Re: My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!!

Kim Mon Feb 25, 2013 12:08 pm

Got the chance to hit my Swap Meet Ringmaster's Fuselage with some color paint to cover those places where the paint was pulled away by masking tape, and also brought the blue in around the windshield seal a little neater Finished with a light coat of clear, and actually got a bit of a shine on the ole gal !!!

If things go well, I intend to test fly it this weekend at the airport, then head to Uncle Wayne's house and fly it in his backyard!

Gonna be hard to believe actually seeing this thing out at the end of some cables !!!

Everybody, direct your positive vibes in this direction, please !!!!

Blue-Handed Kim

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! - Page 5 7_11

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! - Page 5 7_11

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! - Page 5 8_11

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! - Page 5 9_12

**Cribbs74** Mon Feb 25, 2013 12:28 pm

+++++++VIBES+++++++

Looks good Kim all will go well. Post a report on how it goes.

Ron

pkrankow Mon Feb 25, 2013 4:06 pm

Very nice Kim. I hope you can get some action shots or video. I think it looks better than mine done up in dope proper like.

I got my engine on order. Brand spankin' new Fox Stunt .35. Fox's trade in deal is pretty good. I hope to have my engine in hand in about 2 weeks.

Phil

**Cribbs74** Mon Feb 25, 2013 4:21 pm

pkrankow wrote:Very nice Kim. I hope you can get some action shots or video. I think it looks better than mine done up in dope proper like.

I got my engine on order. Brand spankin' new Fox Stunt .35. Fox's trade in deal is pretty good. I hope to have my engine in hand in about 2 weeks.

Phil

Yeah, you can't beat that deal, I wonder what they do with the old engines? Maybe I should pop in and ask.

pkrankow Mon Feb 25, 2013 5:37 pm

I sent them scrap. lol!

It was an old Fox15 slant head that seized and apparently burned (the cowl of the airplane I took it off was blistered and charred) When trying to free it I was ham handed and popped a wooden dowel in the cylinder to push, and collapsed the piston.

Knowing what I know now there is a chance I could have saved the engine by soaking it in denatured alcohol for several days, then warming it with a heat gun. Then again the piston collapsed under a push, no hammer used, so maybe saving it wouldn't have happened.

Phil

andrew Mon Feb 25, 2013 9:22 pm

Nice layout, Kim. Classic colors and color scheme. Get some video.

andrew

**RknRusty** Mon Feb 25, 2013 11:02 pm

Positive vibes coming your way. Ohmmmmmmmmmmm...

pkrankow Wed Mar 20, 2013 2:46 pm

I tried fitting my brand spanking new Fox Stunt .35 before break in so I could balance and verify the fuel lines for the remote NVA, or if I need to use the stock NVA and the motor won't fit the studs in the airplane.

Uh oh.

The builder made studs(*) that are permanently bedded into the wood bearers, covered by the solid balsa fairing. I don't know the size of them but the diameter is too big. They are spot on for location though.

* I presume the studs are slotted machine screws that have a steel wire soldered into the slot at the correct spacing so they cannot turn.

Advice please!
Do I drill out an expensive BRAND NEW NEVER RUN engine that has quite little extra material in the engine mount area?
Do I remove the wood from the nose, and replace the studs with T nuts? (I have some that SHOULD be the right size on order from Bernie already, and if they are too small then I can get the next larger size locally) This option will force a repaint of the airplane, but I have no source of red DOPE so it will have to get Rustoleum.
Do I do something different entirely?

Phil

**RknRusty** Wed Mar 20, 2013 3:00 pm

How much bigger are they than the holes in the engine tabs? I ended up biting the bullet and boring the engine holes to fit the misaligned t-nuts, and boring the t-nut holes so a bolt would fit through. I had enough metal on the engine, but I still hated doing it.

pkrankow Wed Mar 20, 2013 5:07 pm

I am going to guess the next fractional size maybe a little more.

I was pretty disgusted so I walked away.

I'll get calipers out and try measuring everything again later.

