternoon and flew the UCD and my Giles for several hours. It was a beautiful afternoon with variable puffs and clear skies. No photos on this trip, but had a great time flying and had the skies mostly to myself.

Hey Joe, can you flat spin (upright or inverted) your UCD? I can't seem to get mine to flap spin. I climb and then do a snap at the top and she just goes into a normal spin. I haven't moved anything back on the CG as of yet. This may be the culprit.

Good day gentlemen.
Roger, no, I haven't as of yet. With all the radio trouble that I was plagued with most of last season, I spent most of my time rakeing UCD's off the field and building new ones. This is #4. On #3 I was all set with new JR equipment, thinking my radio troubles were behind me and what do you know, my crystal popped out of the RX. After about a half dozen flights. The time that I did spend in the air, I was working on harrier landings, inverted harriers and the rest of the time trying to hover. What I did perfect though is the roller coaster.
Now, on a flat spin, its just like doing a snap roll just after about two rotations. For an inverted flat spin from level flight ( high rates), cut the throttle. Push the nose straight down. On the downline apply left aileron. After 2 or 3 rotations give it right rudder and down elevator. At that point it should go flat. After it goes flat, if you want it to rotate faster apply throttle. This move does require an aft CG. I'm at 5 1/2" and we will see if it is enough. This is one that I will be working on myself.
Update: I'm there.......putting the battery in now. You gotta see the plumbing for the regulator. I'll do some digital images and post them later. Joe

PS. Roger, I've only witnessed one OS inverted and it leaked like an old faucet. I have OS, but all are in the prone position.

Okay, this is it. First a little history, this plane is like a family member. This is a compilation of past U Can Do's. Rudder & tail wheel from #1. Wing, hor. stab. & elv. from #2. Canopy and landing gear from #3. New fuse and cowl. Here are the goodies. JR 8103 TX. JR R945 PCM duel conv. RX. 527 standard on throttle, DS811s on ail. & elv. DS8231 on rudder. 5 cell 1700 mih NiCad. Saito 100 (old faithfull) swinging a 16/4 APC prop, OH YEAHHH ! The prop is analy balanced (hours) and yes.....I balanced the Tru Turn spinner. You would be suprised how much they are off balance. Dubro pinned hinges all the way around. Composit engine mount with "Ernst" thrust plate (3 degrees to start). Tank on the CG with a "Cline" fuel regulator. I will weigh it and post when I get a chance. I moved the rudder servo more aft compared to the previous ones. Its right under the original hatch where it would go on the side. CG at 5 5/8" and the plane is laterally balanced. For now the cowl will remain off until I am happy with the thrust angle. The right thrust should be close, but on this one I will consentrate on up/down thrust angle if needed. The cowl weighs 3.2 oz. so I put 3 oz of weight on the engine mount at 1/2 span so I could just swap it out for the cowl without re-balancing. Here's a couple pics to show your wives at dinner. Joe

Three more.

Very nice work Joe........really! I am impressed with how you took other parts and made them into probably a perfect UCD. I can't wait to hear how it flies. Do you have any pictures of installing the Robarts?

Joe...
Going through pretty much the same processes as we type...photo's say things better... couple of questions though...did you keep your thrust plates in one piece or snap the corners off...? ( i thought i'd start with the 2 degree plate....this .91 OS dosent " realise as much snot.."
as some of th more exotic ,or should that be erotic..? , brands .. ...I'm looking at the way we have both mounted the engines / engine mounts....i'm in pain...have i balls'd this up..? lot more later it' 4 in the morning again ..

I'm Just starting my U-Can-Do and will be usiong a Saito .91, carbon fiber pushrods, etc., as I have read in the posts. I also want to install nylon pinned hinges on the control surfaces. What type and size should I buy. I have never used these before, do the factory hinge slots need to be recut? Thanks stoney*1.

Roger, no on the robarts. Our field is definatly WWI condition and will not acomodate retracts. If I don't get out today then it definatly will e tomorrow. We will be performing our annual spring clean up. We had a gang of thug bovines trash the field and have a lot of hoof prints to fill in.
Lord, I left the corners on. The engine mount is basically the same size and will offer full support by leaving them square. I like your exhaust. I fruitlessly searched for a 90 degree fitting in 12 MM to do the same. I wanted it tight so it did not protrude out of the cowl.
Stoney, welcome to the community. The pinned hinges are Dubro brand, catalog#116 and no, aside from the recommended prep, they fit in the same slot. One hint is to fold or close the hinge and dip or coat the knuckles of the hinge in vasoline so glue does not get into the pin. 30 min. epoxy, do (in any order you wish) one section or half hinge at a time. Example: install hinges on the wing then go back and do the ailerons. Same on elevator and rudder. 30 min. allows lots of time for positioning and glue clean up. Don't carve out any material for the knuckle on the hinge. When pushed in the thickness of the barrel leaves a perfect gap. I use the supplied GP CA hinge material to feed epoxy into the slots. Good luck, Joe

Joe,
Thanks I appreciate the help. I'll go to the hobby shop and pick up the hinges tomorrow. Did you use hinges on the rudder as well? Thanks, Brian...

Brian, on the rudder as well. I think you will like them. This is the first time that I used them. I kept putting it off cause some posts indicated that they were a pain to deal with. I thought that they were easier than CA type hinges. Joe

We are about to find out!! I'll let everyone know how they work out. Thanks, Brian...

Joe,Joe,Joe,Joe...Joe.....
With this photo, and your earlier one, are our engine centre lines the same.....did you re-drill your firewall something looks odd..[:-]

Lord, I have placed both photos in the digital spectrometer for analization. The dimensions appear to be inversely proportioned to the square of the distance. The differences are so minute that they may be better measured with a timed lazer. Imperial, standard or metric cannot come close. We may have to call in some favors at NASA. Joe

LOL - Joe, I meant Dubro pinned hinges. I bet you thought I was four sheets to the wind when I wrote that one. A UCD with Robart retracts? I'm sill LOL. Do you have any pictures showing how you mounted your pinned hinges in such small surfaces. What size did you use? Did you cut any of the ribs off or drill right on through? What glue did you use? Epoxy or Gorilla?

Had another great day flying the UCD. The 91 four stroke is running just perfect. TR's and knife edges are just getting better. Had about 5-7 MPH North winds today and could land this thing in just about a full harrier. Not quite there, but only getting better.

Have any of you flown the 40 sized? One of the guys in the club asked to to find out how the 40 flies vs. the 60. I would think the 40 would be squirrelly as the dickens.

Roger, I just thought that you were talking about a different model, that is good, now that I know what you meant. Give me a slight, but steady breeze any day to practice harriers. You will need it for those calm days that make you work harder on that move. As far as the hinges go there wasn't anything different aside from epoxy (30 min.) instead of CA. The advantages are clear when you need to shift or reposition anything and clean up is nice, plenty of time. Just don't take on more hinges than you can handle in the that time frame. Here is a pic. Joe






Oops, wrong pic. Let me try that again.

Okay, thats better.

Joe ....
" Inversely proportional to the........".. better throw some more light on this......i'm suffering here...somthings amiss...[:-]

YIPPEEE...!...Do you mind if i take the kids to Seaworld with Julie and her two tomorrow? she says, (which is now today..!) .....well if you must ..i'll mow all the lawns... ( 1 hour tops..! ) O.K. I'll check the mower over....triple salco & double toe loops all the way up the garden...there is a god after all....the whole house to myself on Easter saturday....Yowsa..!.....you watch, the cat will have the drapes down or something, there's got to be a catch...?