Balsa-EZ Part 2: construction begins!

[TacitBlue]

Continued:
With my plans all layed out and covered with clear plastic, I pinned the first piece in place.


Ahh, but I'm getting ahead of myself. How did I get that pattern from paper to wood? first I used my overhead projector (or anything that lights up from below) to trace the original pattern onto a seprate piece of paper. The I made sure to darken the pencil lines very well.

Then I placed the pattern face down on the balsa and rubbed over the lines.Pull the paper away, and theres the pattern right on the wood.

It takes a while when you have a lot of pieces. Here's is the fuse half completed.

And here it is complete.

The wings are the next step, and heres the very beginning.

Well, the fuselage isn't exactly complete. I've been debating on how to do the engine cowling area. First I was going to carve it out of solid balsa because it has such an odd shape that I didn't think I could build a skeleton frame for it. However I couldn't find any large blocks of balsa, so I guess I will build a frame. This is taking a little more time than I expected, which is fine, it will keep me busy, so it will probably be a week or more before part three is up. So I hope you enoyed looking at these as much as I am bulding this thing.

[ozzy72]

That is coming along very well! I'm impressed

[Midnight_LS1]

Well, the fuselage isn't exactly complete. I've been debating on how to do the engine cowling area. First I was going to carve it out of solid balsa because it has such an odd shape that I didn't think I could build a skeleton frame for it. However I couldn't find any large blocks of balsa, so I guess I will build a frame. This is taking a little more time than I expected, which is fine, it will keep me busy, so it will probably be a week or more before part three is up. So I hope you enoyed looking at these as much as I am bulding this thing.

First do you know what sized model engine you'll be using?  A .40 ?  Bigger?  Second you can get adjustable engine mounts such like this one: http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wt ... XJ772&P=ML

As for the cowling, I have a Ultra Sport .40 fitted with a Super Tigre .65 engine!  The cowling that came with the kit is a 2 piece ABS plastic and is flexiable, yet adjustable by cutting to fit then glueing the halves together overlapping each other (there's an under lap on one side to make overlapping level with the surface) so you might want to look into that.
If your going to make it out of balsa, I wouldn't recommend it since you'll need some room in there for cooling, adjustments, trouble shooting, setting up the throttle linkage to the carb throttle, and attaching the fuel lines.

BTW try to keep the fuel tank at the CG so fuel level won't affect the flight much as it burns up.

And use the Rx battery pack to balance the plane after the wings are done and covered up.

Good luck!

[TacitBlue]

Wow now! I guess I should have mentioned that this is a static model. I am absolutely terrible at flying R/C planes. I've never had one survive long enough to get good at it, so I don't really mess with that anymore. I just love building and designing them. If I ever do get back into R/C flying, it will be with a cheap-o foam plane, at least in the beginning. Thanks for the advice though.

[Jakemaster]

I have had a lot of difficulty building with balsa, so I stick with plastic models.  Still fun nontheless.

[TacitBlue]

I used to have a lot of trouble with it, but then I decided to give it another try, and found that I actually enjoy it now. I did a few of those guillows kits, but then I decided I wanted to try something a little different, and this is what I ended up with. Hey, while I'm here- does anyone have any idea how I can get a bubble canopy for this thing? it looks like that will be the only thing missing when I'm done because I dont have access to a vacuum former machine. Though I suppose I could try to build one... and accidently burn down my house... maybe not.

[Midnight_LS1]

Wow now! I guess I should have mentioned that this is a static model. I am absolutely terrible at flying R/C planes. I've never had one survive long enough to get good at it, so I don't really mess with that anymore. I just love building and designing them. If I ever do get back into R/C flying, it will be with a cheap-o foam plane, at least in the beginning. Thanks for the advice though.

LOL! from what I saw it looked like you were gonna build a R/C since the balsa structure looks tough for R/C flying.

I had a Hobbico flightstar .40 which was my first plane, I put in a cheap .40 engine and it needed full throttle to keep cruise speed up.  Eventually I put in a .65 SuperTigre engine and after 10 flights, the aluminum spar sandwiched with pine wood snapped in half and the wings folded up and went down like a shark fin and this was after pulling a full throttle hard bank turn!
Too much mini G-force lol.

And I'm on my 2nd Ultra sport 40, the first one crashed from engine failure and couldn't make it back to the strip in time.

The 2nd one I have has laminated sandwich pine wood spar with alot of carbon fiber strips and wrapped in carbon fiber layers and it's still flying today.  I could even launch it vertically, no runway needed for takeoff.  But for landing yeah.

[Jakemaster]

well, I did give it a try, but I kept breaking pieces.  I gave up, and then got way into plastic models.  I started with a 1:144 scale b29.  I really enjoyed building it, so for my bday I asked for another model.  So I got a 1:144 b-52, and that one got me hooked.  It was awesome, and big, so then I craved for more.  Next, I got a 314 clipper, 1:144, and it was great.  Then later, I got a 1:144 concorde, which is one of my better looking ones.  Then, i got a 1:144 p38, which is so awesome, and tiny.  After that, I went to go get a model, and I was looking for a 1:144 geebee, but instead got a 1:48 geebee and travel air mystery ship.  Finally, I got a ryan sta, and now, I really want to get more.

