CK1

My Feedback: (60)

I think were all watching in awe. Awesome thread ,keep up the posts and pics , they are very helpful.

Tony Hallo

Work continues on the door latch mechanism. The center photo shows the 3/32" OD brass tube installed in the door jam. Holes were drilled with the door mounted and clamped in the closed position. I made up a flexible 3/32" drill bit with 3/32" cable and 1/8" brass tube soldered together. The wire is 1/16" with a short 3/32" brass tube soldered near the end that slides in the 1/8" tube epoxied in door frame. Springs are provided on each end to hold the door closed in flight. My digital camera doesn't take the best close up photos so this the best I can do.
Tony Hallo

Tony Hallo

Once the door was mounted, I could continue with the window frame. The top window will need completed before I can finish the door. The instructions tell you to make a template due to differences during construction and plan shrinkage. My was off quite a bit from the plan, if your building one of these planes, don't assume the plans are accurate. I used SeeTemp material for the template, if you haven't used this stuff before, it's worth a try. I decided to glue up the frame right on top of the template, mistake, I had to cut the frame loose and broke two glue joints in the process. After frame was removed I pinned all joints with 1/8" dowels and 3 hour epoxy, spruce on spruce glue joints are not my favorite joints. I hope this one doesn't break before the windows are installed.
Tony Hallo

Tony Hallo

Edwin,
What's the link to your build thread?
Tony Hallo

The MacDaddy

My Feedback: (10)

Tony,

Yes, like always, your builds are incredible! I just spent an hour reading and looking at the pictures. I can barley build a 60 sized plane in my "hobby shop", you must have the whole damm basement?

Mac

Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

The link to my build is
http://www.rcscalebuilder.com/forum/...280&PN=1&TPN=1

Its actually two planes, busa 1/4 scale J-3 and plans built L-4. I use the parts from the kit to make templates for the L-4. A two fer.
Edwin

Tony Hallo

Well the door latch is about done. I had to cover the door before I could finish the linkage. This is the first time I've used Stits covering. The fabric is attached using Polytack, shrunk, then the perimeter is given a coat of Polybrush. When it's time, the weave will be filled with Polybrush via spray gun, then pinked tape, another coat of Polybrush, then Polyfill. For now I just wanted to get the fabric on to complete the linkage. To be honest this is the second plane I covered with fabric, I watched the Stits video about six times and everything worked as expected. The door latches are bent to scale profile, soldered in place, and inside of the door is finished off will balsa. The inside latch is functional also although once the windows are installed it will not accessible. I used 1/16" plywood in under the latch since it provides support the latch handle. The door took over an hour to cover with fabric, the Stits fabric shrinks well, I think I like it.
Tony Hallo

MarksLHS

Tony,
Your PICS are almost as good as your build!!!!!

Tony Hallo

Cowl mounting time, the cowl was made by Aeroglass in Canada and is real nice piece. Steven does wonderful work. I build two Hurley Extras and got the glass from Steven, I have since purchased a third Extra cowl from him for my next project, a scratch build 33% Extra 200 (No typo). I was very please when I opened the cub cowl box and found the cowl was made by Aeroglass.
The cowl is held in place with seven #0x 3/8" screws, better have a good supply of extras for ones that will dropped at the airfield! Five across the top and one in each corner on the bottom. I drilled my top holes to land right on top of the former I installed to keep gas and oil out of the inside of the cabin area. The instructions tell you to install lite ply at the bottom holes to help hold them it, I decided to install 1/4" hardwood dowels instead, my easier, faster and better.

lilhachet

My Feedback: (2)

wow, just don't cut it, amazing maybe.Very nice job,now I don't even want to post my 26 fs j-3,loland who said people don't build anymore.keep up the great work!!!

lilhachet

My Feedback: (2)

and just how are you going to transport this beauty?

Tony Hallo

It's going to fill up most of a Suburban, the fuselage is about 93" long alone, but this plane is not my problem. I haven't started mine yet, probably next winter if in fact I decide to build it! Just might have a kit for sale! There's not much excitement building the second one.
Tony Hallo

Tony Hallo

I decided to hide the charging jacks and switches inside the battery access door. The door on the full scale is located on top of the fuselage right behind the wing, I thought the door would be located on the side of the fuselage but couldn't find any photos on the net. Christian Sturm from www.supercubproject.com was kind enough to set the attached photo showing the correct location of the door. The www.supercubproject.com web site is wonderful source of information for detailing the Cub. Thanks Christian.

Tony Hallo

I had to finish sand the top longeron before I could fab the door. To sand the radius on the 1/4"x3/8" longeron I made a sanding block out of 5/8" dowel rod with a 9/32" drilled through and sawed in half. Adhesive backed sand paper is used. Mark the surface with a Sharpe marking pen and sand until the black dissappears for a perfect radius.
The door is held in place with four Dubro #242 quarter turn latches just like full scale. The quarter turn latches must be discontinued because I couldn't locate them on the Durbo web site. I did find 5 sets in stock at Mark's Hobby Warehouse in Pittsburgh, PA. Mark has a great selection of those hard to find items, Give him a call if can't find what your looking for.
Tony Hallo

Tony Hallo

The tailwheel arrived from Cirrus Ventures and is a thing of beauty, while exactly correct for this plane (The wheel assembly is a left hand yoke while the full scale has a yoke on both sides) I don't you think you could find a better looking wheel. Springs and chains are included with the wheel. This will be my next move.
Tony Hallo

Tony Hallo

I mounted the tailwheel and made up the control horn. The control horn is made out of .050" steel sheet bent to scale like outline. I inset 1/4" plywood on the bottom of the rudder and mounted the horn with two #0x 3/8" screws. The spring and chain was provided with the tailwheel.

