kgibson4

My Feedback: (4)

<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Well, I'm just about ready to throw my latest Eagle in the water so I thought I'd post some pictures in case something unfortunate happens on the maiden voyage. I started this build a <u>long</u> time ago but life and professional obligations got in the way so I just recently got back to it. I say that to explain why my methods may seem kind of "old school".

Working from experience with a previous Eagle, I made some design and material changes to make the boat handle better and to make it lighter (aka: faster!). The framing, longitudinal and lateral, were made from a material called Nomex Flat Panel. It comes in various common thicknesses but I used 1/8" and doubled it in the few places where I needed 1/4". Nomex is essentially a thin phenolic honeycomb with epoxy impregnated fiberglass on each side to create the surface. It is very light and strong and commonly used in aircraft (full size) panels and cabinetry. The sheers remained plywood because of the need to bevel where the top and bottom decks meet.

I also made some changes to the shape of the underside, most significantly to the attack angle of the front of the sponsons. The original design was causing severe lifting in rough water (race) conditions. There were other changes that I will explain if anyone wants.

The hardware is all home-made (Rudder, strut, motor mount, turn fin, etc.) I'm running an old but good OS .46 VR-M, mainly because I have three of them, and I like the way they run.

I patterned the paint and graphics after the 2006 Unlimited Lights Champion. (Thanks for the idea, Jetpack) I still had to have a tubine-like cover for the tuned pipe to satisfy NAMBA rules.

I welcome comments, criticism, questions...</span></span>

misshydro

looks great..this was my first build. just about ready to paint. the build didnt take long for my to build. got side tracted to build a JAE.12 rigger and thats done. I did my eagle to look like the 87-88 miss bud.

kgibson4

My Feedback: (4)

Thanks, Miss H

I'm looking forward to seeing your Miss Bud done! I envy your painting skills. I used the Crossfire System but I really struggled with the clear coat. I blame my equipment and my skills, but mostly my skills .

Here's what I was going for:

Hydro Junkie

I like the fact you went outside the box on the materials. Too many people think that if they buy a kit, they have to build it stock. I'm doing similar things to a Dumas 30" Pak kit, so there's no telling how it's going to turn out

JWMods

I think your boat is marvelous kgibson, terrific craftmanship,, great engine too.

Yours too Miss, I saw it won a couple awards in show, nice work!

amax

Nice!![8D]

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

Nice boat! I don't drink much any more but I like a cold Mike's once in a while.

chief3452

Gorgeous hydro kgibson! Your use of aircraft materials is genius and really makes for a trick boat. The use of the piano hinge and turnbuckles for the canards is pretty slick. Nice job on the rudder too. I have a couple of quick questions...how did you cut out the Nomex panel? Where did you source it from? I'll go out on a limb and guess you work in the aerospace industry, haha.

Scott

jetpack

My Feedback: (1)

Wish I seen this boat before I started mine. You worked in some really nice details especially at the sponsons and air dams. I picture my stock one catching all kinds of air under the dam and could probably use less trap. Good going on the hardware. Beats laying out all that cash and most of it is simple enough with the right tools and it dosn't take many.

An integral radio box the way you built it really adds strength to the front end where it wouldnt hurt. Built as stock it just has two flimsy spruce sticks to help hold the curve of the bow and help close the plywood edge. I had problems keeping that area square with nothing holding the top curves.

Nomex core reminds me so much of that coroplast plastic cardboard material some of the guys are using to build cheap rc planes with because its light and stiff.

The finish looks really clean with that simple two tone paint scheme hit off with the polished aluminum. The ball link system works nice like that in front. I'm thinking of building in a stand off for the turn fin with links.

advanced builder

I wish I had one. No problems showing that hull. No criticism here. Glad to see her

Hydro Junkie

Had what, an Eagle or a composite Eagle? The only problem with using the honeycomb is that you have to be very careful or you can crush it. Something else about the honeycomb is that to put a screw through it you have to reinforce the material. Just a few things I learned working in the aviation industry for many years.

kgibson4

My Feedback: (4)

Well, quite a response! Thank you all for your very kind words. That's icing on <u>my</u> cake!

