Sledge fuse
05-01-2003, 07:51 PM
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I just finished my fuse and I have got to tell ya......That thing is heavy!!! I dont have any scales other than my hands but trust me it is way heavier than my other fuses. Is it just mine or are yalls like it too? I knew I should have chuncked out that lumber that came with my kit........
05-01-2003, 11:20 PM
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Mine was heavy too...Not wasted weight though, it is very strong.
It's not the design as much as it's bad wood. I have never had a kit with wood that heavy...I think they gave me oak instead of balsa. If you see how many pins I bent...
I spent about $20 replacing all the sticks and replacing and buying some of the sheeting they decided I didn't need. I will complain about the price and value of this kit until I die, regardless of how well it flies...
It's not the design as much as it's bad wood. I have never had a kit with wood that heavy...I think they gave me oak instead of balsa. If you see how many pins I bent...
I spent about $20 replacing all the sticks and replacing and buying some of the sheeting they decided I didn't need. I will complain about the price and value of this kit until I die, regardless of how well it flies...
05-02-2003, 12:17 AM
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Well I'll tell ya.........I am really pissed with my kit. I had to buy a bunch of wood because like Brian said it wasnt there. What was there you could have planked the side of a house with it. I had to wait forever for my pull pull housings. Some of the precut pieces werent cut right. I just feel like I got #$%&*@# and I didnt get a kiss!!
05-02-2003, 12:45 AM
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Why not wait...
Until it is finished and then gripe??
This was my first profile and I thought the fuse seemed overly stout. Then my plane came in at 4 lb 6oz with a YS 63 and a 1000Mah Nicad.
If I had written it off at the fuse building stage I would have never enjoyed the last three awesome friggin' hours at the field.
Sorry to hear about the wood and tubing. I've replaced a lot of wood in kits over the years. It irks me, sure. That's why I have a closet full of extra wood just in case.
But telling me about it here ain't gonna solve jack. I suggest a letter or e-mail to Morris and let THEM know. THEY are the ones who can do something about it.
And $5 will get you $10 BRW ain't gonna like it when he DOES finish. He will have so much built up frustration it'll be a dog out of the blocks.
This was my first profile and I thought the fuse seemed overly stout. Then my plane came in at 4 lb 6oz with a YS 63 and a 1000Mah Nicad.
If I had written it off at the fuse building stage I would have never enjoyed the last three awesome friggin' hours at the field.
Sorry to hear about the wood and tubing. I've replaced a lot of wood in kits over the years. It irks me, sure. That's why I have a closet full of extra wood just in case.
But telling me about it here ain't gonna solve jack. I suggest a letter or e-mail to Morris and let THEM know. THEY are the ones who can do something about it.
And $5 will get you $10 BRW ain't gonna like it when he DOES finish. He will have so much built up frustration it'll be a dog out of the blocks.
05-02-2003, 12:57 AM
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Maybe I took that wrong but..........Sheeeeesh...Im sorry I said anything. I thought we were all suppose to let each other know what was going on with new products. Overly stout is not the word to describe the fuse. I just built a Knife that didnt weigh as much as this fuse alone does.
05-02-2003, 01:38 AM
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John, what a bummer that you got dense balsa. That will definitely add unnecessary weight. Just curious, did you call Morris requesting different balsa? I, like you, hate hard sticks. They are difficult to cut and add weight, yuk. Jeff W.
05-02-2003, 02:10 AM
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The last time I ordered a Gee Bee kit from them the decals were messed up and I emailed them and asked for replacements and Robert replied and said sure no problem. I'll get them right out to you. After two weeks and not receiving anything I emailed him back and he never replied. That pretty much told me that whatever I get im just stuck with. I just decided not to worry with it this time. No big deal. Ive been stuck before and this wont be the last time either.............John
05-02-2003, 02:15 AM
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Well....I have to take that back. I didnt get stuck. I got what I ordered. Im just surprised they didnt have to pay extra shipping for weight!!
