Lil satan build, cant decide on a power plant

Wow! That is stunning. Eagerly awaiting flight report.
Where is the balance point/CG?

That is Nice!! What engine did you decide on , can't tell from the pics.

Thanks, the cg is at 7/8". The engine is a norvel 0.061 AME.

Thanks , that should carry the mail really good !!

Maiden flight is done! Wow is this thing fun. Real point and shoot kinda characteristics, awesome flys like a lazer.

I had some issues with the norvel, behaved as if it was not broken in, just would not rev up... so I stripped it down and yup tight top end fit. Should of trusted my instincts, some times they are spot on.

So I dropped a teedee in that I new ran well. Wasn't able to get the tune quite dialed it, got cut short after the first flight as 2 of the engine mount bolts disappeared and the engine was sort of flapping in the breeze. I can tell this is going to be a fun model. Cant wait to find some more time to keep tinkering with it. Hope to shoot a video once I get it running properly. The teedee was close just needed to be richer.

Good for you! Congrats on the maiden run. That is always exciting!

Don't give up on the Norvel yet. And don't do anything drastic either (woops, too late). I have a pair of .074s that just about broke me of Norvels in general. They both almost hated to start when they were new...as in "I can't believe I spent too much to buy brand-new from NVEngines" new. In the red and white box-with papers-and warranty-and new smell. Really new! I fought them both on the bench for probably 10 run cycles at an ounce per run. They were still stiff at TDC.They slobbered their grey piston/cylinder coating for a while. But then they stopped the grey slobber, loosened up at TDC a bit, and really became real sweeties!

Now once broken in, they are some smooth, easy starting engines. You can't buy them from me... ever! I even bought up a bunch of extras in different sizes.

Make or buy a bench engine mount and run it off the plane for a few tanks. Instructions for proper break-in can be found here (pg 3) or at StuntHanger.

The TeeDee may do well to have the venturi sleeved. I don't know if I read it here or on StuntHanger, but one of the Cox regulars shows a small piece of brass thin-wall taking the venturi diameter down a bit. This would be a recent post within the last few months, and will improve fuel draw (richer) to make the engine behave more like a Medallion. Or you could slip a Medallion venturi/front cover (whatever that part or body-bit is called) in place with little effort. Either option makes the engine run without fuel pressure reliably.

Hey Jim what fuel blend did you break in with? i just got i think 4 more of difft. sizes ( but it was the o20 TD that i was after

Love my Norvel Big Mig .06 . Took a while to break in but it is worth the time . Put it on a test stand , heat the top cylinder up with a heat gun before starting . The Norvel likes small props . Nice looking Satin . They are a bit small but fly good .

Mike1484

Eric,
I used a homebrew.mix that works out roughly to 24%N/11%Synth/%9 castor.

Look for "fuel calculator" here or SH. I posted my mix, and the Excel spreadsheet that takes two known fuels and castor to generate percent values on all of it. I know I posted the link to the spreadsheet on SH about a month ago for Motorman...but don't think I gave my fuel values.

I can go out to the garage and check...the bottles are labelled with the quantities and resultant values if you want.

Thanks for the advice, that's really interesting about the teedee. I'll have to read up on it for sure.  The teedee sure does go but man is it tough to dial in.  Runs kinda ruff on the ground then when launched smooths out and screams, tough to figure out the needle setting with the variation between between the air and being held.  

I rolled the dice on the Norvel, I thought man i should really bench run this first (I picked it up used off a nice rc guy). But time constraints prevented it. I was suprised to discover that it wasn't broken in.

I'll be sure to use the heat gun, worked great breaking in rc car engines. Those power plants have insane tolerances.

Get back/Eric:

See here:
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=39473399&postcount=18

I can email you the altered spreadsheet for 8 oz blends. PM your email for it.

First attempt at hand making lettering. I like how it turned out. I think next time I'll need to make it bigger its difficult to cut the small radis with a knife.

That thing is going to scoot!

The lettering dressed the plane up real nice . Now get out and fly that bugger .

Mike1484

Not sure if I ever posted a flight video of this build in action and dialed in. Here it is, boy is it fun, gotta fly one mistake high .

After a pilot error which resulted in patting the ground while inverted the model came appart one could say.

