A custom SIG Skyray

I tried flying it this morning. First it wouldn't start, then the security guard came along. First I tried the DMV, but there were cars parked, so probably people were inside working and I would have disturbed them. Then I tried the lot in the Lockheed area. The guard seemed sympathetic and called his supervisor, but the supervisor had him ask me to leave. He said the lot belongs to "Juniper". So I lost one of my only three hard to find flying sites.
I took the engine apart and cleaned and oiled it. At least, the reed was suck closed. I guess I didn't oil it as well as the muffled engine when I stopped using it. I also replaced the crank case gasket, which was missing the part that keeps fuel from leaking out the screw openings. Then I went back and oiled the muffled one better. I am using a 40 year old can of 3 In 1 Oil. I still have Ambroid in my flight kit too.

You'll find a spot to fly.. I'm sure David. I've always used 3-in-One oil.. but a lot of the guys here on the forum use "air-tool" oil (as an after-run/storage-lubricant) and say that it's superior to anything else.

I also have some tubes of "old" Ambroid cement. The old (original) formula was being made in Taunton, MA.. but became unavailable for a while. When it did become available again, the formula had changed to a thinner/runny consistency and there are mixed emotions as to how well it works. I don't know at what point that happened, but some newer tubes are marked as being made in Lowell, MA., Swanzey, NH and apparently later somewhere in Canada. Chances are; if you have a tube that was made in Taunton.. it's the original thicker formula. It was first made in Boston, MA by Howe and French Co. in the early 1900's for repairing Birch and canvas canoes.



Good read here.. though a bit dated..

http://www.ottertooth.com/Canoe_pages/ambroid.htm

Thanks. DMV still works, but maybe I won't push mu luck by flying there on week days.
I flew there this morning and everything seemed to go wrong, except what went wrong yesterday. The engine is not sorted out yet. It seemed to be leaking fuel. The mixture was unstable, and I had to open the needle valve too much. The stooge line somehow got tangled on the control lines or the airplane and wrapped around me. I got the handle up side down and it taxied very fast along the pavement until I turned it right. But the model still looks cherry (uh pristine)! And it now can fly up near the top of the hemisphere without the lines getting slack. I think it is going to do loops and wingovers when I get it sorted out, without my having to buy a Black Widow or steal one from my P 40. I used to run 40% nitro and a TD head in this engine on my Stuntman, though I never got it running right with that head.

David Ingham wrote:Thanks.  DMV still works, but maybe I won't push mu luck by flying there on week days.
I flew there this morning and everything seemed to go wrong, except what went wrong yesterday.  The engine is not sorted out yet.  It seemed to be leaking fuel.  The mixture was unstable, and I had to open the needle valve too much.  The stooge line somehow got tangled on the control lines or the airplane and wrapped around me.  I got the handle up side down and it taxied very fast along the pavement until I turned it right.  But the model still looks cherry (uh pristine)!  And it now can fly up near the top of the hemisphere without the lines getting slack.  I think it is going to do loops and wingovers when I get it sorted out, without my having to buy a Black Widow or steal one from my P 40.  I used to run 40% nitro and a TD head in this engine on my Stuntman, though I never got it running right with that head.

Wow.. you certainly have some exciting flying experiences David! You mentioned having issues with your stooge recently. I'm glad that you didn't get hurt today. I've had the pull-string to my stooge wrap around my foot before.. If you tie a rubber-band around the end of the pull-cord.. and pull "it".. then the string will recoil away from the center of the circle when released.. that is; if it's rigidly-mounted on the "model-end"..

Here's a simple-stooge that I built 20+ years ago.. uses a music-wire pin through two small screw-eyes. Anchors to dirt/grass with long aluminum nails through angled-holes in the plate.



and a more recent design that uses a spring in the pin assembly..



I like the "fork-type" that straddles the fuse's tail-section "vertically"... with the L/E of the stabilizer against it. It flops-down when released.. and the model doesn't need any sort of link for a pin.

I flew it yesterday at DMV. Still problems with the badly stored engine. I got one flight. On taking it apart, I found that I had the reed in wrong.
I feel sore after bending over it to try to get it running. I don't remember having that problem when I was young.

I fixed a problem with the old stunt engine. One of the back plate crank case screws was a full inch long and bottomed without putting pressure on the back plate. This was not a new problem and probably effected my flights with the club in Massachusetts.

Hi David, stop me if you've heard this. I went down this street many years ago, and
found it somewhat interesting. For some reason the crankcase holes weren't consistently
threaded fully to utilize 3/4" or 1" long tank screws (depending whether a 5 or 8cc tank is
being installed). In every case I've come across, the holes are drilled deep enough, but not
always threaded to the full depth. Cox actually used screws that were a few 32nds short of
3/4 or 1" to solve the machining snafu. Anyway, if you get a 2-56 bottoming tap(Amazon)
and tap the holes fully, you should alleviate the problem. Flushing the hole with an insulin
syringe and some fuel or something works well after tapping too.
https://www.amazon.com/Du-Bro-360-2-56-Tap-Drill/dp/B0006O4GYG/ref=pd_sim_328_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0006O4GYG&pd_rd_r=JPMJJHT13D2F5XWS8PM3&pd_rd_w=1rRXZ&pd_rd_wg=UK1j2&psc=1&refRID=JPMJJHT13D2F5XWS8PM3&dpID=31NVYEadt3L&preST=_SX342_QL70_&dpSrc=detail
You won't need the drill, but this is the best price I could find for a 2-56 tap.
Hope this helps, David.
Bob

I've run into that problem too David.. (including the sore back from bending-over.. ) If you can't source a 2-56 bottoming-type tap.. you can shorten your screws "slightly". It's best when cutting or grinding a machine-screw shorter; to FIRST thread a matching-size "nut" onto the screw which will remove a "burr" afterward.



A "Dremel-tool" with an abrasive cut-off wheel is a preferred way to cut a small screw shorter. You could use a fine metal-file if you had to. Just make sure that the screw-threads are clean of burrs before installing them into the engines' aluminum crankcase. I often use a lighted-magnifier or eye-loupe to inspect small parts.  

I realize that 2-56 size nuts are somewhat of a commodity.. but "Dubro-products" available at your hobby shop might have them. Radio Shack used to sell small packets of 2-56 size machine-nuts. Many stores have closed.. but maybe there's one near you?

I filed the screw shorter with a mill file to match the others. I have done that a lot and it worked well. I rounded the tip a bit to make it easier to put in. Some time long ago I must have put it together without noticing the small difference in lengths.

David Ingham wrote:I have a Honda Insight, first generation.  It seems to really like slow crowded freeways, but I helped a lot with my driving.

When I saw the first gen Honda Insight Hybrid I thought it a cool looking vehicle with a promising future, then the Toyota Prius came along. I'm also a fan of the very similar Honda CRX.



It seems that you got over the dizzies quickly after your first flight. Good for you. I was one and done.

Bob

Glad you got that fixed Davd it is hard to tell some time if it's not tighten up on all the screws

David, If you ever have that problem with a Cox .049 "Product-Engine".. you can do what I did recently.. and make some shim-washers from thin plastic sheet using a small drill and a paper-punch.








I probably didn't need to shim all four screw-heads.. but I figured what the heck.

Thanks Roddie. It was easier for me to shorten the screw as I am used to it and have been using files a lot recently. I guess that would be fuel tight, but they would have to be installed every time the back plate was off, while with the shorter screw it is as original.