Pattern Biplane
11-25-2017, 08:06 AM
#201
Not so fast Ken. First, it can't get any uglier. I think a little balance is in order though. Since it is a biplane, you have to put one on the bottom too. Maybe between the gear about half way down, extended a few inches outside the gear on each side.....
Scott
Scott
11-25-2017, 04:32 PM
#203
Shawn, the only reason I posted that WHILE I was visiting is because I was bored this morning waiting for you to get up....................
About your cousin, well lets just say I have enough dirt to last a few years.
Hahaha yourself
Scott
About your cousin, well lets just say I have enough dirt to last a few years.
Hahaha yourself
Scott
11-28-2017, 02:03 PM
#207
Obviously not much happening this week with the holiday. I did manage another coat of primer on Wednesday. Right now I have to say I am 95% done with getting it perfect straight. I have been blocking it out with 150 grit and a 24" block. I think I have one more round of that bot only on the flat area of the fuselage. The rest will be hit with 220 on a semi rigid sanding block. The next coat of primer should be the second to last and it will all be blocked with 320. Then a more reduced coat will be applied with a guide coat and blocked out with 400 grit wet. The next decision to make is to paint the plug or not. I am leaning towards yes as having a gloss finish will alert me to any flaws I may have missed. I remember that I have some Klass Kote silver left over from when I painted the wheels on my SUV ( can you tell I like Klass Kote ) so that will end up being used. I see the light at the end of the tunnel.
As a side note, I have to give a thumbs up to Hacker USA. I ordered a prop drive washer on Monday and it showed up on Wednesday. Not only did the drive washer fit perfectly but the finish on it is show quality. It came with a double jam nut and some G-10 spacers that should come in handy.
So now comes another decision...........T can??? With the layout of the main wings, putting a T can behind the canopy will actually place it above the upper wing. If nothing else I think it looks really good. Being that I plan to fly the airplane initially in primer, if it does not work out I can always remove it.
As a side note, I have to give a thumbs up to Hacker USA. I ordered a prop drive washer on Monday and it showed up on Wednesday. Not only did the drive washer fit perfectly but the finish on it is show quality. It came with a double jam nut and some G-10 spacers that should come in handy.
So now comes another decision...........T can??? With the layout of the main wings, putting a T can behind the canopy will actually place it above the upper wing. If nothing else I think it looks really good. Being that I plan to fly the airplane initially in primer, if it does not work out I can always remove it.
The top wing will do the work the T-can will do, so it won't help. The T Canalizer works very well, but it mostly depends on the design, as it behaves as a biplane while still being a monoplane, or that is the main idea anyway.
Keep up the good building!
Regards
11-28-2017, 05:10 PM
#208
My reasoning for wanting a T Can is that for a bipe, the bottom wing is rather low. I think that some " dirty " air is going to make it over the wing and get to the tail. I think it's just one of those things that has to be tried. My plan is to have the T Can plug in. If it has no positive affect then I will leave it off and fill the holes. No harm, no foul.
I do appreciate the feedback however. It's nice to read comments that don't include the word " Ugly ". I can forgive Scott because he brings my wife wine, Ken is from Iowa so nothing more needs to be said there LOL.
I do appreciate the feedback however. It's nice to read comments that don't include the word " Ugly ". I can forgive Scott because he brings my wife wine, Ken is from Iowa so nothing more needs to be said there LOL.
11-28-2017, 05:51 PM
#209
LOL
You are right, the truth is in the score sheet at the end of the day!
Ken
11-28-2017, 08:25 PM
#210
OK Fine. I like your toy airplane. It is somewhat less than attractive.
Happy now??
Actually, I had another idea for the mold. After the surface coat and first coat of filled resin, put the carbon tow on the mold and divider plate like we talked about. Why not fill the resin with silica and 1/8 or 1/4 milled fiberglass to build up the corner before the first fabric layers. That way the unsupported resin rounding the corner will be fiber reinforced and stand a much better chance of not suffering any corner chipping like I experienced with my float molds. As long as the sprayed on layer and the first coat of resin have sufficient thickness there shouldn't be any glass pokies coming through the fillet into the mold surface.
Scott
Happy now??
Actually, I had another idea for the mold. After the surface coat and first coat of filled resin, put the carbon tow on the mold and divider plate like we talked about. Why not fill the resin with silica and 1/8 or 1/4 milled fiberglass to build up the corner before the first fabric layers. That way the unsupported resin rounding the corner will be fiber reinforced and stand a much better chance of not suffering any corner chipping like I experienced with my float molds. As long as the sprayed on layer and the first coat of resin have sufficient thickness there shouldn't be any glass pokies coming through the fillet into the mold surface.
