CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

Well, here I go. I'm a newbie to the hobby. I just purchased a Hobbico SuperStar MK II RTF. A friend of mine also new to the hobby suggested I should either CA/Epoxy the wing halfs together. Then glue the vertical fin and horizontal stabilizer to the fuselage. And finally some additonal pieces inside the fuslage. He mentioned maybe something about the pushrods? Should I follow his advise ? If so, what glue should I use since I have never used these glues before.

Thanks all for your help.

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

If the wing joint needs glue use 30 minute epoxy.

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

Yep. I found that out when I bought a Hobbico NexStar. My instructor crashed the plane and when I rebuilt it I found that 90% of it was glued using hot glue. I was bummed and will not likely buy another Hobbico plane. My personal suggestion is to use epoxy through out for your repairs. I know this is heavier than CA but it'll also stand up to more abuse. The O.S. 40 engine that this particular plane comes with will easily pull the ship around with ample power. Good luck!

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

Hot glue... that's friggin horrible. Something to be said about building your own.

somegeek

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

RTF assembly is different than most ARFs. The wing halves use metal tubes or pins instead of joiners, and you can just tape or screw them together instead of using epoxy. The tails usually bolt on instead of being glued as well. I've heard of guys epoxying the RTF wings to give them some extra strength, and that's probably not a bad idea (use 30 min epoxy for that). I'd probably just bolt the tail on according to the instructions, though. If you bust up the bolt-on tail components, you can easily buy replacement parts and just bolt the new ones on. If you glue it, it will be more difficult. If the bolt on tail starts loosening up on you after several flights, then consider gluing it.

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

Yeah, as I said, I was quite miffed. Needless to say hot glue sure doesn't get along well with nitro fuel either! I had the unforunate discovery when rebuilding my NexStar that the joints easily peeled apart. I mean they used hot glue through-out including on the formers and other places that one would expect something more robust. My fuselage was pretty much toast and I didn't even bother trying to reconstruct their wood structure - everything was built extremely cheaply. Nevertheless, for a newbie to the hobbie a person gets what they pay for I guess.

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

If it is really hot glue in the nexstar, then it is only in the nexstar. My first plane was the Hobbico avistar and it was built using the same glue and quality of any ARF.

Austin

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

Wow...I have the same plane. Is all this really necessary? Why wouldn't they say so in the instruction booklet? I just put my wings together according to the manual. Now I'm afraid my plane is going to fall out of the sky! [:o]

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

That could very well be the case. I confronted the Hobbico customer service team with this problem, however, and they did not deny what I was saying. By the way, I'm not saying that Hobbico products are bad, I'm only saying that I personally was not happy with the airplane I received. The NexStar came equipped with an O.S. 46 AX and a Futaba radio both of which are excellent plus it came with a RealFlight simulator which was a nice perk.

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

Yes...hobbico used hot glue to hot glue my wing together and it was an avistar.
The wing joint pulled everything apart, shear web, ribs ..you name it.
Gaps between the parts didn't help.
Then again..i was doing evasive manuver on the model which over stress the model.
I guess you're only suppost to pud pud around on a trainer..but it was an avistar with semi flat air foil..Oh well.

That why it came in HOT, less wings.
It made a cool whistling sound, thou.
I wasn't totally prepair to control a missel, otherwise i would had made a loop at least:)

Use Epoxy and don't be stengy with it when gluing the wing joint piece.
And you need time to makesure the rear stabelizers are aligned
then you can use the epoxy on the hinges

And you probably need to get a trainer if you're asking about using glue on your model.
Otherwise CA or hot glue would work for a 30 sec. or less flight.


I still have an greatplane ex300 arf that i havn't flown. My friend had the exact same model.
The wing ripped into pieces during flight. Due to gaps of the ribs and spar.
I cutted into my extra's wing to see...exaclty the samething at the same place with the same parts.
I got the model for only a $100 but my OS is worth a lot more than $100.

That why I build kits..if it fails..then it's the pilot error.lol

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

I think you`ll be well served to go ahead and 30 minute epoxy your wing together. Did that with my Avistar RTF four years ago and it`s still flying fine. Did trade out the 40 for a 46fx. Great flying sport plane now.

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

Hobbico must only use the hot glue for their RTF models, because mine was ARF and no hot glue was used.

