Hi,

I'm about to start construction on a BVM F-86 AFS kit (63") and have a question for those of you who've built one of these AFS kits. In looking at the wings and stabs, I'm curious about glassing over the live-hinges. Won't the glass/resin obstruct the free upward operation of the control surface? How did you guys do this? This will be my first experience with glassing obechi and with glassing over live-hinged surfaces.

Thanks in advance.

Do you have the manual?

The process is explained in the Mig AFS manual and I would have thought that the F86 would be the same.

Hi,

[&o] Yeah. Heaven forbid I'd just read the book first.... It's all right there.

Thanks!

That's BVM for you

Now you have me curious, having made wings with skin hinges I know how I did it. (assuming live are same as kevlar skin hinges)
What is the process described in manual in summary?

Basically,

They have you using a piece of sandpaper folded over a thin metal ruler to clear the cloth and resin from hinge-line on top. As I'm looking at the obechi, I imagine I'm going to need a lot of filler to get rid of the wood grain?

Also, anyone used Robart robostruts in these gear instead of the Duro-struts? A set of three of the Robart costs the same as one main strut on the Duro. Are they that much better?

I have never glassed obeechi but covered it with oracover. I covers quite nicely and is wonderful stuff. But I can see what you are saying. It might be worth giving a light seal coat like a sanding sealer used in woodworking that you could sand with 220 before using light glass. If your layup schedule is several layers of glass then it may not matter. I assume you are doing light glass for just a nice finish ala JHH kits etc.

As for the hinge, I see. Except I would recommend a fine triangular file. might provide a sharper groove.

Hey Shawn,
It's not the "BVM way", but another good trick you can use in this instance is to take a piece of waxed dental floss, lay it in the hinge groove (where you don't want the resin) and tape it tight at both ends. Lay your cloth and resin over everything. Then, when you sand, the area where the floss is will be higher and by using a block you will sand through the cloth very fast (assuming you are using a 1/2oz cloth for finishing). Then pull the dental floss out. It leaves a crisp clear line. You need to be careful when you squeegee the cloth that you don't move the floss, but if you've got it pulled tight enough it's pretty easy. Even if you don't want the line down the full length of the wing, do it the full length anyway, when you do your final filling and sanding, just fill in the line with a little body filler where you don't want it.
Jeremy

What does AFS stand for? - John.

Advanced Fabrication .........something (I think)

marcs

I guess also you could use the panel line method too, a thin strip of fine line masking tape along the hinge line, glass over, flat back and remove. Maybe as its adhesive backed it would stay in place better too?

marcs

Advanced Fabrication System. This is the 'quick build' kit version with partially built foam wings.

The BVM method does involve a string as LGM Graphix suggests. The only difference is that they suggest to pull it slightly after the resin has been applied, to clean the groove. I haven't got to this stage yet but have a concern that this would move the cloth. I guess you could glass most of the wing first and leave the hinge line dry and do that separately. This would help to hold the cloth in place while you do the hinge area.

The over-riding idea is that you don't want too much (if any) resin left in the hinge line after glassing.

Guess that makes mine an OFFS - Old Fashioned Fabrication System - - John.

Hey Shawn,

Is this for you? What are you going to use for power? turbine or EDF?

I'm flying one of the ARF's on EDF. Let me know if you need any help with the set up

Jack

I think it all depends upon the final weight of the airplane. My P-70 powered F-86 weighed 18.5 dry.

Doug,

How'd she fly? I remember it being very fast, but how was the landing? Do you think the Robart struts are not up to the task (enough to justify the price difference)?


Jack,

No, this is for a customer, but the customer doesn't have a lot of input to offer on how the build is done. Nice to be trusted, but at the same time, it's a challenge sometimes when it's a first impression (like glassing obechi). I'm sure I'll be picking your brain, so thanks.

When I did mine I just stayed away from the groove as much as possible with the resin and then "babysat" the the groove appropriately. i.e. I took a piece of 220 grit folded it over tightly and cleaned the groove. It's Kevlar I believe and is pretty durable. Also don't get over zealous with your sanding and try no to get resin in the groove and you'll be fine I'm sure. I used the credit card method of applying the resin and worked outwardly from the groove. Hope this helps PM me if you have any other questions I'm glad to help. Just my experience by the way. I also did the same with the primer and paint babysitting all the way through provided me with exceptional results.



Tim

It flew very well. It was fast for sure, but very manageable. I think the Robarts are fine for an EDF, but if you get in a situation where you have to land it full of fuel, I think it might make me a bit nervous. Robart only suggests the 3/8" struts handle up to 18 pounds.. So in this case, I think the BVM struts are the best choice.

ooh glad to see a thread about this model as i have one to build that has been sat on the shelf for the last 12 months. Mine has a VT-80 for power and throttle control lol

Shaun,

I think you will find the Durostruts much more durable. You'll enjoy the airplane, it files really well.

DR

Thanks, David

Have any of you built this AFS model with inner doors? If so, how did you choose to stiffen them? I'm definitely not going to build it with just the cutouts, so the question is whether to laminate some carbon or do the glassed balsa liners a la BV's F-16.

TIA

An odd request. I'm scratch buildng a 1:7.3 scale Sabre. What I'm looking for is the root airfoil that is used on the BVM F-86. Would some one be willing to trace theirs out. Could be done the way Profili prints theres out, 2 halves on a sheet. Please PM me if you can help me out. Mark

We have several AFS sabres and used the cutout glass and followed the manual exactly. No problems at all. Don,t over engineer it.

Hi Shawn,

I started a build thread a few years ago on the BMV AFS F-86. Some of the photos may help you. I ended up moving before it was finished and now it'spacked away in one of the boxes in storage.

BTW, BVM does make a gear door kit for the ARF that works with AFS kit. It comes with carbon fiber gear doors, hinges, door air cylinders, air valve, formers, basically everything you need for installing gear doors. You can see the parts in my build thread.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_82..._1/key_/tm.htm

Kirk