As far as the canopy goes, you can vacuum mold it.  I personally don't know how to, but Im sure google does

Oh, and in case you are too lazy to read that paragraph of my models, here is a list:

1:144 B-29
1:144 B-52
1:144 314 Clipper
1:144 Concorde
1:144 P-38 Lightning
1:48 Gee Bee
1:48 Mystery Ship
1:48 Ryan STA(PT-20)

total of 8 models, and now I really want more

[Fly2e]

Very Cool!  8)

[H]

Wow now! I guess I should have mentioned that this is a static model. I am absolutely terrible at flying R/C planes... [at 16:18:35] Hey, while I'm here- does anyone have any idea how I can get a bubble canopy for this thing? it looks like that will be the only thing missing when I'm done because I dont have access to a vacuum former machine. Though I suppose I could try to build one... and accidently burn down my house... maybe not.

The only static model I made (an approximation of a P40) was cut, planed and whittled out of pine to @ 1/40th scale; thus, it was solid -- no framing -- although wings and elevators were made separately: wings inserted/glued into an underfuselage knotch and elevators inserted/glued into slots. I was fortunate enough to find that the discarded "bubble" from a glue tube package was cuttable to something usable as a removable canopy although it was certainly not an exact replica.
The only flyable, balsa-framed, paper-skinned plane I modeled was a Spitfire (I believe it was @ 1/32nd scale). That was hand launched or guideline, not R/C, and I gave it to someone for their birhtdate after a number of test flights. I used a .049 engine which gave it just enough power for flight -- wouldn't have sufficed for R/C flight. Midnight_LS1 has a point about tank location: the weight of the engine has to be taken into account, as well, and the tank, a bit behind CoG, can add some of the rear counterballast as long as the elevators can adjust effectively as the fuel dissipates.

[H]

I... ...got way into plastic models.  I started with a 1:144 scale b29.  I really enjoyed building it, so for my b'day I asked for another model.  So I got a 1:144 b-52, and that one got me hooked... ...I got a 1:144 p38, which is so awesome and tiny.  After that, I went to go get a model, looking for a 1:144 geebee but got a 1:48 geebee... here is a list:
1:144 B-29
1:144 B-52
1:144 314 Clipper
1:144 Concorde
1:144 P-38 Lightning
1:48 Gee Bee
1:48 Mystery Ship
1:48 Ryan STA(PT-20)

total of 8 models, and now I really want more

Way into it? My little Air Force would have blown your 8 plane squadron away!
1/32 scale:
P51:            2
1/72nd scale (too small for detailing: try a 1/48th or more P38, instead) :
Nieuport:    1
Hustler:                1
Spitfire:         (1) (not assembled: may yet have this in box from Israeli company; incorrectly stated as 1/48th scale)
1/48 Scale:
B17:                           1
B24:                           1
B25:                           1
P38:                           3
P39:                           2
P40:                           3
P47:                           5
P51:                           5
F4F:                           2
F6F:                           2
F8F:                           2
F4U:                           2
Avenger:   2
Dauntless: 2
Helldiver*: 1
Hurricane: 3
Spitfire:         3
Typhoon:       1
Me109:          3
Me262:          2
FW190:         2
Ju87:                                2
Frank**:       1
George**:1
Hamp**:       1
Jack**:        1
Oscar**:      1

Tony**:       1
Zero**:        5
*WW2 version
**used code names; incorporated variants, other than Hamp, into "Zero" count. Most Japanese plane models ordered from Japanese companies.
60 listed (assembled -- most, but not all, have been lost or stolen): I may have forgotten a few; listed only planes, not the plastic cars, ships or tanks.

[Jakemaster]

wait a minute H, I started building models in late june.  So, that means that Ive got a way to go.  Every time I go to the hobby shop, I get at least one model.  Believe me, by the time I go to college, I will have at least 20 models.

[H]

... by the time I go to college, I will have at least 20 models.

Once I got the assembly line-style down (pre-painting, sections, etc.), 20 models was less than a two-month procedure. Most unmodified models were done within a day or two. I progressed to making canopies open/close, working landing gear (a small electric drill and a file came in handy) -- even put some small motors in to spin the prop -- which took a bit longer but nothing killed a week (that's an hour or two per night). The more you do, the faster and more efficient you'll be  ;).
What Tacit is doing is a little different: traditional wood gluing can be more delicate, takes a bit more setting time and he's form-cutting his own pieces.

[SkyNoz]

Awsome TacitBlue, I fly RC airplanes w/ 25cc type motors and kit type, nice to see someone having simular intrest. Can't wait to see it finished.

[TacitBlue]

What's really time consuming about this is the design work. You're never sure you've designed a part correctly until you fit it in place, and fit all adjoining parts to it. That's part of the fun though.