What regulator were you using Mike? Sorry to see the plane go

One easy question Mike. Is the cowl epoxied to the front of the plane ane then the seam filled and then painted with the fuselage? Anyways sooner or later i will get the plane done. At least it looks like a plane now. Works been getting crazy about now but getting a little done each week.

Dennis

yep, just epoxy it on (with micro balloons) and then sand, fill, overlap the glass over it about 1/4" and that's it.

It was a radio south regulator. New, this was the 7th flight. I always put new stuff in my planes about this time of year to avoid.....uh.....this.....

I haven't absolutely determined that was the cause, I just haven't found anything else yet, and the regulator is definitely toast. Not a sratch on it, but it doesn't work at all.

-Mike

Thanks

Man, that sucks ! [sm=cry_smile.gif]

Steve

Mike and Dean: Flew the Black Magic yesterday,so am enclosing a few photos.
The decals are by Dean (Handglider) and are excellent. I highly recomment him.
Weight is 10 lbs,2 oz,fuse is painted,film is Ultracote.

Hey Dave,

That is a sweet looking bird!

Emory

That's nice!! Flight report?

-Mike

I had only one flight,but will give a detailed report when and if the weather permits. I can say it rolls very nicely,and very little rudder required for knife edge. Inside loop tracking seemed right on.

Wasn't feeling in top shape,so didn't stay long.

Sorry about the loss of your Plane...Dang..

Ever so slowwwwlllyy progress is being made. Responsibilities just eat up too much of my free time. This is my pipe mount with a piece of split fuel tubing over it. Two hardware store O rings since I haven't found any big enough to use just one. Needed something low enough to fit in the belly pan.
What is the consensus on fuel tank mounts? Mike, I like the rubber band idea but wasn't there some issues with that? If not what where the cross piece made from? I hope the tank centers. In my preliminary fitting the canopy pushes the tank off center.

ok here's the scoop on the tank mounts and battery trays for the E birds, listen up because the VF3 is the same way....

These planes snap HARD. I'd love to put a data logger in one on a negative snap, because every time we've broken something loose, it was in a negative snap. My guess is 16+ Gs....I did one at Andersonville last year that had to be over 20. Ask anybody that was there. Instant 45 down negative blender in a split second. LOL

Bottom line, however you mount the tank, make SURE it's solid. I used a tank tray mounted to (2) 3/8"x1/4" rails, vertically mounted, with a carbon strip bonded top and bottom. Then I used 18" velcro straps with buckles to secure the tank. That's the only system I couldn't break, but it did break loose in the VF3 until we made a piece that captured the tray top and bottom. This is pretty critical, because if it comes loose in a snap, you'll damage that pretty canopy.

That's a pretty cool pipe mount! Overkill maybe, but I love creativity like that.

-Mike

Be more specific in the tank issue? Did you cut away the front cross piece of the canopy frame?

-Mike

Thanks for the quick reply. Have to look more closely at it but when I quickly put the tank in and the canopy on I couldn't get the tank as far forward as I would have liked. Does that front cross piece come out? I thought that was to give the frame some rigidity.

It is, until the canopy itself is bonded, then cut it out.

-Mike

Maybe these tank pitures will help.

OMG! If you ever throw that tank, i fear for those around you. That is the beauty of wood, you can put in an 8 oz fuel tank mount and still make weight!

Interesting to see all the different setups you can run with in the Black Magic, goes to show that there is no ONE magic way to do something eh.