I've mostly got it back together, gave me an excuse to remove the tank. Bummer about the needle valve, I new I should of put a wire hoop in to protect it. Oh well, on a hunt for one of those. The engine is near new still, maybe 1l through it.

Can't decide if I want to make it a shelf queen or keep flying it... nah gotta fly it till it's dust

Did the needle valve spraybar bend or just the wire extension. You need to be careful there because the leverage the needle provides usually breaks the crankcase. NV engines is about the only source for a new one aside from buying a used engine. This is a direct contact, Klondike17@juno.com. His name is Alex and you can ask him for what your in search of, a picture will certainly help. In addition, if that doesn't pan out, you can use a Cox spraybar from a product engine and a piece of 5/32" brass tubing. Cut a piece of tubing the width of the case, file a hole through the center of the tubing and insert the Cox spraybar into the tubing. The hole in the spraybar should line up with the break through hole you made with the file. Solder the spraybar into the brass and then place the assembly into the case and this can be attached to the case with epoxy or JB weld. Alcohol will thin and clean up any residual epoxy or JB weld.

The balsa boom can be a bit weak and you can either make them from bass or make them from 1/16" ply and glue balsa skins to both sides and shape them, this will add much more strength.

Thanks Ken, awesome advice, appreciate sharing his contact info.  Yes unfortunately the spray bar and needle bent, can't turn it either.  I think the only reason the case didn't break was the spring contacted the cylinder and stopped it from bending further.

Wow great suggestion on a Cox spray bar, thank you, thank you. I have enough cracked horse shoe back ends to scab off of for this.  

I see no way to save it with out damaging it further.  Thanks for the contact info.  I did buy a few norvels off of Scott on here but never thought to ask him for some needle assemblies. Doh.

Hi layback,
Wow,
My TDs would bog down in those lazy 8's...
Amazing !
I have no luck with those short tailed combat planes. Where is your CG ?
It could be my pilot error... but they all have been 'twitchy as hell' for me...
I have no Needle valves to help. Sorry,
Take care,
Have fun,
Dave

That's a tough break with the bent needle.  Unless you need the length, I have always cut the wire extension off, then filed a notch in the knurled end for reference.  Reduces the chance of bending the needle and stops it from vibrating at certain RPMs.

After a couple of buzzed knuckles, you'll learn to keep your fingers back.

HalfaDave wrote:Hi layback,
Wow,
My TDs would bog down in those lazy 8's...
Amazing !
I have no luck with those short tailed combat planes. Where is your CG ?
It could be my pilot error... but they all have been 'twitchy as hell' for me...
I have no Needle valves to help. Sorry,
Take care,
Have fun,
Dave

Thanks Dave, I set the c.g. at 7/8" from the leading edge. I think running a streamer would add a bit of drag and take the twitchyness out of it as well. Ken mentioned that earlier in the thread, i carry some with me on the maiden, but didn't need it. This flew like a lazer, where ever you point it went.  

My teedee also wasn't well behaved on this model, I think I needed to add more head shims to drop the compression.  I use a little latex fuel bladder held in a fabric bag on top of the wing. It really gives consistent fuel delivery. Based it off of Rusty's lil Satan. Definitely miss his presence on here RIP.

Thanks Andrew, that's exactly how I have my 1/2a zero set up, yup took a few bites out of me.  But dang she's hard/stiff to adjust, the spring set up is so good on these engines. I liked it stock in this case for quickly adjusting while cranking up using a bladder as I'm kinda fumbly with that whole set up.  But the downside is all that leverage... the was a nice gent local to me that offered his rc cab. I'll give it a go wired open and see how it does.

I've also used the drill press with a indicator to find the high spot and have bent it back. I would say my success rate in doing so has been at about a 80% success rate in doing so. I would screw the needle until it couldn't move and then indicate it. It's very difficult not to put a Z in it so to speak but with the needle inside the spraybar, it usually bends back on itself.

nice fling there , the TD was screaming love that noise when it puts all it got into making you happy .. I must have missed the crash ? if in the video I have not tried the lazy 8 s but need to explore because going round and round makes me fall down at the end most the time Don't have a Lil Satan but do have a couple Combat Kittens that are OLD