As soon as my wife turned on the football game last night I went out to the shop and started building the wing. I just love balsa and CA glue. I built the right wing half except for the wing tip before half time started. I only swore at Joe Demarco a few times, there were only a few errors drawn into the wing plans, simple things like the length of the slots in the ribs to get them to touch the building board. The question now is how did Joe think anyone could build the tip so it goes through a rib to glue to the LE. It calls for 5 1/16 X 1/8 ply to be laminated around the curve of the tip, very strong but I think I will just cut them in one piece from light ply to save time.
Flying today but when I get home I may get to the second half and demonstrate a very old trick on how to build the second half of the wing when all you have is the plan for one half. In this case the right half is all I have and I don't want to build the left half upside down.

These are plans with only one half of the wing shown. Old timer trick for and old timer build, you just coat the back side of the plans with a bit of cooking oil or mineral oil and it turns the plans into something like a parchment and you can see right through them. Old timer printers can read backward so no problems at all!!
This doesn't hurt the plans so even if you plan on saving them they are still good, no damage at all.

Very clever!

Bar-B- Q ribs

LOVE THAT!!!!!

I'll do this myself!

Brian

Nope, baked chicken tonight. Yesterday I did the right wing half, today I was flying until noon and when I got home I built the left side. I have the halves clipped together to show it to the fellow I'm giving it to. The question is about the dihedral, it was designed in 1942 as a free flight and has a flat bottom wing. As shown it has the stock 4 inches on each side. I asked him if he would like it reduced before I glue them together? I'm thinking at least 1/2 of what it is. It will only be three channel though. His call. The wing tips called for 1/16 and 5 layers laminated, I just cut them from 1/8 light ply in one piece.

If it were me I would leave it per plan, with a 3 channel. Less chance of getting into problems when you make a turn or loose it and need to recover from a bad move and I forgot most of the older kit I built way back when, had laminated tips with a dozen peaces[:@]

Probably should pack it up when finished and send it to me. I am old enough to remember that model and I could maiden it for him. I have a YS 140 that would fly it with authority, ( at least fof 15') BTW, looking good [8D][8D][8D]

I enjoy flying 3ch. planes but back in the day the designers really used a lot of dihedral. This one isn't as much as some of them but it is a bunch. For myself I would have reduced it a bunch but the fellow I'm building it for said to just cut it in half. That is still a total of 4 inches. If it isn't enough he can add more during the rebuild!!
Gene, I don't think you could start the 1.40 in this fuse so your 15 feet may be off by about 14' 11'' Yesterday I went flying, took my Harley CG Extra with the YS 1.20, discovered I had forgot to charge the battery in my starter. Crap, I had to hand start one of those cantankerous YS engines by hand, didn't even have my glove with me!! Once I got the tank pressure up and heard that squishy squishy sound the YS engines like to make it took me three flips to fire it up. Way too much work!! Your going to love it!!
Talk about a perfect fit for the Pete!! Just thinking!!! But what a combo!!!

Gray Beard,

I have been reading the expression "light ply" for a long time.
I am still wondering what people consider "light ply".

My understandng is that "light ply" is laminated balsa of some degree of hardness (weight per volume) and my understanding of "hard ply is plywood made of bass, pine, spruce or birch.

Am I correct ?

Thanks for your knowledge on this subject.

Zor

Zor, it's referred to in almost every kit as light ply and sold through every wood supply as light ply. It's just three layer Birch ply. The kit that comes to mind is the CG Extra, the fuse is built from light ply with lightening holes cut in it, sides and formers. It tends to warp easily so some kits made from the stuff used notches and tabs to keep things straight. Some of the new ARFs are using a very thin kind of hardwood outer layers with a balsa center. So far I haven't seen it sold through any of the wood suppliers I use. I use Mid West and Testors light ply. The stuff doesn't work well with CA glue so with any of the plys and hardwood I use epoxy so a build takes me longer when using it.
Behold, I think I see a plane emerging from all the sticks!!! Today I built the two stabs and elevators. More sticks but they are at least balsa and the building went much faster. I built each wing half when I got home from flying in two days. Took one day more to epoxy on the center section 1/32 ply using epoxy as the glue. The design of the center section just keeps the balsa from being crushed by the rubber bands. The bottom sheeting helps to align the wing in the wing saddle. Old design but still had some good ideas.

Looking good Gene.

Gene- you're really starting to pump out the airplanes!

Brian

Thanks Gary, I sort of had to come up with my own design for the stabs and elevators. The templates only had one for the stab ribs and it was too much thinking to build them as a flying surface airfoil so I made them flat. Why put an airfoil on a flat bottom winged plane? way too much thinking involved. So many different sizes of wood involved. Maybe it had something to do with the free flight thing? A stab of many sizes!!!

Thanks Gray Beard for your explanations about the light ply.

It appears that it is called light because of its low weight being thin.
No wood supplier around here carries this light ply. I went to them all looking for 1/8" thick ply to do some repair inside my Ford van. They carry only 1/4" and thicker.