Chuck

HI Dave,

Your plane looks great and thanks for the kind words about my graphics - looks like they fit just right. I do like your paint job, I have be designing a scheme with a similar nose stripe. You may see it soon.

thanks, Dean

ORIGINAL: MHester

Question:

Since I'm doing it now, would you guys be interested in the steps (with pics) on glassing and finishing a wood plane? It's really easy. I'd be happy to show you if you're interested.



greetings from australia!

firstly may i say reading this thread has been inspirational, to say the least. the obvious enthusiasm for the sport (hobby?) displayed here by you guys, as well as the passion for building & wonderful workmanship has encouraged me to write my first post in this, or any other forum.

mike, i currently have an all wood plane sitting in my shed awaiting my first fibreglassing attempt; it's been sitting for months now hoping you'll post your methods. i'd hate to turn it into a flying housebrick! i realise you must have a ton of other stuff on your plate, but if you are still happy to share your stuff, i'm super keen to read it.

also dean, your paint jobs look amazing! any paint tips you'd be willing to share?

apologies if any of this has been posted elsewhere & i've missed it.

tia, dave

Dave,

the technique we have been using is to final sand the airframe to 320 grit.

brush or spray a coat of balsa-right to seal the wood.

sand the balsa-right with 400 just to get the fuzzies off and smooth the texture.

using 2 oz cloth do the fin post and pipe tunnel with laminating resin thinned up to 50% with acetone. lay the cloth in position and paint it with the thinned epoxy, then using a foam roller, roll off the excess epoxy, then using white micro ballons dump a small hand full of the ballons onto the area your working and rub it into the epoxy with your hands and fingers. it will suprise you how easy this is.

let cure and trim.

using .5 oz cloth do one complete side of the fuse, with about 1/2" overlap over the cowl. use the same thinned resin and micro ballons techique, let cure and trim.

repeat on the other side of the fuse.

when finished hit it with 320 grit and brush on the first coat of primer, when dried sand it completely off and spray on a second coat of primer, sand and then work on any pinholes with more primer until your glassy smooth. look back a page and see my v2.2 that I started painting. you will see that you can sand off most of the primer before you do your base coat. almost all of the weight comes from the primer.

that is it. you just want to make sure you get good but thin coverage with the resin before you apply the micro ballons....

I am about to fiberglass and paint 2 planes and will be outlining the steps again with photo's

Dean pretty much summed it up....I have some pics I took, just need to find the time to lay it out.

-Mike

thanks dean & mike for the quick replies.

still got a few questions though, if i may. firstly, i'm not familiar with balsa-right and wonder if it's available in australia or if anyone knows of an australian equivalent?

it sounds like you only use 1 coat of finishing resin, not 2 as other methods seem to specify?

also, do i need to wait for the resin to cure slightly before i go at it with the micro balloons, or can i get stuck in straight away?

thanks again, will be looking forward to any photos of the process you all may have.

cheers, dave

Hi Dave

I have found some balsa rite in Australia made by covette industries, but it says film or fabric. Im not sure if these are the right ones or not. Dean or Mike can you tell us which is the right one ?

Thanks

Troy

I use a couple coats of any cheap hair spray to seal my wing skins,before applying glue. Maybe even three coats if the wood is really porous. Neglible weight gain. So it should work well on a fuselage.
Balsarite is heavy in its unthinned version.

Dave

Dave and Troy

I developed this process so Let me clear a few things up
you have to use the film formula
use a airbrush to apply it ,,,the Fabric Formula is too Heavy and Gummy do not use it .
I have also used Clear dope to good results
After you Airbrush the Sealer ,,
let dry and sand with Sharp 320 to 400 to take the fuzz off
you might gain 10 grams if your sloppy ,
But you will save a few ounces in the glass job overall

No,, Hairspray will not work, It will desolve with any application of Epoxy or other glue

Now , glass your Fuse <I use a mini roller > be patient and make sure you use very little" Fresh" glue Now that the wood is sealed
the glue will spread further give it time to soak the cloth and don`t worry if you have some dry spots the Primer will do the rest on the primer coat

Now as soon as you have the entire side Glassed Use Micri Ballons and use a little at a time out of the contaner on the fuse rub it in <wearing a Glove ,,and Mask > until your hand glides easily over the surface ,,thats when you have used the right amount of Micro Balloons Let dry ,,, and repeat on the other side
hope this helps clear things up
Now lets see if Troy Haslem will Glass his 2 Year old Quest <G>
Bryan Hebert