ya I do use that guide. If you take a little bit of time to set it up for each surface, it's a godsend. I usually just hold whatever it is that i'm hinging in my hand and hold the guide as tight as i can with my thumb until the blade starts the cut, after that everything works just fine. The slot machine will jiggle the guide around a tiny bit side to side when first starting the cut, but it will keep it centered which is what really matters.


Also as vmsguy said, make sure you start the slot machine away from the work piece and then push it in one it is running.

A quick status for you guys - I am still at it, but very slow going over the past week or so. Been feeling crummy (crud's going around) and am now at the point of glassing the bottom wing. Can't find the fiberglass tape for the wing - I'll look again tonite [:@]. Might start on the assemblies for the fuse as well.

I still have to get a motor mount for the Saito 100, so that will hinder progress a bit too. Went over to the LHS yesterday to pick up a bunch of odd stuff, showed up at 10AM ... they don't open till noon on Sunday - DOH! [sm=devious.gif] Needless to say, that "opportunity purchase" went by the wayside.

Just wanted to say I'm still around

My LHS is so far away it doesn't actually qualify as local (1.5 hrs). I have been known to get there a couple or more hours before open and sit and wait it out. You really don't have a choice after driving so far for a couple of props! It sometimes calls for a nice breakfast to pass the time as well!

Hello,

I am at the point of mounting the bottom wing to the fuselage. Is there another technique for doing this? I have sharpened the two dowels and placed them in F3. Slid the wing in the cradle, but I'm not getting the marks of the spar.

You could put a little paint on the tips of the dowls to make the marks on the wing.

the paint thing would work or you could tack the dowels into the former with a TINY bit of CA. Also, make sure that the points of the dowel are barely sticking out of the former when you are doing this, otherwise the holes may not line up properly

Thanks for the tips. I used a number 2 lead pencil and and marked the tip of the dowels. That worked.

Well I finally got over to the LHS and picked up some strip fiberglass for the bottom wing (shop gremlins must have taken the kit supplied tape). While there, I picked up a glass motor mount for the Saito and a 14oz fuel tank (Picture1). I managed to finish the bottom wing by adding the block trailing edge (what used to house the aileron torque rods) (picture2), then sanded down the center and prepped it for the strip fiberglass.

Whenever I add the strip fiberglass to a wing I try and keep the epoxy on the tape and off the edges. I usually tape off the area as you see in picture3. This keeps the epoxy from getting where it shouldn't. I let this setup overnight and came back and sanded down the rough edges of the fiberglass tape. Finally I glued on the plywood wing bolt plates (Picture5) and set aside the bottom wing.

Next up - the Fueslage

Picture1 - LHS supplies
Picture2 - Trailing edge blocks glued - securred with that ever versital blue painter's tape
Pciture3 - Containing the strip within the tape keeps things neat and tidy
Picture4 - Epoxy applied and curing - tape removed
Picture5 - Clamped on the plywood wing bolt plates

I got started on the fuselage assemblies last night ... I am seriously considering "bagging" the cowl idea. I know it will look much better, but I'm getting that nagging feeling that I ought to leave it be for now. I can always come back and cowl it later if I really get the urge. The tank height will need to be adjusted if I do that to account for an inverted (likely) motor, but unless there's a compelling reason not to do so, I think I'm going "au natural" up front.

-MA

Argh, looks like I might be sidelined for a bit ... I just cleaned off the bench. I got most of the assemblies ready to go for the fueslage. I decided to get out the second sheet of plans (for the Fuse) while I was at it. I cleaned off the bench, removed the wing plans and folded them up all neat and tidy. Next, I reached into the box for the second sheet of the kit expecting to see the fuselage and guess what I found ... another Sig Hog Wing plan!? Yep, I got 2 sheet 2's in my kit instead of a sheet 1 and a sheet 2. Doh![:'(]

Well I just got off the phone with the nice lady at Tower who told me I had to contact the Hobby Services people during normal business hours - no problem - I am sure they will take care of this for me. A bummer though, I was just getting back into the swing of things. I'll keep ya'all posted.

