I always hear people asking about plans for this, but I never hear of anyone actually building one who posted anything on it.

Seems to me, everyone should have one (or something similar) for the club funflys. If your club is anything like the ones around me, then you'll want something you're not too afraid to crash!

There is the question of whether this is a scratch build forum topic or a kit build forum topic. I'm posting here because I'm starting mine with a short kit.

I had a Midwest Sweet Stick, but something went bad in the aileron connections and now I don't. This was supposed to be a .40 sized plane, but a modern OS .46AX was probably too much for it. You could still dead stick fine, but it apparently flew too fast for bellcranked ailerons on a single servo.

There are plans for the original and the Jensen version all over the web. However, I believe a model worth building is worth paying for good plans.

The Phil Kraft version is plan #939 at the RCM plans store.

http://www.rcmmagazine.com/store/sto...LsxzEQJQE966r0

I chose the Jensen version available from Uncle Willie's Site:

(page 14, near the bottom)

http://www.myunclewillies.com/about1.html1.html

He has it available in a number of sizes.

The short kit is available from Lazer Works for a very reasonable price.

http://lazer-works.com/rcm.html

You'll have to buy some sticks and sheets as well, but not very much. I got mine from Balsa USA, and ordered some flex cable for the tail controls while I was there.

I assume nearly any reliable kit cutter could do this kit though.

So, onto the initial decisions:

1. Dihedral? How much?

The plans I have show about 6 degrees, that seemed like way too much for me. I believe most of the ARF's come with NO dihedral. However, I think a small amount is best based purely on what looks best.

2. Tail dragger or trike gear?

Still haven't decided here.

3. Engine size.

I'm planning on using that recently available OS Max .46AX I have, but I think the .55 is probably the perfect two cycle choice.

4. Mods to the aileron servo setup. With the light weight of even a modern cheap standard servo, you might as well mount one servo in each wing. For me, with my recent history, no way am I using a bellcrank system again.

Just built a 4* 60, and I think something similar to that setup is what I want to aim for. I'm not a big fan of leaving the entire top of the servo sticking out. However, might do that anyway, since it is supposed to be UGLY!

My plans show the main spar and spar doubler with a long splice joint you glue up before building the wing. If I want to change the dihedral, I have to modify this joint. This joint takes advantage of the six degree dihedral and the splice follows that six degree angle.

1. I could just butt join the two wing halves like many other planes and add a dihedral brace.
2. I could make the splice twice as long to accomodate a reduced dihedral.
3. Or, I could modify the joint somehow to work with a lower angle.

I decided I could cut one side just like before with the six degree splice, and then cut the other side with an equal length three degree per side point. They then fit together perfectly at half the angle.

Diagrams below. The first one shows the original six degree cut used on both sides. The second shows one side with that cut superimposed with the other side cut to a point.

Back in the '80s I built 3-4 40 size Midwest's "Das Ugly Stick". At least today I think they were Das Ugley Stick rather then Sweet Stick. Anyway, for my two cents, they were a fun bird to fly and an easy kit to build. However, I don't know if the Midwest kit was a Phil Kraft or a Jensen version nor do I really know the difference. Could someone tell me the difference. I would like to build another stick, just to have it around. I really don't know who has kits, so I guess I'll order the plans and scratch build one. There are a couple ARFs out, however I am not much on ARF. In my opinion, for what ever it is worth, building is a major part of the hobby. Which of the plans available today resemble the old Midwest kit version?

This is what I know. (Or, at least think I know.)

The Phil Kraft version is the original. (It is the RCM plan.)

The Jensen version is the first kit version. This one has a 60" wingspan. These two are nearly identical.

Midwest made a number of variants. They may have made a straight up Ugly Stick kit as well.

The Sweet Stick is slightly smaller and designed for a .40 engine instead of a .40-.60 engine. They also made a low wing version. By slightly smaller, I think it had a 56" wingspan. (Mine has about a 15" wingspan now, lol.)

