I'd like to use a cutting board type firewall (with the external lip) for my Deb but I don't have a table saw to make one. I did a search both on here and on the web and am coming up empty. Does anyone sell these or have an extra one they could spare? Thanks in advance.

Give Frank a call at
FX HOBBIES
501-984-5826
www.fxhobbies.com
[email protected]

He sells SPAD ARFs and he sells spare parts. I'm sure he would have what you need. Tell him Marlowe referred you to him. FYI I have many poly plastic firewalls using a jigsaw running at slow speed. If you run it at normal speed it will melt the plastic and make a mess, but slowed down with a speed controller you will throw chips rather than melt the plastic.

Cutting boards are VERY easy to cut with a simple hand saw. As for the shoulder, you can use the hand saw to cut a small grove around the edge where you want the shoulder, and then use the hand saw to cut to that grove. You can probably have it completely cut in 15 minutes or less. After rough cutting with the saw, you can use a utility knife to clean up the edges or make fine adjustments.

Brad

use a hack saw. goes through it like butter and won't melt the board after you cut it.

Hey thanks for the help guys. That website seems to be out of order? []

Xray,

I was in the same boat as you...Check this websit out @ http://testfly.0catch.com/coroplast/firewalls.html. I've bought several from him awhile back. The quality is great, and the price is cheap. I think they run $1.50 each.

Kevin

I tried the link that I had put in, and for some reason it wouldn't work as a link eventhough I copied it directly from my browser, but the following should http://www.testfly.0catch.com/coroplast/firewalls.html

Their home page is out of order but http://www.phoenixct.com/fxhobbies/html/fx40.htm works.

The website worked fine for me...

I have always felt that if you cut the POLY firewall with a shoulder (rabit?) that not enough material is left for the screws holding the firewall to the PVC. If you put in a plain POLY firewall and then cutout four POLY right angle triangles with two equal sides about 1 inch, they can be located at the corners of the firewall so they overlap the PVC and thus serve as a shoulder at the corners. One screw in each should do it. Might work fine with just two triangles in diagonally opposite corners. Comments?

Sounds like a good idea, I generally cut 2 pieces of POLY, 1 that fits inside the gutter pipe, and the other slightly larger, then GOOP them together for the motor mount.

By the way, Villa - I would like some details on the Canard plane that is featured on your Avatar...

i always worry about the same thing - especially with the poly - on 1/2" ply its not as bad, but still bad enough that i don't bother with them anymore. The other disadvantage as far as i'm concerned is that when you use the rabbit, if you crash nose in - you transfer all of the force into the engine - instead of the screws breaking out of the pvc, and allowing some give. I guess it depends on how hard you hit. but personally, i'd rather replace a fuse than an engine.

But, i think there might be a good compromise - why not cut a piece of pvc to about 2 5/8"x 2 1/2" - and either goop or screw it to the firewall (between the motor mount, and the firewall) - that'll provide the locating qualities of the rabbit, give you plenty of meat to screw into, but still flex free in an unplanned nose first landing - and be considerably lighter than gluing a whole second firewall to the nose. I don't see why you couldn't use light ply to do the same thing.

Personally, i think the whole rabbited fit is overrated. Really, i think the whole firewall/ motor mount is overrated. Last several planes that i've built with pvc just use a hdpe motor mount - Picture a Spa3dt motor mount slid into a pvc fuse, and screwed to the bottom of the fuse - thats what i mean.

Anyway, here's one more that i used to use alot -



Basicly 2 hdpe bars with the motor mounted to it, and then screwed into the fuselage - they all work fine, its just a matter of personal preference.

I try the engine mount of boogerboy pro trainer.
No hdpe only pvc cut in angle like the tail and reinforce with 1/8 ply.

It's the fastest way I have found for now.

Maybe I will try the idea of chris spad3d engine mount screw on the botom of the fuse.

Dan

FantzyPantz ....The canard pictured in my Avatar is the one you will find searching by author for villa. I have posted photos and some description before. Some month back I increased the size of the vertical stabs and a few weeks ago I added a profile fuselage. With that fuselage it will knife edge all day long. It even does a loop in knife edge. The 48" WS wing is bacically from the spadtothebones Dominator. The fuselage structure is a 1" square aluminum tubing from Lowe's. It is tough as nails in a crash. I made detailed drawings of it but they need updating and I have grown lazy. I fly it just about every weekend. Engine is an OS 46FX turning a 11 X 5 APC prop. It is plenty fast.