Phil

Kim Wed Mar 20, 2013 5:48 pm

I may not be a good one to ask on this but, running the great risk of drawing ire from my fellow forum members, if there is plenty of metal around the engine's mounting holes, I'd drill that sucker in a heartbeat!

Figure two minutes of easy drilling, against a whole root-canal procedure...it's an easy choice for me...but that's just my wiring.

"Just get me to the fun part !"

**Cribbs74** Wed Mar 20, 2013 7:07 pm

Hey Kim, I forgot to mention that I like those cool looking Veco wheels. I had some on the Ringmaster I have, but the rubber was hard as rock and would break off.

Ron

Kim Wed Mar 20, 2013 7:48 pm

Thanks Ron!

I don't know where this plane was stored, but it's tires sure fared a lot better than it's covering! The Veco tires are still soft and usable...just need to put some wear on them now !

**Cribbs74** Wed Mar 20, 2013 8:09 pm

Kim wrote:Thanks Ron!

I don't know where this plane was stored, but it's tires sure fared a lot better than it's covering! The Veco tires are still soft and usable...just need to put some wear on them now !

You betcha!! I know this is kind of old hat for you, but for me it was all brand new. I was smiling at work all the next day after my maiden. I hope you can have a little bit of that joy too.

The big ones fly really well and the comfort of that tight pull is reassuring for a newbie. Don't get me wrong I still love 1/2A it's just these big guys are pretty cool too. The Fox .35 is a tough engine. The one I am currently using was made in '52 and and used since '52. The 4-2-4 is great as you have time to think before your next stunt. The sound is incredible too.

My next builds will be the Super Clown, Shoestring and Cosmic Wind. Fun, fun!!!!!

Ron

pkrankow Wed Mar 20, 2013 8:45 pm

The builder apparently use #6 screws, .135 as measured, with the engine drilled for #4 screws, 1/8 inch via drill bit probe.

Yes there is material on the engine to drill. Still on the fence as I haven't run the engine in yet.

On the other hand I probably should have worked on the nose anyways. I just cut it apart with minimal damage. It took about 30 seconds. I stuck my exacto blade into the suspicious looking crack in the paint and met almost no resistance.

I took some pictures, the screw heads are exactly as I described with a wire soldered between them.

Phil

pkrankow Wed Mar 20, 2013 8:55 pm

next question:
anybody ever put rustoleom over old dope? Tips?

I was thinking sand the dope down after washing it, then apply grey sandable primer, sand as needed, then color.

Phil

Kim Wed Mar 20, 2013 9:06 pm

Hey Ron,

It's ALWAYS brand-new !!! This stuff is a connection with my past, and a reminder of just how lucky I was to have a grown-up trust me with what I saw at the time as incredibly expensive flying machines! The AMA Patterns and the discipline required to pull them off are impressive, but there is STILL no more fun thing for me than to break a big controliner over the top of a 3/4 loop, rounding it out inverted just above the grass, then hauling it back over the top again.

My Aunt Jo used to let out gasps and near-screams as Bobby and I did our thing out in the circle, and we came to gauge the quality of our maneuvers by the intensity of the hollering coming from the tailgate of Wayne's Ramble Station Wagon.

Yeah, the .35 Dogs pull on their chains a lot harder than our little 1/2A's ! And all that sky they give you ! Way up at the top, and they STILL haul on your arm! Wayne loves to talk about how Bobby and I would start out a flight with his Ringmaster, casually holding on with one hand. In those days, we knew and cared nothing about the whole 4-2-4 business...the engines were tuned to the "HOWL" setting, and left there!

As the flight progressed, we'd sneak in a double-hand grip on the pull-outs...then a little more in the level runs...until finally, we were holding on with both hands, and leaning backwards against the pull of the mighty Ringmaster, ready for the sucker to shut it'self down! I could often feel my heartbeat in the pit of my elbows as the Fox gulped down the last of it's fuel!

Well there we go...got me foaming again! My little puddle-jumper airliner has arrived, so I got to put it to bed.