The Sweet Stick plans are no longer available from Midwest, but they are on file at AMA, so you can order them there. (I had lost mine.)

Lazer Works also has short kits for some of the Midwest variants. I think I remember seeing the low wing version, which, I think, was called the Sweet and Low Stick.

Here is a pic of my Arf with a Saito 82. This a GP 40 size

You can see how much or little Dihedral it has.


Bob

I have a NIB Great Planes Stick.60 waiting for some attention....I had one before (taildragger) and LOVED it!!!!

Thanks for info. I have a good memory it is just not very long and 25 plus years ago is a long time. The ones I built were in the 40 size and as best I can remember now wing span in the 40-50 inch range. They also made a 60 size with a larger wing span, probably the 60 inch. Mine were trike geared and shoulder winged. At the time I lived in Colorado so during winter I would take the wheels off and put skis on to fly off the snow rather then shovel the runways. The state park provided a flying site with paved runways and pit areas, however my club had to do the maintenance on the field, like shovel the snow.

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_5480239/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm]Here's[/link] a great RCU thread over in the scratch building forum! Sean's an excellent builder and documented his build as well as he crafted the Jensen Stick. If you're looking for a nugget or two on how to build one of these, look no further than Sean's thread.

-MA

Looks like zero to little diheral at all on that ARF.

Apparently, the Ultra Stick has zero as well.

So, on the Ultra Stick, besides losing what little WWI design elements the Ugly Stick had, what did they change?

Nergall

I just looked at your opening remarks again and am impressed at the amount of damage you were able to impart on that Stik - very impressive indeed. That must have been one wicked crash.

-MA

There is a couple of degrees, not much. It
was assembled per the manual also.

Bob

lol, yes it was.

Long story on it, but it ended up going into the woods at full throttle. It must've hit at least two or three branches on the way to the ground.

However, on the positive note, radio bay was completely intact, and the engine looks fine. The prop only had a small chip in it.

Glad to find your thread on the stick build. Actually saw the start on atlantarcflyers forum. I currently have 9 stick planes of all types flying and lost plenty more. The stick is such a versital plane in my opinion and is good for all types of flying. My two cents worth I would go with no dihedral in the wing. None of mine have dihedral although I have owned some that did. I think its a better sport plane without it. Taildragger is a must, it just looks cool. I have two of the O.S. 55AX's and I am not very impressed with them. They do have a little more power but nothing like I expected. I have tried over 15 props and I like the MAS 11x8 best on the 40 size stick. I like my 46AX's better with an 11x5 prop. Also go with a servo on each wing and do a little flaperon and mix flaps to elevator. Ive never had so much fun till I tried som mixing on the sticks.

I have the main spars glued up at 3.1 degrees. I'll post picts later.

One vote for tail dragger. I'm thinking my nose wheel hardware might not match up anyway. If so, the decision is already made for me.

Absolutely plan on a servo in each wing. Only a question of how well I hide it. I've heard people say go ahead and run separate wires. You can easily mix it in on even a basic 6 channel, and then you can try the Flaperons when you're ready. (I'm probably not!)

I remember seeing a stick at Hilltop Flyers made of that corrugated plastic postal tray material. That wouldn't be you, would it?

No, that one actually belongs to Bruce Greenwood. I have flown it several times and it flyes good to be as heavy as it is. The mixing is very easy with a six channel like you said and I think some mixing actually makes it easier to fly. The landings are like harriers with the falps mixed into the elevator. Its really cool. I will have to meet you at one of the clubs and let you try it out. Im actually starting a scratch build myself. I done several stick kits but nothing from scratch so Im looking forward to following your build.

OK, I finished epoxying the main spars with the 3.1 degree dihedral. I've been reminding myself this means I won't have that big "gluing the wing halves together" task later on because of this.

The angle looks good to me. To me, no dihedral on a shoulder wing plane makes the wings look like they are hanging down. This looks like enough to avoid that without making inverted flight too troublesome.