Zor

I belong to a wood working club here in Sun City and the club members use a lot of the really high end wood so we have some places we buy it at. I have asked if they had 1/8 light ply and they didn't know anything about it. I keep forgetting to bring a sample with me. Until you asked I never gave it any thought so I had to go out to the shop to look at the label. Luck was on my side and I had a piece I hadn't cut or pulled the label off yet and it said birch ply. I never give a lot of thought about what it is made from. When I order wood it is just shown as light ply and I click on the box and tell them how much I need. Know I know what it is so my next trip to the wood store I can ask. A 4X8 sheet will be a lot cheaper then buying it in small quantity and my club has a panel saw so I can cut it down to the sizes needed. Until you asked I really didn't know. Someone here on RCU told me to try another type of wood that is supposed to be better. I asked about it at the wood store and they didn't have it, now I forget what it was. I buy it in 2X2 sheets at Michale's craft store. It's cheaper there then at the wood places I buy my wood and is the same thing, often better, no warps.
Brian, I have been knocking out planes to give to friends sense the hart attacks. Just building and flying. After this one they will all be builds for myself, no more request building. I have turned down some builds from customers wanting to get to my own planes. Two more plans builds and maybe I will get to that Ultra Sport 1000 kit??
Gene

Hi Gene,

I have a different outlook, a different understanding than many modelers.

Any plywood made of birch is not really a light weight compared to plywood made of ligther woods.

I have made tail feathers of what I refer to as light ply by laminating three 1/16" thick medium hard balsa.
Since balsa breaks or cracks easily along its grain, The middle layer was glued 90 degrees with the two outer layers that ended up span wise on the horizontal (stab and elev) and up and down for the verticals (fin and rudder). The middle layer considerably preventing split of the surfaces.

A similar action is provided when those tail items are made with ribs an sheeted.

Best 2 U

Zor

Sell your thinking to the wood supply places, maybe they will call it Zor wood. Until that happens I will just walk in and buy sheets of light ply and not over think things. Too much thinking hurts my head. I'm going out right now to glue in some light ply into the rudder for the hard point for the pull/pull tiller.

I do not see any problems in calling any plywood made of heavy birch "light ply" if it is undestood to be in comparison to thicker plywood like 3/8, 1/2 and 3/4" thick material.

They might even sell you "Zor wood" if you explain what it is and they have some meeting the description .

The ordinary lumber yards around here do not carry anything less than 1/4" thick.
It is poor quality andsold mainly as sub-floors for installing tiles.
I found a couple of places selling veneer and they did not carry thin plywood.

I had to get some 1/16 and some 1/8 recently for my PA 30 and had to pay an exorbitant price from the hobby store.

Enough said about light ply.

Zor

Today I did more work on all the tail feathers, I think I'm going to sheet them. While I was waiting for the epoxy to set up I sheeted the front of the fuse then used some scarp Zor Wood to make up the braces for the dowels for the rubber bands that hold the wing. I originally used 1/8 hardwood to frame up the wing saddle then glued on some 1/8X 1/4 hardwood to that so I have a nice 1/8 inch lip to attach the braces to the fuse. After sanding the tail feathers down they are a mite thin so I decided to use some very thin sheeting and sheet them completely. The sheeting started life as 1/16 and got thinner as I ran it through the over head micro sander at the wood shop. Another tool I wish I had in my own shop.
My wife is watching football and NASCAR today so I have a lot more shop time on my hands. Next trip to the hobby shop I think I will pick up some 5 minute epoxy to cut down on my down time on these builds.

Wrong photo, thumb nails and old eyes!!

Gray Beard

How RU coming along on your build ?

I have been following with great interest.

Zor

I finally got the paint needed to finish the Swoose build and took the time off of the build to get it finished. That is all painted and back together. Just need a Tee fitting for the fuel system and need to get the epoxy resin to make up the cowls. As soon as I get back from the holiday I will start putting the Satyr together. Most of the building part is finished but I need to start attaching the stabs and set the fuse up for the battery pack and controls. Stick gluing is almost finished as far as I can see.
This weekend is flying with the 5 year old grandson, he has been flying for almost 2 1/2 years now and I'm taking the boys to the planes of fame museum. The oldest boy has his own plane and his dad has plowed him a runway in the back of the property. He can take off and land on his own now, always has been able to stunt. I will buddy box him with my plane though. Sometimes he scares me!
Next week I will get back to the build. I always try to finish a plane before I move on to the next build but I ran out of money for the paint. Klass Kote, the high priced spread. I can glass up the cowl while I'm waiting for the epoxy to set up on the build.
Gene

Thanks for the update Gene.

The main thing is to enjoy whatever aspect of the hobby we sherish most.

I have not flown much recently due to bad weather, if it is not raining it is blowing gusty air. In this area at this time of the year the polar air mass and the maritime air mass are moving back and forth.

I am playing with designing a PA 30 Piper Twin Comanche to keep leisure times busy during the winter months. I have a thread going on butI do not know how to link it. If you look me up you can find the thread by my posting history.

Come over and say hello in the thread.

All the best to you Gene.

Zor

Here you go, Zor:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...704385&page=12


I like the vintage stuff Gene. You are inspiring me to build a "newer" vintage design called the "Leapin Lena."

Thanks for building, Gene!

Brian