Ok - How often does this happen!Today I decidedto check the CG of "Private Ryan". As you can see PR was anxiously awaiting forher to be placed on the balancer, I checked the plans for the recommended CG which is 3-3/8" back from the leading edge. I set the balancer to exactly 3-3/8" and leveled the balance arms. Holding my breath, I gently placed her on her perch, are you kidding me "Dead Nuts" as you can see.

WOW!  You really are a Master Builder!  Congratulations Dude!  

Hi Vincent,

I must say your Ryan come out perfectly. It is absolutely beautiful. It is what I aspire my models to be (but never are). You are a master builder and my hats off to you.

I hope you don’t mind. But I snagged one of your photos for our clubs web site.

Mike

Thanks Mike. Help yourself don't mind at all..

I love the CG machine, did you make that too? Isee you have one of the otherEZ balancershanging on the wall. I made one similer to yours, but yours is infinitly nicer of course. I made a vanessa rig and that works realy well and you don't have to worry about having your plane falling off.

Yes Cliff, the balancer is a home built unit but I didn't do the building. A very talented member of our club made them, and started to sell them to our members for $99.00 a pop. It will take up to a 50 pound plane and it works super. I do like the EZ balancer for smaller models, however getting the plane set-up on the exact CG mark is a pain. With this home made unit it has a built in ruler with stop attatchment that allows you to place the wing's leading edge up to the stop , much easier! There are fully threaded rods on the ends of each arm with moveable weightsthat alows you to balance the arm once you made the CG adjustments on the ruler. I'll try to remember to take some close up shots of the adjustable arms.

Congratulations VJ. Some guys just have all the luck....
Does your friend still sell the balancers?

OSG, I can ask. Are you interested in one?

Yes

Sure am. Looks like a very useful tool.

Me Too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my! I'll ask and get back to you guys...

Here is a link to the vanessa rig. It takes more time to think about it than to use it, but it works really well on any size plane. I even used it on a foamy http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_708060/tm.htm The c.g rig I made is basically a knock off of the ez balancer and your rightit is a pain to line up the marks. With the vanessa rig you can play around with all types of equipment movement and never have to worry that the plane will fall off a balancer and it stores in no space at all. Make one up and try it out. On another note my sunday flying turned out to be a bit of a bust with the winds kicking in up to 15-20, my buddy and I were the only ones flying and it got a little hairy flying our biplanesmanaged a couple flights before calling it off. I wished Icould get paid for making predictions about the weather and being wrong 90% of the timethis has been one windy spring here and still in the 50's now.

I'd a bet just about anything it would have turned up nose heavy. Congrads, I just HATE[:@] adding weight to balance an airplane out.. and to come out right on first try!!!
-Ed

Yippee! My Ryan kit arrived today. I need another kit like a hole in the head, but it looks like fun. I was surprised how much detailed info is actually in the kit.....very nice. Lots of views of the rivet placement too. You can tell this is certainly an old-school build with things like a laminated LE on the vertical stab. I may opt to modify a bit to simplify some assembly in areas like this. I will have to review Vincent's mastery to see if he cut any corners to speed up the build in these areas or stuck true to the plans, I just don't recall. Very nice though. I need to make lots of notes!!!!!!

Dave

P. S. Nice balance job there Vincent, kudos. I may be interested in one of those balancers myself, so you may want to have your buddy launch a web-order form!

Ah, just found the horizontal stab and the jig on pages 14 & 15, good idea.......again, I need to make notes!

LOL

dave

Ijust utilized one of vince's tips on gluing abs with the acetone. I had to glue up my cowl for my TFp-47 and it works great to use acetone instead of thin CA, no stuck fingers! That tip alone was worth following this thread for 8 months

VJ,
I'd alsobuy a CG balancer from your buddy!

Hey OD, if you really need that kit like you need a hole in the head, I'll be willing to help you out.  I could give you a couple bills for it!  

LOL, na, but since the wife is looking at me funny, I better slow down buying kits. I told her that is the last one for a while, and she said "until the next one".............lol, she knows me too well. I told her I will get a better return on buying kits than I will on the stock market.....not sure if she bought it though!

Dave

Cliff not only does the Acetonework better, it's ton's cheaper than CA as well!

Dave, congratulations on your purchase. I hope you enjoy the build as much as I have, and yes it's definitely an old school build!

Here are some pictures of the balancer arms that I said I would photo. I will be in contact with my friend to see if he has any more balancers for sale...

Sig Ryan on eBay http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=321113333892

So at this point, that Ryan is on e-bay for $268 (w/shipping). I guess the $220 I just paid for mine and Vincent's $225 doesn't sound so bad now. Looks like at least 5 people watched this Build thread!

Dave

Just contacted my friend who made the balancers, and unfortunatley he does not have any more as he sold all he had made. Sorry gangI tried! He was pleased that many of you wanted one though...

Hmmm... if he's no longer building them, then maybe he can give us the plans so we can scratch build our own?  That would be my first scratch build!  LOL!