Lord, just give me a calm day to make this thing do it's thing !

pkrankow Wed Mar 20, 2013 9:07 pm

cribbs74 wrote:
Kim wrote:Thanks Ron!

I don't know where this plane was stored, but it's tires sure fared a lot better than it's covering! The Veco tires are still soft and usable...just need to put some wear on them now !

You betcha!! I know this is kind of old hat for you, but for me it was all brand new. I was smiling at work all the next day after my maiden. I hope you can have a little bit of that joy too.

The big ones fly really well and the comfort of that tight pull is reassuring for a newbie. Don't get me wrong I still love 1/2A it's just these big guys are pretty cool too. The Fox .35 is a tough engine. The one I am currently using was made in '52 and and used since '52. The 4-2-4 is great as you have time to think before your next stunt. The sound is incredible too.

My next builds will be the Super Clown, Shoestring and Cosmic Wind. Fun, fun!!!!!

Ron

I think those old veco wheels are more durable than they get credit for. Mine are still pliable too!

Phil

**RknRusty** Wed Mar 20, 2013 9:37 pm

pkrankow wrote:next question:
anybody ever put rustoleom over old dope? Tips?

I was thinking sand the dope down after washing it, then apply grey sandable primer, sand as needed, then color.

Phil

That's what I did on my whole Shoestring, sanded the surface of the old dope, it's hard stuff, just smoothed it, ragged it off with acetone, and sprayed light gray Rustoleum automotive primer, waited an hour or so and shined it up with some 600 grit paper, and laid on the colored Rustoleum. Put it in a warm dry place to cure for a few days(the longer the better). I clear coated it with Lustrekote then and the next day it was all set.

I got impatient with the Lustrekote and crazed a couple of patches of the red paint, so be careful not to go heavy to get the glassy look until the first light coats are fully dry. Where I crazed it I just scraped it off and repainted. It was in the rear so I didn't bother to clear coat that part again.

Earlier I said I read that clear Rustoleum is a good fuel proofer. Since then I have read to the contrary.

We can start another thread to talk it through so as not to muddy up Kim's thread.

dankar04 Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:02 am

Many planes like this were built many years ago. Check bellcrank as glue is old. Even if built well most used older glue. Even epoxy goes south after time. Guy gave me a very nice built S-1 Ringmaster. I gave it a gentle tug on leadout wires and pulled bellcrank from mount.
Fixed it and flew that planes for 12 years. Then gave it away. I just finished a new Ringmaster S-1. Need to mount engine/ tank and apply final decal. I covered it with polyspan, looks like silkspan but much stronger. OS .35S with Jetstream muffler. Brodak 4 oz. Uniflow tank with pressure. cheers

**RknRusty** Thu Mar 21, 2013 3:06 am

Sounds nice. Polyspan is good stuff, my SS is covered with it. Tell us about its maiden if you're so inclined.

pkrankow Thu Mar 21, 2013 8:42 am

I pull tested the lead outs prior to recovering.

Phil

Kim Thu Mar 28, 2013 6:08 am

So, I was supposed to help Rory clean up our gun range, AND meet some out-of-town friends for dinner...but then THIS happened:

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! - Page 5 51_10

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! - Page 5 51_10

followed by THIS:

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! - Page 5 Sam_3210

then THIS:

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! - Page 5 50_10

accompanied by THIS:

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! - Page 5 52_10

and finally chased by THIS:

As they used to say back in the ole diaper factory days: "I think we got us a trend developing here!"

**Cribbs74** Thu Mar 28, 2013 8:16 am

Woo hoo Kim!

Great flying job and looks like it's a good flyer. Excellent writeup! Thank you.

Ron

**RknRusty** Thu Mar 28, 2013 8:55 am

Kim wrote:So, I was supposed to help Rory clean up our gun range, AND meet some out-of-town friends for dinner...but then THIS happened:

Excellent, the only time us dudes are happy to have a limpy!

Thanks for the picture show and video entertainment. I hope to make a movie of my own soon.

Sponsored content