-MA

I agree, a cowl is what I intended to do when I put mine together. BUT after a lot of thought. (I have been considering this for quite a while). I won't do it.
#1 you have to consider cooling. You don't want to overheat that aircooled motor.
#2 That 4 stroke motor doesn't look so bad in the wide open
#3 Get it in the air! You can modify it next winter,as long as there are no mishaps before then[]

Hey MA,

call Sig instead of towerhobbies. They have AWESOME c/s and will ship the plans out to you in record time. I was missing the tailwheel out of my 4* ARF a couple of years back and they sent one out to me pretty quickly and only had a single question, "There is a packing slip inside the box of your airplane, would you kindly tell me the name on that slip?" I guess it's so they can go bust some chops in the factory [:@]

but call Sig and then you won't have to go through all the shenanigans with tower who really won't be able to help you.

[link=http://sigmfg.com/cgi-bin/dpsmart.exe/MainMenuFV4.html?E+Sig]Sig's Contact Info[/link]

BTW: you don't really need the plans for the first few steps of the fuselage anyway. It's all in the instruction book. AND BE SURE TO MAKE TWO DIFFERENT FUSELAGE SIDES!!!

Thanks JCB! I may do that if I get any grief tomorrow morning. I am sure one way or another this will work out okay. I have already built the fuselage sides (made sure there was a left and right) and am at the point where I'd feel more comfy knowing I was building according to the plan. Plus the tail feathers are on the fuse sheet and I will most definitely need those.

-MA

For those wondering, I called Tower Hobby Support who kindly directed me to Sig (good call JCB). 5 minutes later and the nice lady at SIG had my name and address and said they'd ship out a new set of plans. We'll see how long it takes to arrive, but I suspect it'll be mid-week. I can completely see how this could get messed up. The operator jokingly said, "I wonder if there's someone out there that has 2 fueslage plans" ... maybe. I'll bet they don't have the most automated way of matching plan sheets and inserting into the kit box back in MFG

Anyway, looks like there was zero drama in getting this resolved - nice!

-MA

glad you got things worked out, MA.

As for my Hog, it's ready to cover!!

I'm JEALOUS!!!!

Looking Sweet JCB! Blue and White from the looks of the Pants and headrest. You must have stuck with the stock headrest configuration? I am seriously considering the balsa block route.

-MA

yep, went with the stock head rest. I know RCKen carved his out of balsa so he could cover it, but that just seemed like WAY too much work for me. Also, covering curves like that is more work than it is worth in my opinion. I have been pretty lucky with finding rattle-cans at home depot and lowes that match ultracoat almost perfectly. Painting is so much easier! I'd actually be willing to have a color custom mixed to get it to look right...I'll post some pictures when the fuselage is covered and then you can get an idea of the color difference (or lack thereof) between the paint and UC.

Its great that Hog Bipe build threads turn into multiple Hog Bipes.
It is a very nice flying plane and not to difficult to build.
I went with the regular cheeks up front and I am very pleased with the appearance.
Keep up the good work.

... I must not be building fast enough, eh? Seriously, the more the better as far as I'm concerned! I love seeing the Hog Bipe in all its stages. Really looking forward to JCB's covering pattern. I haven't settled on one at the moment. I am sort of leaning towards yellow and black (a big bumble bee). I tend to make red and white planes (I'm sure there's a thesis in there somewhere), and would like to digress from the pattern.

-MA

I'm going with a "box-top-classic" design, but using blue instead of red. I have always wanted a plane with the sunburst pattern. If you are looking for a change from "the usual," look into using orange and white, i covered my last plane with those colors and not only does it look good (in my opinion ) but it is very easy to see in the air. If you look at the fubar hill website, there are a couple of hogs covered in orange that look really good.

That Orange does look good. Haven't been to Furball Hill in a bit, I'll check that site out again ([link=http://www.fubarhill.com/]link[/link] for those looking).

whoa baby - i'm gettin' excited!

MA, check out the color of the paint vs the covering. The engine area and the wheel pants are painted with the rattle can. When i put it out into the sun, it looks about a shade or two off if i get real close and inspect it. But if i step back about 3-4 feet, i don't even notice the difference.

JCB - That looks Awesome! You're right, the color difference isn't visible. You're using all Ultracote, right?

Just another Hog to add to the collection...I still don't have the 91 4-stroke on her yet, but will within a few days.

champion, what's wrong with the Tower engine combo? I thought the .75 was a good match for this plane...