john kan

Hi,
Got myself a Great Plane Big Stik 60 after reading all the good things how this plane flies.
After a month long, got all the things built up except the engine.
I will be fitting it with a RCGF 15C petrol engine. Before i do so, i would like to know from experience guys with this setup, if it's necessary to reinforce the firewall due to the vibration from the petrol engine.
If yes, what's the best way to reinforce the firewall.

Thank you

John

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

It's always good to reinforce a firewall when possible. Sometimes adding triangle stock with epoxy is enough while other times you can drill through into the firewall and add metal pins epoxied in.

BelAirBob

Yep, use as large of triangle stock as possible and miter cut the corners so they fit together really well. I sometimes use party size tooth picks cut in half as the pins to epoxy the sides to the firewall too

bob

john kan

Thanks guys for the reply. Do i need to add another layer of plywood over the firewall or just use the original one & reinforce it. Thanks

warhwk

My Feedback: (3)

I think just reinforcing the existing firewall should be sufficient. Your engine is on the heavy side and the 60 Big Stik usually comes in nose heavy even with a 60 2c. I put together three of them last year for a buddy. The first one had the wing depart the plane on the maiden. The front wing lugs sheared off. Tower replaced it after shipping the center section of the wing to them for inspection. Good on Tower!!

One of the replacement 60 Stick wing lugs were broken in the box. Very poor quality wood. Rather than send it back, I used two 1/4" dowels angled down to anchor the front of the wing. Stick #2 was destroyed in a crash not related to the wing hold down. Stick #3 was a duplicate of #2; very poor quality wood at such an important junction. Please check this thoroughly and consider adding dowels to hold the wing down.

Overall, the quality of the Stik 60 is above average and can take quite a bit of abuse and is a great flying plane. One other note, I converted all of these to tail-draggers, saving a bit of tail weight to balance.

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

No, just add some reinforcement to the existing one.

john kan

I had just noticed, GP had actually reinforced the firewall with triangle blocks from the inside. I will be adding extra epoxy around it.
Is there any other places i need to reinforce from the gas engine"s vibrations.
Thanks guys