nick4622

I want to build my own foamie out of foam core, the add electronics. Is there a combo or anyones suggestions on a affordable set up including brushless motor, esc, batterie, and servos. I can buy seperately, but Iwant everything to work together.I already have Tx and Rx. I just bought a DX6i and want to go fly. Any suggestions?

Thanks Nick

jester_s1

How are you going to form your foam? It's not going to be cheaper than buying one already made if you don't already have the equipment and certainly won't be as good if you are a new builder.

proptop

My Feedback: (8)

Have a look here...

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/forumid_162/tt.htm

Making your own foamie is actually quite easy...and it's fun trying your hand at being an "aircraft designer"

Get some FFF (Fan Fold Foam ) from Lowes or Home Depot...it's 1/4" thick blue foam insulation. Foam safe CA or even white glue will work (also aliphatic resin, and 5 min. epoxy ) and get some double sticky tape.

Hobby King has lots of cheap brushless outrunners, speed controls, servos and batteries...if you want to stick to a (low ) budget.

Adui

Why is it you constantly in every post tell people they cant do what they want??? Do you work for an RC product company and want folks to think they have to buy, or are you just too lazy and have too much $$ so think others should be the same??

Sorry but I couldnt keep quiet this time, every post I see from you has been "You cant do that or if you do it wont be any cheaper and will certainly not be as good as if you just buy it"

Lighten up on the money business. Some people like to try to build just because they want to experiment, others cant afford to spend money on the best of the best and must compromise by buying basic used gear, its a hobby and it shouldn't be who can buy the nicest most costly toys, but who can do what they want to do within their budget and HAVE FUN doing it...

Mods, I sincerely apologize if this is over the top, as I said i couldnt keep quiet this time...

Adui

Nick, Ive had good luck building using thin foam panels and SPAD plans, makes a lightweight ship that can be an electric fliers dream!

I down scaled the SPAD Mustang and built it with about a 30" wingspan and a small electric outfit. Unfortunately I never got the electric right (n00b to electric) and so have yet to maiden her.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Audi, all the SPAD's I've build came out heavy and, as far as I am concerned, useless.

I bought some.. I believe it is 10mm EPP foam.. I'll have to check on that. Anyway, it came in sheets that are about three feet long by about a foot wide, ideal for using a template to cut out your fuselage design. It will also make a good wing if you spend some time forming the leading edge and trailing edge to accomodate ailerons. You can get some thinner EPP to form the tail feathers.

Get some carbon rods for use as a spar and to strengthen the fuselage and tail feathers. It can work, it will just take some time and patients.. and expect to fail a couple of times until you get it right.

Just remember to use the watts to weight factors for the type of flying and power it accodingly. Make sure to use everything in your weight calculations.. foam, servos, receiver, batteries, ESC, motor, carbon rods, and so on.

CGr.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

I found a source for Foam. It is not the one I used, I can look further for that one, but this one offers foam sheets for sale.

http://www.rcfoam.com/?gclid=CJCbhc3E7aICFQiD5QodnDTzfQ

CGr.

Adui

CG we've had this conversion, I respect your opinion on SPADS even if I disagree. My point was to use a spad plan and adapt it to sheet foam to build. My half sized foam Stang was under one pound, six oz without motor sac and battery.

OzMo

My Feedback: (3)

Some spads are a bit heavy others are fine. The Debonair, a spad trainer, is a good plane for example. The PBF is NOT heavy at all. I have had a few spads, recently the Spadstick. It is a good flying plane. I do more sailplane building and flying these days...no spads there

As far as making your own foamies, well there are more free plans than we can count for those so GO FOR IT!

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Adui.

Ah.. Ok. That sounds interesting. As I said, I tried Spads, built a few and, even though they flew, they were very unpredictable and came out heavy. Hey, some like-em some don't. But, the foamie variation sounds interesting. Pretty difficult to make one of those heavy..

CGr.

Charlie P.

Somewhere in Internet Land I saw a guy made an R/C foamie out of supermarket meat trays. It actually came out looking "official" and reportedly flew fine.

billd76

My Feedback: (3)

Yeah, have heard of that. I met a guy that uses foam chinnette pinic plates to make micro flyers. He also used the plates to rebuild the tail section of a PZ Suhkoi.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

We have two guys in our club that do just that!! They are pretty neat, and fly just fine. I was amazed at watching these things.

CGr.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Ok, guys. I have this box full of Depron sheets, a small drawer full of micro-servos, and a stack of ESC's and motors. I also would like to put together my own foamie plane. Someone said that there are plans-galore on the internet. How about a link(s)?

CGr.

proptop

My Feedback: (8)

Wellll.....there aren't many around here, but...there is a certain "group" of RC 'ers where you might find LOTS of that sorta stuff... (RCU posting rules are such that it's frowned upon if you direct link to that place...)

draftman1

welcome to the flying addiction! foamies are alot of fun, I just discovered them only recently. foamies can be cheap and easy. to begin with, what is your flying ability?
if you have never flown then a slow flyer, non 3d type, would be the plane for you. there are some plans for them around, the simplest ones I have seen have a "FFF" wing and tail and carbon fiber arrow for a fuse. and very inexpensive gear. there is alot of info out there, here, the phlat forum, RCG, spadworld.net....

most forums have a foamie section

have fun!

WestCoastFlyer

My Feedback: (1)

CGRetired,

I'm sorry you've had this experience with spads.

Interestingly, a gentleman just posted on this thread regarding foamies and in fact CG, if you and others are interested in great flying spads, you should be getting in touch with draftman1.

The following two pictures are my draftman1 designed spad "Coyote."

Great flying airplane, regardless of spad or balsa. This an airplane you want to get out and fly. Very similar characteristics to Balsa USA Thunderbug. A total blast. It cranks and flies on rails. 40 size, 52" wingspan, 5 3/4 pounds.

From what I've seen, if a guy only had one spad, the Coyote is definitely the one to have.