I found a couple different size brass eyes that telescope into each other, these were soldered into the rudder control horn to prevent damage to the pull-pull cables. The instructions had you simply clean the holes with a file, I didn't think that would work very well. Also drilled lighting holes in the horn just like the full scale. The full scale holes were 3/8" diameter, wonder how much weight Piper thought they were saving? Six 3/8" holes in .095" plate is equal to couple of coins in your pocket? At any rate I made my holes 1/8" diameter.
Tony Hallo

Tony Hallo

Here's a different photo of the full scale tailwheel I found on RC Scale Builder thanks to Edwin. There's a 1/3 scale build thread there that's very good. When your there check out Edwin's quarter scale build also, nice work.
Tony Hallo

andrew66

very nice! do you intend on entering in any comps? if so, i think that you would score very high points.
good work

Tony Hallo

Andy,
This build is not mine, it's a contract job. Not sure if the owner has any plans for competition or not. I hope we will make the fly at the Old Piper factory in Lockhaven PA this year. Thanks for the compliment at any rate. This is my first attempt at scale work and I'm kinda enjoying it, maybe more to come?
Tony Hallo

Tony Hallo

The fuselage work is drawing near and it's time to think about finishing up the wings and get them mounted. I didn't really care for the kit's method of finishing the lift struts so I did a little research at http://www.supercubproject.com/ and came with an alternative method that will be more scale like and just as strong if not stronger.
The pdf file is a drawing of the full scale lift fork, I machined a couple of test pieces and came up with a manufacturing method that will produce acceptable results. The process goes like this;
1. Turn the approximate teardrop shape in the lathe, drill the center for 6-32 tap, part the piece off.
2. Cut the slot for the fuselage fitting and final file.
3. Tap the fork for 6-32
4. On a disc sander make the flat lands.
5. Install 6-32 all-thread from cut from socket head cap screw with red Locktite
6. Drill and tap the pin hole.

The strut will be drilled on the end to accept a piece of aluminum about 2" long x 5/16" drill and tapped for 6-32. I will cut grooves in the aluminum to increase the holding power of the 3-hour epoxy.
Still brainstroming the wing end connection.

The kit design consisted of steel sheet wrapped around the end of the strut held in place with two 3/32" brass pins that get soldered to the plate once everything is fit. A 4-40 sockethead screw protrudes out of the plate, a Durbo rod end fitting is then used to connected to the strut to fuselage. The wing end is similar except a brass tube is captured between the plate and strut where a 4-40 bolt connects the strut to the fittings installed in the wing. I know this works because many are flying with this arrangement. I just didn't care for the looks of the plate.

Sorry for the poor quality in the photos, my camera has fixed lense and doesn't do close up photos very well.
Tony Hallo

Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

I am just now starting to think about the strut connections. You just saved me some time. Looks like an easy "wip it out" task for the lowers. For the uppers I was planning on using some round stock aluminum, turn it down enough to fit inside the struts, then doing some anvil and hammer work to flaten one end. Sand to shape on the belt sander and drill out the hole. I usually cut slashes in rods with a dremil for the epoxy to bite into. Maybe drill it and pin it also in the strut.
Edwin

Tony Hallo

Edwin,
I'll give your idea some thought, whatever it is it must have a secure connection to the strut.
Tony Hallo

Tony Hallo

I moved the fuselage off the bench and wings are back on to finish up before they get married to the fuselage. While not in the original scope, the decision was made to install navigation lights. The wing lights are mounted in an airfoil shaped housing that is mounted to the wing tips and the rear white light is mounted in the rudder. Both are shown in the attached pdf file in figures 2 and 3. The wing tip housing is shown in the other file.
Tony Hallo

Tony Hallo

A trip to the local Radio Shack yielded red and green Snap-In lamp assemblies (Red P/N 272-332, Green P/N 272-337A) that are 9/16" in diameter and fit into 1/2" hole, just the perfect size for scale. Using the airfoil drawing I cut a development out of an empty paint thinner can, the steel is light enough to cut with scissors and just heavy enough to hold shape. For a the light mount I used 17/32" K&S brass tube about 3/8" long. The steel development was formed around 1/2" dowel rod, insert the brass tube flush and solder. The rear section was pinched together and soldered, 1/8" plywood was fitted into the airfoil to provide the ability to screw the tip cap on. The tip cap was fashioned from 9/16" diameter brass tube and held in place with #0 screw.

Tony Hallo

Here's the final product . Run the wires and move on to the rudder light. The lamp assembies are 12 volt, I found a small small 3.6 volt LED for the rudder, I may replace the 12 lamps with the same LED's as the rudder just to keep all the voltages the same.
Each light assembly weights 0.4 oz.
Tony Hallo