Ron, I must confess that I've never tasted a Mike's. I chose it for the paint scheme, but now I'm definately going to have to try it.

Chief, yep, you're right. Eighteen years building business jets. I picked up the material in an employee's surplus sale. I set up a router table as a pin router and cut with a 1/8" carbide bit. I used the Dumas plywood parts as templates.

Jetpack, another reason for the integrated radio box is: why build a box when there is already one partially built? It saves a little weight. You'll notice I went AEBA (Against Expert Boater's Advice) on the vertical wings. I was able to attach to the tunnel top, the top deck, and to the longitudinal frame member that is the sponson inside. The wings are also smaller than Unlimited wings. I scaled them down from the Unlimited Light Rules.

Hydro Junkie, you're right, working with this stuff takes a little forethought. One way to deal with a screw through a panel is to fill the cells surrounding your hole with epoxy (or epoxy/micro-balloons, epoxy/cabosil)

Anyway, thanks everyone. I hope I have inspired a builder or two.

Ken

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

Ice cold is the only way to drink a Mike's. Now you've got me wanting one.

Hydro Junkie

I used to work in the panel shop at a custom aircraft parts manufacturer and part of my job was to install anchor nuts, stand offs and through sleeves. We used a two part material that was similar to epoxy to hold these parts in as well as to reinforce the edges of the panels. The edges and all holes were undercut back around 1/4" to give the adhesive/filler something to grab on to. Spent lots of time filling caulking tubes with the stuff and even more filling the voids around the inserts using the adhesive filled caulking tubes and a pnuematic caulking guns. Can we say "THAT SUCKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" [X(]

kgibson4

My Feedback: (4)

Hydro Junkie,

Been there, done that so I can certainly sympathize. Threaded inserts, "spools", and edge filling. I've since forgotten the number of the particular 3M product we used and I'm sure there's a reason for that. I grew to hate the smell of it.

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

Maybe 1500? It's expensive for a tube of it and they only use pricy stuff on aircraft.

kgibson4

My Feedback: (4)

That doesn't ring any bells but then again you could be right and my brain is just avoiding the subject.

advanced builder

You can't soar with an Eagle when you hang out with a turkey
Haha

Hydro Junkie

So who you calling a turkey?

advanced builder

I forgot no name calling, no more bad turkey idiot jokes I got off track them honeycomb panels can they be used as floation?

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

The 5200 is what I was told to use to mount the RCMK motor mounts in my Cat. It can be messy if you don't watch what you're doing but I used a thick glob of it under each standoff. It sticks very well and adds a vibration isolating cushion as a side benefit. I got the 5200 at a boat dealership but I can't see why it couldn't be used in F/S aircraft, that's why I was wondering it that was what you used.

misshydro

Oh I didnt see your back extentions at the transonsides,if your going to race it,you have to chop/cut them off.. there illegal in IMPBA to have them.,,, I had to cut off mine... Jet you have to cut yours off too to be IMPBA legal.

fastkat

Awesome Hydro. I really like your design changes. There are so many precise details.

A few questions: 1.) Did you use a CNC to fabricate to motor mount? It appears to have been machined out of solid block. 2.) Does the cowl hold down the plexi radio cover? I don't see any fasteners. 3.) In the last picture what are the brass inserts used for? Are they ballast? 4.) On the piano hinges, the rods that hold the position are connected to an arm. Did you microweld those to the hinge?

kgibson4

My Feedback: (4)

Ron,

5200 doesn't ring a bell, either. The stuff we used for potting inserts and filling panel pins was, I believe, called EA 9330.3. The stuff we used for edge-filling was a syntactic compound (2 part) that was very light. A gallon can of the A part felt like it was empty! Cool stuff but I can't remember the callout.

Ken

kgibson4

My Feedback: (4)

Misshydro,

I don't race IMPBA. Out here it's all NAMBA and they don't have that rule. I wonder what the purpose is of such a rule? To make the boats slower? ;-)