reincarnate

Are you using Polycrylic or epoxy? I'm guessing Poly, by the lack of a mess, but maybe you're neater than I. Looks great.

smithcreek

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I'm using West Systems epoxy. I'm sure other people use the application method I use, but I've never seen anyone talk about it before. I put the epoxy on using a scrap of 3/32" balsa as a squeegee. Cut a piece of balsa about 3" wide x 6" long. The 3" wide is the endgrain and that's the side you use as the squeegee. I just pour some epoxy on and squeegee a line from the tail to the nose, then squeegee from that center line out to the top and bottom of the plane. If you have a little extra epoxy in one spot just squeegee it, pick it up with the balsa and put it where you still need it or back in the cup. I only use a brush in places like the fillet.

I don't think there's any better way to apply epoxy that is simpler, cleaner or uses less epoxy. Plus you don't need to thin it which can have unexpected results, and the epoxy is still very workable even after 1/2 hour or more, when it starts to thicknen up making brushing nearly impossible. One other benefit is when you squeegee the epoxy on the glass has much less tendency to shift around, so it doesn't pull up in areas like the fin/fuse junction or wing fillet.

I've tried putting it on with a brush, then rolling toilet paper around to pick up the extra and that method doesn't even come close. It's a huge mess and leaves far more epoxy on the plane. Using this method there's no need for using toilet paper, there's nothing to pick up. You can see in the last picture that was taken 5 minutes after applying the epoxy that there's so little epoxy on the plane that it looks dry.

dohanian

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I too, would be interested in JPG files to make parts. I encourage you to make these available if it is not too much trouble. I have the plans and want to build when I get my courage up and my bench cleaned off. Also interested in fiberglass parts, and willing to pay my share, but at least they are available from FGS. Great idea to make several at a time....I'd love to be a part of the process.

I-fly-any-and-all

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hows your progress? got any pictures or video for those of us watching?

smithcreek

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I've got a couple things left to do, then paint, so I've been waiting on some warmer weather to get outside. I put the headrest and tailwheel skirt on. Main thing I did recently was bend the landing gear and attach it. I need to join the two halves of the pants and mount them, then primer.

If someone knows how to convert a Rhino file into a jpg or other file type that can be used let me know and I can post them. I just haven't figured out how to convert them. UPDATE: I can export as an Adobe Illustrator file. I don't have Adobe Illustrator, but if someone does maybe they can convert that to an Adobe pdf file. Anyone?

CaptainBlueSky

Hi Smithcreek,

my rhino allows to export files in .pdf files but if your version don't check if you can export as .dwg and then use "AnyDWG to image converter", free download at http://anydwg.com and choose .JPG as output file.

Al

I-fly-any-and-all

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email me the files and I'll see what I can do.
Thanks
Jesse
email is [email protected]

I-fly-any-and-all

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While this may be true, once in a while I'll have .dwg files that are completely blurred and useless when converted to .jpg however, .dwg converted to .pdf hasn't failed me yet.

smithcreek

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I ended up using a program called novaPDF. Took a few tries but worked well. Good to know, I'm designing a Stolp Acroduster and I'll need to print plans for the wing soon.

[link=http://smithcreekmandolin.com/otherpics/rc/P-26/partstemplate2.pdf]P-26 Parts Templates[/link]

CaptainBlueSky

my mistake, i wrote .jpg when I meant to choose the .pdf output option as you asked for, also included in this software. Many other free programs available on the net will do the same.



Al

I-fly-any-and-all

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Any flight time yet?

Warbird Joe

Great looking plane. You are doing some amazing work. I love looking at this plane up at Wright Patterson Air Force Museum. The plane just looks tough as heck. The Expoxy that you are using, is that pretty runny and a lot easier to work with that the regular expoxy we use for building? I am going to be fiberglassing a plane and wanted to know if I should hunt this stuff down or just use epoxy that I get at the hobby shop?

Joe

I-fly-any-and-all

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any flights yet?

smithcreek

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Sorry, I haven't checked this thread in a while. I've used the Z-poxy finishing resin and both are about the same consistency, but finishing resin is a different epoxy than the 5 minute or 30 minute used for gluing parts together. It is a lot thinner and made for working with fiberglass in things like boat hulls.

I haven't done much work on the P-26. I plan on flying it by early July, so I should be posting some pics over the next couple weeks.

I-fly-any-and-all

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how's progress? do you have any new photo's or video?

I-fly-any-and-all

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anything new?

smithcreek

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I made huge progress last week. I ordered the paint. May not sound like much, but it's been holding me up for a while. I went with Klass Kote epoxy paint. It's the first time I'll be using epoxy paint, wish me luck. I also made the molds for louvers, need to make those, put them on, do a couple primer coats, panel lines, assemble the wheel pants. Shouldn't be too long, especially since I've got the bug to finish it up and fly it.

I-fly-any-and-all

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has she flown yet? Hows the over all progress including yours and other club members....

szig

hi smithcreeck

Your pictures have disappeared from the thread.

smithcreek

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Hey, still not flying. I haven't done much work on it lately. Haven't lost interest at all, just had a very busy past few months. I'm working on another project, a scratch built Acroduster Too biplane. I hope to get more work done on the P-26 as soon as the Acroduster is framed, I have a week or two of work left on that.

The pictures all resided on my business website. I recently changed my hosting service from a standard webpage to an ecommerce site, so all my files on that sever were wiped out. As I have the time I'll repost the pics.

I-fly-any-and-all

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RARE royal p-26 peashooter on ebay $300 buy it now!!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/Royal-P26-A-Peas...item1e5eb74460

AmishWarlord

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Is that black mold on the wood?

I-fly-any-and-all

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I'm not the seller but that appears to be discoloration from age in no way is it mold.

reincarnate

I won the auction...I'll let you know. I already have a set of plans, but I wanted a kit to put on the shelf, and back up information. I also wanted to get ahold of the cowl to make a mold.

I paid less than $300, with shipping. Anyone know what this kit retailed for, just out of curiosity?

smithcreek

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Back to work on the P-26. Took a break to work on the Acroduster last winter, then spent the spring and summer building a couple everyday fliers and a float plane. Now it's time to wrap up both the P-26 and Acroduster, so here's a few pics. I put some time in on the landing gear and finished putting the louvers in. Next up, mount the cowl, finish the landing gear fillet, fillets for the tail, wing and headrest, wire attachment points on bottom of wing, then paint.

Unfortunately my favorite fillet material, Sig Epoxolite, has been out of stock for a loooooong time. I've been trying to order it for a year with no luck and it sounds like they have no idea if they will ever get it again. I like to build up the fillet with balsa, then epoxolite, then sandable auto filler. Looks like I'll have to try something else this time around. Last picture is a Goldberg Sukhoi I built this summer, one of the planes that put the P-26 on the back burner.