Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

Michel, if you keep that long nose with a 150cc radial you will probably need a pound or more of lead in the tail for balance. Of course you can shorten the nose to achieve balance.

michou41a

My Feedback: (18)

Hello Ken, i will send pics soon tonight.

The first proto we did fin and and rudder with Liteply instead of balsa for counterbalance this 10 pounds engine. Kits will have more balsa.

michou41a

My Feedback: (18)

Here some pics

WacoNut

Looks Good,
I see you are having fun with your laser It will be interesting to see the Big Stick fly.
Anthony

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

Great looking parts Michel.

Super08

My Feedback: (2)

Oh man is going to be some nice. Looks like another build thread to me. I have an Area 102cc that is just crying to go on one. Great idea, I bet it will be a good seller.

Galaxy 3D

My Feedback: (-1)

Ken,

I had no idea you where putting one of these planes together. Let me know when you are going to test fly her.

Tony White

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

Good to hear from you Tony. I'll be glad to let you know. Hopefully the big day will be sometime in April. I am almost finished with all of the wood work. I think that means that I'm about half finished.

michou41a

My Feedback: (18)

Hello Ken and Tony; Giant scale are pleasant to build, but time consuming, here we are building a 1/3 scale J3 Cub, 42% J3 Cub, Giant Stick, Trainer50 to cover, after a low wing stick twin engine, Super Cub 1/3 scale and 42%, 100" P51 Mustang,25% scale Pa-18,1/4 scale waco; 35% Pt-17 , still 4 years to build and fly all those airplane.

king_arthur1953

35% PT-17!!!!!!!!! that's 11.25 Ft wingspan!!!!! now I'm getting excited. Any ideas of the finished weight? I know I hijacked the thread. Back to the Decathlon.

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

Here is a quickie update on the SD. The wood work is complete unless I think of something else. The yellow Monokote on the left side is to keep the wing from sticking to the fuselage when I put the fairing epoxy in to fill the joint between the wing and the fuselage. The epoxy is available from Aircraft Spruce and Specialty Co. I'll put Monokote on the right side next. The tail feathers have been covered.

Earlier I had a question about what covering material will be used. With the experience that Ross and I have had with polyester dress lining material we can not see any reason to go with anything else. We are using non-tautening Randolph's nitrate dope and Poly Tak to adhere the covering to the frame.

WacoNut

Looks good Ken,
I am interested in seeing the work you do with that putty.
Anthony

michou41a

My Feedback: (18)

Hello Ken, the gap is very big; here some pics

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

Good photos Michel. I'll post some when we do mine.

WacoNut

OK now I understand,
That should make for a nice clean joint when finished.
Anthony

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

Yes, it actually molds the inboard end of the wing to the fuselage to give a perfect fit.

tflyrc

My Feedback: (9)

Ken: Re carving out the blue foam on your wing tips, you can simply poor a capful of epoxy thinner and it will dissolve the foam. You will be surpized how little it takes. Regards, Tom.

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

Good idea Tom. In the past I've done the same thing with gasoline. Out doors of course.

RICKSTUBBZ

Ken,

I have another question for you on covering material. Why do you prefer polyester dress lining material in comparison to Sig's Koverall? Is it due to available size?

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

Rick,

It is readily available at local fabric shops, easy to work with, cant remember the width but is wider than Koverall and is very inexpensive. I think it is about $2.99 per running yard.

Gremlin Castle

My Feedback: (14)

Rick, I can answer that one. The biggest advantage of the polyester lining material is the fact that it comes in bolt lengths. If you need a piece 10 ft long, no problem just have them cut it from the bolt.
As far as performance I have used both side by side and find no quantifiable difference between the two.
What I do though is take a sample of koverall with me to compare weight and weave as there are different materials available under the heading of dress lining. The most important thing is to insure that you are purchasing polyester material not some other fiber.
Also the per yard price is lower than buying it as a hobby packaged material.
I am using Stitts Poly Tac for the adhesive costing $12.50 per pint. Sig Stixit will do the same job but I don,t know what the cost differential might be. You can also precoat the airframe stick down areas with nitrate dope and then brush thinned dope thru the fabric where you want it to stick down.

Happy New Year,

Ross

RICKSTUBBZ

Ross, Ken,

Thanks

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

Yesterday Ross came over and we put the epoxy putty (Quickfair) on the fuselage/wing joint. Last night I spent about an hour popping the two wings off. Even though I used wax on the Monokote as a mold release I still had to run a 0.007 feeler gage around the joint.

The putty worked great. Today I have been sanding the putty and applying Bondo spotting putty to a few places. I'll do the finish sanding tomorrow and then the wings will be ready to cover.

It's 83 degrees here right now and windy with clear sky.

Here are a few photos:

WacoNut

Looking Great!!!
That pic of Ross kneeling beind the wing shows how big that thing is. Thats going to be one impressive plane.
Anthony

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

Yes, and Ross is a big guy. One wing half is big enough to take a nap under and still be in the shade.

As you see it, all servos, batteries, and switches are installed and the plane weighs in at 36 pounds.