05-02-2003, 02:18 AM
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No problem Jeff. Im sure your design is great. I'll probably just chunk this one in the corner and plan build one. I'll let you know how it turns out............John
05-02-2003, 04:26 PM
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Jmulder, how much does your fuse weigh? I had a pre-pruduction kit from Jeff that had heavy wood. If I remember right the fuse weighed about a pound before cover. The airplane weighs 4.66lbs with a Saito .72, and it still flies great. The fuse was heavier than the big built up fuse on my Diablotin Super by quite a bit. Tom
05-02-2003, 05:19 PM
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Im not real sure. I know that with all the heavy wood that by the time I finish the whole thing its going to scare the crap out of 6 pounds. Whatcha think...A boat anchor?????
05-02-2003, 05:28 PM
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heheee ....This 1/4 stock is so hard that I have to cut it with my band saw and even then it makes a funny sound when I try to push it through. Brain what you said about it being strong wont no joke. I think I'll put it in my truck for protection because if you were to knock somebody in the head with it it would kill em!!!!!!
05-02-2003, 08:34 PM
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One thing I learned when I first started building models back in the '40's. - Just because a piece of balsa comes in a kit you bought, that doesn't mean you HAVE to use it.
Over the years, I would guess that I have replaced fully 50% of all kit balsa I have purchased - Ticked off ? Yep - but I was made happier by the way the model performed when I flew it. Sure it's more expensive - but if you really want a good flying model, pay the price and enjoy the flying part of it
The sad part is, lately the really good balsa is getting harder and harder to find - something to do with the balsa trees down in Equador or something. It seems that if it is light, it is warped, and if it is straight, it is heavy.
Bob T.
Over the years, I would guess that I have replaced fully 50% of all kit balsa I have purchased - Ticked off ? Yep - but I was made happier by the way the model performed when I flew it. Sure it's more expensive - but if you really want a good flying model, pay the price and enjoy the flying part of it
The sad part is, lately the really good balsa is getting harder and harder to find - something to do with the balsa trees down in Equador or something. It seems that if it is light, it is warped, and if it is straight, it is heavy.
Bob T.
05-02-2003, 11:27 PM
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But you dont understand.........The whole thing was like that. Not just some of it. The precut pieces were not heavy at all but all of the sticks were. After paying $100 for a kit I really didnt want to have to go out and buy more wood. If I had of done that this one little plane would really cost me.
05-03-2003, 01:09 AM
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I just got my engine rails glued in mine, Hadn't noticed if its heavy or not. I made my rudder ele servos on different sides of the fuse, also joined my elevators with a hard peice of 1/4"x1/2" balsa....I think I may have messed up doing this, havent read in the plans far enough. I guess I will have to saw out the rear fuse post to get my elevator in....the wood in my kit was a little hard, but so was the spinsation I just finished. It weigh's 4lbs ready to fly. I have my wing built for the Sledge too. I stuck my thumb thru the LE sheeting 3 times already....I got 3 great peices of sheeting and 1 lousey peice....I should probably have been a little more selective in my wood choice....over all....its a great kit with one KILLER instruction manual...Nice job Jeff....G
05-03-2003, 01:14 AM
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Yeah I agree. It is the best instruction manual that Morris has ever had. The ele is suppose to have hardwood joining the halves.
05-03-2003, 04:25 PM
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Originally posted by jmulder
It is contest grade wood....If youre building a house....LOL
It is contest grade wood....If youre building a house....LOL
Everyone tells me to wait until I fly it...Even when I do fly it, my views on this kit are not going to change. The instructions are decent, the wood is bad, wood and hardware was missing.
I compare everything to the Seduction I had. It was 10 inches longer with a full fuse. Both the wing and fuselage were at least half the weight of the wing and fuselage on this thing... It came out just over 4 lbs with a YS .64...
I did talk to Debbie a lot the first week I bought this thing. She was great and was more than willing to help, but I never did mention the heavy wood.
I don't think this stuff would be much of a problem if it was a cheap kit, but for $110 we deserve better wood! I replaced a lot of this Sledge wood with wood from my Tower Hobbies Fun 51 kit. The Fun 51 came with MUCH better wood... I all the sheeting. The reason was because they only gave me half of what is needed and that half was too heavy!
I wish I would have known all this before I bought it...All I ever read was "It's a great kit, very complete". Yeah!
John, It's all covered and glued together. Just needs engine and radio equipment...I haven't touched it for a week or two, but I'll get to it soon!