Scott
11-29-2017, 06:04 PM
#211
Scott, I was pretty much thinking the same thing. After the last blocking out I was still left with some low spots. I finally gave in and mixed up some Klass Kote primer and added micro balloons until I had a thin paste. I squeegeed this paste over the low spots and let dry for 24 hours. Very happy I did this as the mixture sanded very easily and now I have no low spots remaining. It should be one more coat of primer followed by a sanding with 400 grit and then a gloss top coat. Unless anything unforeseen happens, the plug will be finished this weekend.
11-30-2017, 04:34 PM
#213
Ken
12-02-2017, 04:50 PM
#214
After sanding the 4th application of primer, I decided it was at the point where color could be applied. I sprayed on a few coats of Klass Kote aluminum simply because that is what I had on hand. I will let it set for a few days and then begin wet sanding with 1000 grit to remove the small amount of orange peel and then it will be time to start fabricating the parting flange.
12-09-2017, 02:13 PM
#216
Now that the paint has dried for a few days and I have sanded all the texture out of the paint I have started on the parting flange. The first step was to trace an outline onto two 14" tall strips of 1/4" press board. Next I took another peice of 1/4" pressboard to use as a base plate. I then used some pink insulation foam to support the fuselage. Being that most of the fuselage sides are completely flat the foam shims were really easy to make. A center line was drawn onto the plug and several foam squares were cut 1/4" below the center line. These will support the parting flange at the correct height and help keep the parting flange straight. Home Depot wooden years sticks were added to be enough the base plate some rigidity. The next step is to cut out and fit the two parting flanges.
12-10-2017, 08:57 PM
#218
Shawn.
Looks good. How hard would it be to make the end piece at the rudder post bigger. If you increase the size of it you should be able to stand it up on the end in your warming box without it falling over. The other option would be to leave the flange the size it is and add a couple of legs to it when it is built to thickness. Keep in mind that it will have to be able to hang over the end of the bench when you fabricate the fuselage in it, so you will still have to glass some wood or aluminum down the length so it will rest flat on the bench.
Still looks like a pregnant fish.................
Looks good. How hard would it be to make the end piece at the rudder post bigger. If you increase the size of it you should be able to stand it up on the end in your warming box without it falling over. The other option would be to leave the flange the size it is and add a couple of legs to it when it is built to thickness. Keep in mind that it will have to be able to hang over the end of the bench when you fabricate the fuselage in it, so you will still have to glass some wood or aluminum down the length so it will rest flat on the bench.
Still looks like a pregnant fish.................
12-11-2017, 08:17 AM
#220
Shawn, you are probably right about hanging the molds. You will have to make your warming box stronger than mine is though. I just used 1 1/2" foil faced foam insulation for my box, you would need to add some framework of some sort to support the weight.
Scott
Scott
12-15-2017, 04:05 PM
#221
Today I fabricated up a parting flange for the hatch. I used the same technique as with the fuselage. I went ahead and mixed up a past adhesive out of laminating resin, cabosil and graphite powder. I put a strip of teflon tape down the center of the hatch. A bead of this adhesive was then put onto the edge of the parting flange and then put into place. When the adhesive dries the flange halves will be removed and the adhesive sanded flush with the parting flange. Once I verify this technique works, I will move forward doing the same with the fuselage. The next step will be to paint the parting flanges.
i went a bit different for the wheel pants. I made a wooden box, supported the wheel pant plug level inside the box and poured some plaster up to the pant center line. In a few days I will pop the pant out, sand the flange flat and then seal the flange with laminating resin.
i went a bit different for the wheel pants. I made a wooden box, supported the wheel pant plug level inside the box and poured some plaster up to the pant center line. In a few days I will pop the pant out, sand the flange flat and then seal the flange with laminating resin.
12-16-2017, 07:12 PM
#223
Shawn, I have never used plaster for a mold half but I have used 2 part urethane rubber. I used shore 80 and am very happy with the results. You can not sand or alter the mold after cure, but it remains very slightly flexible, so the component can be easily removed. Plaster is supposed to make a very nice mold, but I understand heat during cure is an issue. How much trouble was the mold to make?
Scott
Scott
12-16-2017, 08:37 PM
#225
OK, didn't see that coming. Wheel pants need to be in 2 pieces anyway, I think this is a good place to use urethane molds. I made mine in a box and let the top flow out flat, so when I use them I put a plywood backer on to keep the mold flat. Release is simple, flex the mold a bit and the components pop out.
Scott
Scott