wildtang

Hello RC world, im new at this. Im Jrbmoto's girlfriend, I had a great time building the Andrews A-Ray kit from Lazer Works and i am ready to start a new project. We have decided to build a pair of Little Stiks together. Eddie at Lazer works fixed us up with a pair of beautifull lazer cut kits and we're about to get started. I would love to see some pics of your start to finish projects...thanx..BRING IT ON!!!!

jrbmoto

This is going to be really fun! Construction will begin saturday morning. I still need to make a Kinkos run to copy the plans and we're ready to start building!

-Johnny-

aerowoof

are these the nidwest version das little stick?if so how do I get one,30 years ago had one with a st.40,unlimmited vertical performance and this was with radio equipment that weight about 16 oz for the flight pack.

grotto2

My Feedback: (2)

I had almost the exact same thing back then.
It was a popular combination after the MAN cover shot with Telford & Violett doing a hand launch.

jrbmoto

Yes these are laser cut kits of the good ol' Midwest Little Stik. They are "short kits" that include everything that needs to be cut to a certian shape such as wing ribs, fuselage sides and formers, and tail feathers. Whats missing are the spars, sheeting and hardware. You can still get plans from a couple sources such as AMA or RCM. I aquired my plans from a friend. Lazer works used to supply some plans as a favor to their customers but I belive that they have stoped this service, although it doesn't hurt to ask!! They have a very long list of kits on their website from several sources. Go to www.lazer-works.com and click on "Airplane Stuff" By the way the Little Stik costs $37.43 and even included the scalloped ailerons and elevator! Not sure what engines we're going to use on these babys but I'm thinking about maybe OS LA.40's Any suggestions??

-Johnny-

RFJ

Don't remember that MAN cover but these two shots are from RCM January 1969 and show Bud Anders and Larry Leonard.
Liddle Stik weighed 3llbs and was powered by a K&B 40 turning a 10X4 prop at 16K.

Ray

grotto2

My Feedback: (2)

My bad.
Thanks, RFJ. These are in fact the cover photos I remember.

jrbmoto

We did get some work done this weekend. One wing is framed up and #2 is on the bench. Its nice to build a whole wing in one piece, I've never done this before! I was lucky to have some 48" 1/6th balsa sheet stock on hand for the leading and trailing edge sheeting but I did have to buy the 1/4" sq and the 1/8"sq spar material My LHS had both in 48" Ed's Covina Hobby Rocks!! Some slight mods, we eliminated a few ribs and added some sheer webbing for strength. I'm sure there is less wood in this structure than stock yet it is very ridged. As for the kit, things are going very smoothly! I went ahead and seperated all the parts from the sheets and am very impressed with the wood quality. Nice straight grain, lightweight stuff! And the the laser cutting is outstanding as always. I had to laugh at the "extra" sheet that Eddie thru in (obviously a set up piece) that had a big hole burnt through it.....I guess the laser was on volume 11!!

OzMo

My Feedback: (3)

LOOKS LIKE THE BIRTH OF 3D

grotto2

My Feedback: (2)

Say, what ever happened to Larry Leonard?
He was big in pattern & racing in the early '70's.

jrbmoto

We made some progress this weekend. Wildtang and I worked side by side finishing up the framing of wing #2 and added the tips to wing #1. We also started on the fuselages. Construction couldn't be more simple, I can see why this was such a popular kit "back in the day" and I'm sure the Lazer-Works kit is much better than the old "die crunched" Midwest kit! I decided to go with a rubber band on wing just for nostalgia but I did want to mention that this kit does provide parts for a cool bolt on wing set up that is an easy mod. I will be using dual aileron servos so that I can eliminate the stock bellcrank setup. Other than that, both planes will be built stock. And of course, tail wheels not nose wheels!

-Johnny-

jrbmoto

Another pic

flightprep

Thanks for you post, we fly a Little Stik routinely - a real crowd pleaser. It has been in active rotation for about 3 years.

It was built from an original Midwest kit, nose wheel configuration with an OS .25 LA, 9x4 prop. It flies very well, and the .25 LA has ample power, but long or thick grass on the field can make takeoff dodgy. It's not super fast, but it is very aerobatic.

I am posting because I am thinking about builiding another Little Stik as a taildragger for winter use (with skiis), and have an OS LA .40 going spare - it seems a logical combination to me. However, to use a .40 LA, think about the following:

1. The nose wheel takes a lot of space in the forward compartment, so you have limited fuel capacity - therefore you can expect short filghts with a .40. If you go taildragger, you will have quite a bit more space under the hatch.

2. We mow grass with the 9x4 prop on a .25 - longer props e.g. on a .40 will make this worse, at least for a nose wheel setup

3. The stick is fairly heavy anyway, and while a .40 LA will give you plenty of power, you are adding quite a bit of weight vs. a .25 motor.

We've just finished a Sig Kobra and inherited another .25 scale plane, and based on the Little Stik experience are planning to get an OS .25 FX for the Kobra. The .25 FX would probably be ideal for the Little Stik as well.

Please let us know how you project goes, and good luck - you will enjoy this plane!

