Hello to everyone. Let me just introduce myself first and say that I have been reading alot of your posts on here and everyone seems to be extremely pleasant and helpful. I have been flying electrics and micro heli's now for over three years. Now, I have joined a club, the AMA and have decided to go glow for various reasons of the least, is the wind here in Oklahoma City that doesn't allow for many electric flying days out of the year!

Currently, I am building a Sky Raider Mach I and need some suggestions. First off, let me say that for $70, you can't go wrong with this plane. The covering job is top notch for an ARF, the hardware package is about as complete as it gets (although, the cheap Dubro fuel tank knockoff was headache to get together) and many of the parts are just a little bit off which is no big deal if you have the patience and creativity to work around those. My next plane will be the Sig Somethin Extra in kit form so this should no longer be an issue b/c if they are off, it's my fault! All in all, so far I am pretty impressed and can't wait to maiden her.

My question is the engine mounting. I have a Super Tiger GS51 that I am trying to install on this plane. The engine mount is hard nylon and due to the close proximity of the head to the mounting holes, it is creating some problems for me mounting it. Any suggestions that might make it a tad easier?

Thanks

I have the SE ARF with a ST .51. There are a couple of ways to mount it. First I think mine came with screws that took a flat screw driver. Throw those away. I prefer to drill threw the mount and nut and bolt the engine to it. If you would rather not do that then go to Mike's and buy the Great Planes screws that have a socket head. When using a ball driver on the side with the exhaust flange you will be able to tighten them up. I also use a dead center tool to start the hole in the mount. Then remove the engine and drill a pilot hole. The engine can be thin CA'd to the mount during some of this. The CA will help hold it in place while you are marking all the holes. Then the mounts can be popped off the the engine.
ALSO I used the engine to set the CG on mine. The ARF version will not allow you to put the RX and batt vary far back. SO I mounted everything but the engine. The I put the plane on the CG machine and set the engine(with spinner and prop) on the bottom of the mount. Once I balanced it I marked the mount where the front of the mounting lug hit. Then I removed the mount and did the above to mount it to the mount. (I hope that made sense).

David

Derek this simple inexpensive tool simplifies mounting both eng to mount but also mount to firewall enormously. First mark with drill marker next remove and drill. perfect alignment every time.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXK378&P=ML


John

Team Geritol

I actually picked up one of those tools at lunch! Thanks for the suggestions fellas.

That dead ctr device is the best $$ your gonna spend at this time of the build. Many others will recommend other things. Heat gun and Iron come to mind for me.

that dead center tool is really money well spent (as is the mach) good luck!!!

I defintely gotta get one of these!!! Two of my most used tools in the shop.....a dremel and a hobbico zee bend tool.
Perfect zee bends every time!!!. Generally, I will use zee bend on one end and a threaded metal clevis on the other.
I learned my lesson the hard way by using those quick connects on elevators and rudders. Having no elevator coming in on final for landing is not a fun thing!!!

Dave...

The Dremel with the chuck attachment is probably my most used tool. Or I should say was. Mine went belly up today so I thought I'd take a look at the brushes. I rotated the brush holder barrel around and a brush and spring shot out and hit somewhere in my kitchen. No luck finding it. Use care when changing brushes in that Dremel! The bad news is my tool is so old parts are not available I think. The Dremel is great for drilling the holes in the beams when mounting an engine.

Tim I struggled along for some years with a couple of old Dremels always fiddling with them mixing matching pieces. Giving up I decided to sent the best set of pieces to Dremel service in Palm Springs which is apparently run by the son of old man Dremel. The only note beside my contact info was just "help".

Took almost two months and I'd kinda forgot but in a new package in the mail one day was a brand new latest model no charge.

John