clb

Good new Dan,
Can't wait until week-end!!!
Claude.

kane

Sorry,

I had a little computer trouble over the weekend. They will be up and running tomorrow.

DK

Stripes

My Feedback: (19)

I know some were built by people who don't post much on the net but here is mine I started recently. By the time I got it last year building season was over and it was on to flying.

daven

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Looking good!

vicman

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I think you need another clamp there. It looks good.

daven

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Thats exactly how I do them with the clamps. The trick is to get the clamps secured without getting any Gorilla glue under the rubber pads. If you get any depression in the soft balsa from the clamps being too tight, I would just spray them with a little water and it would cause most of the dent to come out as it dried out.

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

Dry steam works faster for removing dents. Slight wetter than damp rag and a soldering iron will remove almost any dent in balsa.

julioq

Hi Dave. I am finally building my seeker. Hope to post a pic in two weeks. I have a couple of questions.
I will use the airplane for 424, but I am building it so I can take four screws out bolt a Nelson and fly 428 so:

1) Do you recommend fiberglassing the wing's center section?
2) And the tail?
3) Do you prefer thin LE on the stabs?
4) I am copying the elevator and aileron size from my slingshot, any specific on this surfaces size?
5) Any recomendations regarding wing tips. They will be balsa
6) Can you send me your recommended CG, throws and expo?
7) How much rudder and aileron do you use for take off?

Thanks for your response


Julio Quevedo

jeide

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I have 2 new seeker fuse kits I'm not going to use I sell cheap if anyone needs some. PM me if interested.

daven

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1) Do you recommend fiberglassing the wing's center section?

It really depends on what else you did to the wing. I'm not sure what you are using. When I used foam wings from Bill Vargas, he had quite a bit of Carbon in there, and I only needed to put down one layer of 2oz on the bottom of the wing in a triangle pattern, about 8" at the TE and about 16" at the LE and I never had any problems. Also, after my wing was built, I glassed top and bottom with 3/4 oz and primed and painted which adds considerable strength over plastic covering.

2) And the tail?

My tails were all glassed / primed in a vacumn bag with the fiberglass or kevlar hinges in place. I believe I did a thread on my process somewhere here on RCU a couple years ago.

3) Do you prefer thin LE on the stabs?

I've done them both ways. Some with a slightly rounded LE, and some with a sharp LE. I never noticed a difference myself, but the current "popular" method is slightly rounded, rather than sharp.

4) I am copying the elevator and aileron size from my slingshot, any specific on this surfaces size?

My ailerons were 4-5" out from the Center of the wing, 1 1/4" in from the TE and 11" long. For 428 speeds I would use a little more than an 1/8" throw on low rates, and about 3/16" on high rates for landing.

My elevators are about 2" out from the center of the V, 1 1/4" in from the TE and 6" long. For 428 speeds I would use the same throw as the ailerons above.

5) Any recomendations regarding wing tips. They will be balsa

Because I went with a narrower (high aspect) wing with a chord of 9 3/4", it was neccessary to use a full span 52" wing. Since Bills wings weren't quite that long, I had a sacrificial wing that I would chop about 5" off and glue on to one end of his wing (left side). After that was blended in, I would cut the tips off with my table saw at a 45 degree angle, leaving the wing at exactly 52" (depending on the exact chord length, as they could vary by a 1/16" either way). This worked fine for me, but I then built a plug and had some wing tip molds made and used those for some time. A Minneapolis local has the molds, and would probably sell the tips, but they were relatively expensive.

6) Can you send me your recommended CG, throws and expo?

I normally will test fly it if the CG falls between 2 7/8" and 3" from the LE. Flying with anything more forward than 2 7/8" will give you very sluggish elevator response, and anything further back than 3" will give you very responsive elevator response. The recommended throws are listed above in #4, as to rudder, start with about 3/16" right and 1/8" left and adjust from there untill full right rudder gives you a straight takeoff. I don't use expo normally on quickees, but if you want, start with about 15% (positive or negative depending on your radio) and adjust from there.

7) How much rudder and aileron do you use for take off?

Low rates, as mentioned above. Full rudder, and full elevator, you shouldn't need any aileron. The plane will come off the ground nice and slow, it will not bounce into the air.

Good luck, and let me know if you have any further questions.

Super Splatter

Thanks much!

daven

My Feedback: (1)

You racing this year Jesse? I thought you were hanging up your racing shoes and going to play in a Rock and Roll band!

Super Splatter

That too, no 428 this year, just maybe half of the 426 and of course Q40 at Amery.

I do need to spend some Saturdays this summer on the homestead,

And of course I want the best that I can get, Seekers rule, R2 D2's drool.

But I'm sure Randy won't take it personally and sell a wing or 2, right ??

Randy Etken

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Dave eat your heart out, check the color of the wing. All new fully composit R-200.

HighPlains

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Do you guys fly fast and turn right up there?

daven

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Randy can't read upside down! I'm surprised he spelled R-200 correct

Of all the colors KlassKote has, the green has got to be the worst!

Did you build that for Schwartz? I hear he's taking green back since I left!

daven

My Feedback: (1)

One other question Randy, did you remember to put torque rods in that one?

diggs_74

I was going to ask the same thing

Hey Randy, what's that white thingy in that picture?? It almost looks like a sport plane but I know that can't be..

Randy Etken

My Feedback: (10)

The wing is a throw a way. It’s the first one I tried to pull with out using PVA, of course it stuck. Marred it up pretty bad getting out of mold also finish was bad. I should have spent the money on aluminum and not used the Ren board. All wings will be one color only. Live and learn.

Randy Etken

My Feedback: (10)

Lee that is a 1/6 scale scratch built Mooney that flew in the 1988 Scale Master championship in Fort Knox, KY. I think I placed 32nd.

diggs_74

I didn't think anyone kept their sport planes after they started racing.. I know the number I have has dwindled with the start of every racing season...