Brgds

jrbmoto

flightprep,
Nice looking stik! I think I've decided what we're going to power these babys with. I did some homework and it seems that the GMS .36 has as much power as the OS .32 yet weighs 2 oz less and costs only $57.99 vs the OS at $124.88. I've had great luck with GMS motors in the past so I think this is what I will go with. I was going to go with an OS LA .40 but after comparing the two I think the GMS will be a better chioce. I do have an LA .40 so I might just buy one GMS to see how they compare in the planes before I buy two

flightprep

hi jbrmoto,

Thanks for your update - the GMSs will have plenty of power. I would be very interested to hear how your Stik behaves at full throttle, as the stik wing is relatively thick.

Your plan to buy one GMS and try the other with the .40 LA is good, I am still planning a 'winter stik' powered by a .40LA, so would welcome a report on the .40 LA if you try it. With our nosegear setup and small fuel tank it just isn't worth the time and trouble to swap out engine mounts and try it myself!

I saw from your other post that you are going taildragger (good choice), and also duel aileron servos. We built ours with a single servo and bellcranks (partly because we wanted a 'period piece'); it is a good setup but 2 aileron servos is a better plan.

We are getting an OS .25 FX in any case as the Kobra engine bay is tiny - no room for anything bigger. We may break it in on the Stik, if we do I 'll let you know how that works.

Good luck with your builds, they lood great so far (and great looking Contender as well!).

Brgds

jrbmoto

Hey flightprep,
Thanks for the compliments! This has really been a fun project. I'm amazed how quickly they're going together. Another cool thing about this kit is that it has some updates. I mentioned the bolt on wing option but the mod I like the best is that the fuselage is 1/2' wider than the original. Eddie @ Lazer-Works explained to me that this was done to make mounting a larger engine mount easier and it also it gives you more room for radio gear.
For pushrods, I opted for the solid rod thru a plastic tube setup for the elevator and rudder, anchoring at each former. I like this setup better than the suggested wood dowels because theres virtually no way for it to flex.
You mentioned building a "winter stik" I think thats a great idea! If you don't already have a kit, I highly recomend this one. You can't beat the price($37.43) or the service. As for how it will do at full throttle, I don't think I'll be doing any high speed passes, I mainly want the power for verticle manuvers. I'll post more pics next time after I get some more work done. It was over 100 in So Cal today, so I don't think I'll be sanding balsa in the garage tonight!

-Johnny-

flightprep

hi jbrmoto,

I'm ready to build another based on the fun you're having -

We had run across lazer works and the short kits a while ago from a long term modeller, I'm glad to hear they are still going strong.

It also sounds like the updates they are making are solid - bolt on wing, and especially the 1/2 in wider fuse. The updated version will really benefit from the wider fuse aspect - on our stock kit we used the supplied aluminum motor mount, and it barely fits on the firewall. You already know my thoughts on the limited under hatch space; the bolt on wing would be a nice update too.

We built ours with balsa control rods (again, 'period piece'), and have had no problems.

My original winter stik plan had been to find a nice piece of coroplast and build a SPAD based fuselage (and marry it to a new balsa wing with 2 aileron servos), but seeing your reports on the short kit are changing my mind.

Brgds

jrbmoto

106 today with 50% humidity....Still no progress...I'm dying to get back out there and finish them up! I guess I'll have to wait until saturday morning. If I get up early, I can get a good 4 hours of build time before I start to melt. Once I get the framing complete, I can move inside the air conditioned house for covering and radio instalation. Not a whole lot left to do before I'm ready to make the move!

-Johnny-

flightprep

jbrmoto,

it's all your fault. I planned to clean out the building workshop in the next week, and that't no longer in the plan

I'm now in trouble, as I have no appropriate Coro for a fuse "in stock"l so I have now written to the Laserworks folks RE the little stik short kit. If it comes with with wing ribs it looks a bargain. I see a project coming on.

Using our already built Little Stik fuse as a base, I measured off the prop offset for a .40LA taildragger, with a ski height adjustment, a few fudge factors, etc, and it still looks fine.

I've also reviewed the ski plans from the winter fly guys in Colorado, they have a very nice layout for birch ply skiis; I have worked out a simpler plan for similar size coro skis with a 3/32 bent wire upturned ski tip, 3/32 main gear, and venetian blind/ or yardstick skegs that would/should also work. Weight ought to be comparable, with no performance penalty (at least vs any other plane with skiis).

Hope you get a break RE heat, we have fine flying weather here on the e. coast and plan to take advantage over the next few days; fly safe.

Brgds

RFJ

Grotto2 - your memory is obviously better than mine! Just came across this today.

wildtang

Too damn hot to work on airplanes! It was 108 today, Johnny is dying to get out there and build but the a/c is feeling too good. Maybe tomorrow morning I'll be able help him get some work done!
Shelly

jrbmoto

Well I got some work done on the stiks today, mainly working on the wing servo mounts. I'm going with dual aileron servos so I had to come up with a way of mounting them. Not a big deal but its amazing how much time you use up trying to figure out the easiest way to do this! I will post some pics tomorrow, I plan on spending most of the day working on these babys. I'm hoping to have them ready for covering by tomorrow nite

jrbmoto

Some progress, Shelly wanted to do a Holloween theme on her stik.

fizzwater2

My Feedback: (61)

How do these stiks compare with the Midwest "Sweet Stik" I had one of those many years ago..

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

Was that the one I landed for you after the aileron servo fell off when the double sided tape let go 27 years ago in Dallas? Ya got to seal the wood or the tape won't stick!