NE0

My Feedback: (9)

RCSB just posted my first tutorial on cockpit detailing. This one is a 2-page article on fabricating, painting and weathering control quadrants & levers.

More topics to come, but this one gets them started. A lot of guys have asked me to provide more detailed technique info, so this is my first response to the requests.

Here's the link...

[link=http://www.rcscalebuilder.com/Tutorials/controls/index.htm]Fabricating Control Quadrants & Levers[/link]

Hope you all get something out of it, feedback/criticism is welcome.

Thanks,

Tom

CafeenMan

Nicely done. I think I've seen your site because I recall seeing the throttle quadrant before. The only comment I would make besides that you do great work, is to maybe split the pages up a little more.

I'm on DSL and they downloaded quickly for me, but someone on dial-up might take a while. The second page seems too long to me. THe information is excellent though. Well detailed, good photos, and you certainly make it look easy.

- Paul

Hircflyer

Thanks for taking the time to post such great information!

higheronnitro

Brilliant
Keep them coming... I'm off to raid the wifes sewing basket.
BR Steve

NE0

My Feedback: (9)

Thanks guys, glad you liked it.

Good point Paul, I actually thought of that when I did it but got lazy and in a rush.

I'll keep that in mind for the future.

Thanks,

Tom

Harpoon

Excellent work, thanks for taking the extra time to document your work and sharing it with the community. Love your web design and the large and detailed photos. All your work is saved in pdf files for help with my own scale projects a little bit down the road.

Cheers
Harpoon

R T W

great job Good workmanship nice site carry on the good work

sirrom

My Feedback: (4)

Incredible information. I am about to make my first venture into the scale realm and with your information at hand it will make things a little easier. Keep it coming. I hope you do one on how to make gauges and such.


Patrick.

Superb work and site.

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

Tom,
Great info. Thanks a lot for taking the time.

By the way, I'm on a dial up modem, usually connected at 52,000, and everything loaded fine for me. Hope you don't mind, but I copied the entire thing including photos, and have them in my RC documents.

If I share it with anyone it will be a few club members, and I'll give you credit. (If you'd rather I not share it, let me know.)

Thanks again,
Dennis-

Mike James

Nice work Tom. Thank you for sharing it with us. ....More?

Jimmbbo

Excellent! Great techniques and photos!! [sm=thumbup.gif][sm=thumbup.gif]

Jim

wrongwaywayne

Thanks for the info. You inspire me to build a scratch cockpit for my Dynaflite Chipmunk. I've tried to find a kit but have not had much luck. I did find someone willing to make me one for $200, but I'm too cheap.

Any idea when you'll get the rest of the SBD site completed.

BTW on an unrelated topic I'm going to try your Polycrylic idea on my Chipmunk. I thought I might even try it over Supercoverite (Open bay wings) to give it that metal finish needed infront of the spar. The original wings are composite construction. I will be using regular fiberglass cloth on the fuse.

Have you thought about entering you SBD in any competitions?

Sorry for straying off topic

NE0

My Feedback: (9)

Thanks Jim & Wayne.

The SBD site won't be done until the SBD is... which will be late Spring. I hope to have it ready for the Toledo show & competition in Mid April, but will continue to work on it afterwards. Seems like you never really finish a scale plane... ya just quit working on it.

Tom

wrongwaywayne

I heard another saying: "Don't fly a scale airplane you still like"

NE0

My Feedback: (9)

I hear ya Wayne. My knees are already knockin! [sm=eek.gif]

Oh yeah, just for fun...

"Somewhere over the Southern Pacific, Lt. Cmdr James "Jig Dog" Ramage is on the hunt for Jap carriers when he spots one through the clouds, just over his port wing... prepare to dive!"

LDM

My Feedback: (15)

Thanks the work is outstanding !

Balsa Master

im thinking to heck with the TF corsair cockpit, im gonna try and make one. yours looks so much better than the molded plastic.

NE0

My Feedback: (9)

Just be sure to keep an eye on your weight if you make one. They can get heavy real fast.

These "Elite Force" pilots weigh about 7.5 - 8 ounces w/gear. I'm going to make a new body for mine out of styrofoam. I think I can cut the weight down to 3-4 ounces w/gear pretty easily that way. When you've got 2 crew like my SBD, you have double the weight to deal with, so I'm trying to keep my crew down under 1/2 pound for both guys.

Also, I'll be weathering them and dulling down the colors a little. They're kind of "vibrant" out of the box. Not bad, but stand out when you have an extensivley weathered plane.

Tom

Balsa Master

i havent found a piolt that looked real enough to make me want to put it in so i figure ill make a decked out "ghost" plane

mr_matt

My Feedback: (10)

Hi Tom.,

Fantastic work on the plane and your website! Good luck getting the nerve to fly it.

LesUyeda

NEO: I am flying electric, and so have even a greater concern about weight of the Elite Force pilot. I don't know what kind of seamstress you are, but DGA full body pilot kits come with patterns for sewing a body (with arms and legs) that you fill with polyester. Weighs almost nothing, and you can bury aluminum wire in the limbs to make them hold a position.

Les

NE0

My Feedback: (9)

Seamstress! I couldn't make a hankercheif if I had to! Sewing is not my bag... that's why I spent the big bucks on these Elite Force pilots... perfect clothing and gear already made. You're never gonna make it any lighter than they did, even if you sew it yourself.

The weight savings will come from replacing the bodies with styrofoam. I'll probably use twisties or pipe cleaners to join limbs, so I can still bend them to various positions. I just don't want to end up with a big wire antenna in their bodies and produce RF problems though. []

Tom

Scott McCrory

NEO

What Les means is the DGA pilot BODY is sewn and filled with batting making a very light body. BTW, I checked out your website and LOVE it!!! I will be using a lot of your ideas on my Byron P-51 cockpit. Thanks for all of the fantastic info.

NE0

My Feedback: (9)

Gotcha... my bad. That makes sense, but it's easier for me personally to carve styro than sew up a body. Great idea though for those who can swing a needle.

Glad you like my site, hope it helps out.

Tom