Austin

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

There's a couple of ways to find out...you can cut into your wing and check

I mean..i'm getting older..but i'm not blind yet.lmao

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

I have a spare avistar wing sitting on my rack right now without any covering and I tool a heat gun to it and it didn't heat up any better than cured epoxy. I suppose it could be really really "hot" glue. Either way I have my wings joined with 30 min epoxy which is plenty strong.

Austin

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

I have read post in the past that explained that the epoxy that Hobbico and others use in assembly of their ARFs and RTFs cure to a creamy white color and looks like hot glue but is really epoxy.
I have seen this in some of my ARFs and although it looks like hot glue it is not.
I can't say this is always the case but so far all the Hobbico ARFs I have dealt with have been well built and caused no problems at all.
Some of the older ones are covered with contact paper that can be somewhat difficult to repair but still airworthy to be sure.

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

Guys I really appreciate all the dialogs I have read. But, I think -phi- hit it on the money. My plane is SuperStar RTF. I realize that the Avistar, NextStar, and the SuperStar are from Hobbico so all are Hot Glued from what I have read. (WOW)

I will post the link to the manual for you all to see. It does not mention any glue requirement.

But, the advise from what I see is to use 30 Minute Epoxy on the wings for now all that’s all, right?


[link=http://manuals.hobbico.com/hca/hcaa60-61-62-manual.pdf]Hobbico SuperStar MKII RTF[/link]

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

It seems that everyone who sees a white or blue glue seam immediately assumes that HOT GLUE is being used.

This is not the case.

There was a thread some time ago where a couple of ARF manufacturer reps jumped in to clarify all of this...

The white ( sometimes with dye added to make it blue or red ) stuff that is most often used is a quick set industrial epoxy, used in manufacturing.

HOT GLUE MELTS if it is heated, ( which is why it works in glue guns ) but offers a much poorer bond, which is why it is not typically used by the ARF manufacturers.


You can try a test yourself.

Break off a piece of the suspected "hot glue".

Heat it to about 280 degrees, ( stick it on your iron over some material ).

Hot glue will revert back to a thin syrupy liquid at this temp.

Epoxy will loose a bit of hardness, and may be much more flexible but it will still adhere well into the 300 degree range.
It will not "flow" however as hot glue does.

Give it a shot, you'll find that the aforementioned planes are using this stuff.

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

Your "mystery glue" most likely is NOT "hot glue". The mass production builders use Jigs and microwave cure glue. Glue that cures when exposed to RF energy. http://www.p2pays.org/ref/10/09081.pdf is one example of the general technology. I couldn't find a specific example on short notice. The parts are laid in the jig all together along with the glue which remains un-cured and flexible until radiated. Then it is radiated and cures. Completed parts/subassemblies are moved to the next jigs and more parts applied before radiating again. Cure times are very fast using this material.

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

It dosn't matter what kind of glue you use if there's gaps..i have a gap fedish.lol
Obiviously the maunfature didn't step in to clearifiy it for me and sent me another Avistar.lol
if it went into pieces during flight 2-3 mistakes high. It dosen't matter to me what color the glue is,
it did hold.lol Oh well.

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

WOW! Think: dictionary :D

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

To those that recommend epoxying the wing halves together, consider this. The strength of the wing is in the spar. The joiner pin between the wings is what keeps the center joint aligned and transfers stresses between the wing halves. If you look at many of the 3D and aerobatic planes, the wings are held laterally (into the fuselage) with very small screws, or even rubber bands. There is not a lot of stress trying to separate the wing halves from each other. Consequently, epoxying the wing halves together, while making a stronger joint, is contributing very little. If you have a metal rod that runs between the wing halves, there is no need to epoxy the halves together.

Brad

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

I bought the Hobbico Super Star RTF from my LHS as a club trainer. I fly it on a regular basis. I just followed the instruction to assemble it, charged the battery packs, fueled it up, and flew it.

Of course you can do whatever you want to this thing, glue whatever to whatever.. but it is not necessary to fly the plane. If you crash it, it will be broken no matter what you glue together.

I changed the engine out from the 40 LA to a 46 FX. It really woke it up.

CGr.

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

K, Thanks everyone. It looks like from all threads I'm back to square one, no glue needed.

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

when I learn how to spell my name with a smoke system..I'll be an accomplish RC pilot.lmao

Just use Crazy glue..it'll work...( to hang it in your garage):D

RE: CA or Epoxy needed for a RTF Trainer ?
 

Just follow the instructions that came with the plane and it should be fine.