Epoxy Bomb Goes Under the Knife...er...OVER The Table Saw !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kim wrote:I'm trying to insure that Sig always keeps FRESH Balsa Stock for my buds !!!!

You have succeeded!

Bob Smith Industries is your buddy also.

Kim, I'm curious as to what's holding the tail booms to the wing. Is there a small piece of ply cut into those booms? Ken

The rudders.

I see that. I guess I was seeing the epoxy that oozed out.

Ken Cook wrote: I see that. I guess I was seeing the epoxy that oozed out.

Yep...there was plenty OOZING going on! The rudders lock everything together on the topside, but I also embedded some light fibreglass strips across the wing/pylons on the underside. The glass is invisible from being soaked with epoxy.

I may make some gussets for the pylons...but it ain't likely. 'Bout all I got left to do is figure the leadout locations, dab a little more epoxy here and there, and we're set to go !!!

After swapping out a cranky Black Widow that ran great on the stand but got scared when I bolted it up to the Epoxy Bomb, for a faithful Golden Bee, I got this thing in the air tonight. Amid assorted showers and evil clouds, the E.B. launched from it's elevated stooge with anemic success.

It's got some nasty quirks, like trying to tuck under when I bring it down to shoulder height (probably because of an aft C.G. and a too-springy pushrod). I think it also needs another penny glued to it's starboard wingtip, as it turned in on me during the few hard pulls I gave it.

All-in-all, not too bad a project. It DOES fly, and so there's hope! It's engine-out glide is the same ole plummet I expect from these flat plate airfoils, though I DID get what resembled an actual flair on one touch-down! Makes my Cox PT-19 look like a Grob 103 !

I intend to extend the snout a ways to move the C.G. forward, and replace the two truck wheels with a single light-weight unit.

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That's a great plane and I love the name, Epoxy Bomb. Next time I make an elevator I'm going to try my hand at stitching it on. It looks so much better than glue and cloth strips. Did you take that picture while you were flying it?
My small kit Kom-Bat is a squirrely little sucker. Launching from my elevated stooge is always a comedy of errors, I just never can guess where it might go when I set it free.

RknRusty wrote:That's a great plane and I love the name, Epoxy Bomb. Next time I make an elevator I'm going to try my hand at stitching it on. It looks so much better than glue and cloth strips. Did you take that picture while you were flying it?
My small kit Kom-Bat is a squirrely little sucker. Launching from my elevated stooge is always a comedy of errors, I just never can guess where it might go when I set it free.

Thanks Rusty! Once I get a good engine running up front (Lucky 13 is up next!), I think it won't be a bad circle-turner! I really like the stitched elevators, and have yet to wear out a set of them. They do take a few flights to get totally loosened up, but they're getting there!

I tried taking photos as I flew--sometimes, I get really lucky and catch a great shot--but it wasn't happening yesterday. So, used my "Flip" video cam, just holding it up and letting it run through a couple flights, and captured a still frame from that footage.

Other than it's aggravating "tucking" problem, Epoxy Bomb flys a lot like my PT...just a tad more buoyant. It COULD use a few more feet of runway on takeoff, resembling one of Doolittle's B-25's launching from it's carrier, but I must admit that I somewhat enjoyed it's low swoop to the grass as the old Golden Bee did it's best to give the thing some flying speed.

My plan is to unceremoniously saw the top and bottom off the engine block, epoxy a hardwood extension to the stub, and move the engine out a ways. With the C.G. a little farther forward, perhaps this Balsa Overcast will be a bit more accommodating! And then...there's always one of them Tee Dees !!!!!

Rusty, if you do decide to stitch the stab unwaxed dental floss in m opinion works better than anything I ever used. I've used thread but it's failed me a few times. I'm using a Kevlar thread which is readily available and so far is working. I've used the waxed dental floss, but it's somewhat harder to keep tight. I do use a drop of CA on the finishing knot. I've pre finished many models in Monokote predrilling the holes in the stab and elevator then covered. I use the stitching needle to pop the holes through and begin my stitching. I made a template from aluminum with the desired hole spacing and I use this to prick the wood. It's important to keep the sets of holes properly lined up as it retains the stab from side to side. Many of my models utilize this so I therefore trim 1/4" off the elevator and stab and glue a 1/4" basswood strip back onto the halves as this is very strong and prevents tear out not to mention provides resistance against warping. Ken

Nice plane Kim,

Glad it worked for you. You need to rig your camera setup on a CL. It would make for an interesting video.

Ron

cribbs74 wrote:Nice plane Kim,

Glad it worked for you. You need to rig your camera setup on a CL. It would make for an interesting video.

Ron

Am Gonna! The main problem with my plans is that I have so many, I tend to get into "Plan Pile-Ups"! Here's a video frame from my PT as it goes to combat with my all-time favorite vehicle !!!

That's a good one!

Ha! Don't shoot the UPS guy!

The big landing gear might be adding to the "tucking" problem. A bit draggy I am sure.

Congrats on the first flight of EB1!

Kim:

Those HUGE wheels make the "Bomb" look like it's ready to fly in the Alaskan bush.

SuperDave wrote:Kim:

Those HUGE wheels make the "Bomb" look like it's ready to fly in the Alaskan bush.

Yeah Dave! AND...they're Old-School "Perfect" wheels...so they are HEAVY !!!! The next time E.B 1 shows it's face, it's gonna have a longer snoot and a lighter landing gear !!!

Kim wrote:

cribbs74 wrote:Nice plane Kim,

Glad it worked for you. You need to rig your camera setup on a CL. It would make for an interesting video.

Ron

Am Gonna! The main problem with my plans is that I have so many, I tend to get into "Plan Pile-Ups"! Here's a video frame from my PT as it goes to combat with my all-time favorite vehicle !!!

Is that a camera quirk, or is the fin REALLY that shape?

That's the image "Snaking" from the engine's vibration. I tried to isolate the little camera as much as possible with foam and bubble wrap, and this was about the best I could do at the time. I'm gonna try a three-bladed prop next to see if I can cut down on the harmonics a bit !!!

Kim wrote:
That's the image "Snaking" from the engine's vibration. I tried to isolate the little camera as much as possible with foam and bubble wrap, and this was about the best I could do at the time. I'm gonna try a three-bladed prop next to see if I can cut down on the harmonics a bit !!!

I was hoping that was the case!

Hmmm..........................

Flying "tail feathers". What's nexT?????

SuperDave wrote:Hmmm..........................

Flying "tail feathers". What's nexT?????

quad enigne 45" EB2 with flower bombs on a 3rd string release. Jack Northrop would be proud Kim.

Yes...the Union that should have been from the beginning...with Ron's Contest finally making it happen!

With a few chunks of hardwood and new bottles of 5-minute epoxy on hand, I deftly extended Epoxy Bomb's snout in hopes of bringing the C.G. a bit forward (Sure...just HAD to put THREE fins on the backside of the thing!), and just as deftly bolted the bedraggled mongrel to the new firewall.

Flight reports later in the day...