I pinned the spars down to hold them together on the first one. I tried clamping the second one as well, but I think the pins alone are fine.

Next step was stacking up all the laser cut ribs and knocking the burn off them.

The plans suggest creating a "custom" build table out of two sheets of plywood - one side propped up by six degrees.

I'm thinking I'll just build one half of the wing, then prop the other half up while I build the second half. This means sliding the ribs between the two main spars on the second half, but right now, that doesn't sound like a big problem.

Spent a few hours yesterday reviewing the Stick Build thread in the scratch build area. However, I'm still not sure what these parts are for.

I have two plywood ribs halves, a short plywood piece with a hole in the middle and a rectangular plywood piece with four circular marks that look like drill marks.

I'm guessing they are as follows:

1. The rib halves are the front half. To me, that means they have nothing to do with aileron servos or wing tib reinforcement. I'm guessing they reinforce the center rib for a bolt on wing.

2. The plywood piece with the hole in it fits perfectly at the top of bulkhead F2. I'm guessing the hole is for a front pin in a bolt on wing setup. (I want to do a bolt on wing for sure.) A single pin would seem to fit with a reinforced center rib front.

3. The last piece seems about right for a bolted on landing gear reinforcement piece. Though it could be for the rear wing bolts? Though it seems too short for that.

A single forward pin seems a little scary? Is that enough?

I'm also well into the wing build. The ribs I have are tabbed, so to take advantage of them, I'm building the front half of the wing first. I then plan to cut the tabs and rock the wing back onto the rear sheeting. (In the picture below, the stack of wood on the rear is just resting there.)

Of course, the rear sheeting needs to wait until after I finish the entire length of the front of the wing. In order to get everything to line up right, I will need the tabs when I prop up the first side by 3 degrees to build the second side. This all seems to work fine so far. It was no problem slipping the ribs in between the top and bottom spars for the second half.

I decided to glue those plywood rib halves into the center anyway. Even if I go with two pins, I can just glue them to the outside of these plywood pieces instead of between them.

I noticed in the scratch builders thread that there was some confusion as to whether the front stringers (or secondary spars?) should be hardwood or balsa. I remember when I reviewed the plans to order the stick wood that somewhere it clearly said hardwood for those. However, now I can't find where?

Finally, the wing looked a little on the light side strength-wise, so I decided to do spar webbing out through the 3rd most outside rib bay. I was suprised to see the exact same solution on the other build thread. (His went all the way to the end though.) I went back to check the plans to see if it was called for there, but I didn't see any mention of it. Anyway, glad I decided to do it now!

Your construction skills look good to me - those spars have a lot of gluing surface which is good. As far as sheer webbing goes, the additional weight is nothing - glad you are doing it as it makes for a much stronger wing!

Just a quick update this week.

I lifted the wing up and rocked it back to do the trailing edge sheeting. These short kit ribs aren't quite as flat, so I had to prop the main spar up about 3/16 of an inch. The plans show a 1 7/8 inch rear sheet - just enough to trim the edges straight. (However, the short kit ribs apparently were cut for a 2 inch sheet, so I had to trim them down a tad.)

I then marked the hinge locations, four per aileron, and added a small chunk of wood for the hinge to glue to. Next, I added the top sheet, leaving it overhang a bit. Once the wing half is off the board, you can easily run your knife along the bottom sheet and trim it to the exact size.

I turned it over, glued in the bottom stringers. (Or, sub-spars?)

Probably should have glued the riblets in before the bottom stringer, but I couldn't figure out an easy way to hold them in place. I have to tug the stringers apart a tad to slide the riblets in now, but once in place, they fit snug and hold themselves in place.

Almost forgot, I replaced the center two bays' top sheeting with 1/8 plywood, since I plan on a bolt on wing.

Wing seems to twist too easy for me right now. I wondering whether I should add some diagonal braces behind the main spars and the rear sheeting?