My Shoestring Stunter is RTF

cribbs74 wrote:I'd go maple on the dowels if possible.

Maple is kind of soft as hardwood goes, isn't it? Anyway, I agree, dowels would be the professional way to do it. Live and learn. I should have test-fit it when it was still yeller and fugly.

that's why i was saying hit with thin CA, it will soak into the end grain.

RknRusty wrote:

cribbs74 wrote:I'd go maple on the dowels if possible.

Maple is kind of soft as hardwood goes, isn't it? Anyway, I agree, dowels would be the professional way to do it. Live and learn. I should have test-fit it when it was still yeller and fugly.

Your bearers should be hard rock Maple, most are.

Problems are always more simple in the light of day.
I bored the mounting holes on the engine until I was approaching the edge of raised boss that surrounds each hole. Then I used a 1/8" bit to bore the threads out of the existing blind nuts so the 4-40 bolts will pass through them. Voila, it fits. Not only were the Blind nuts located for a different pattern, but they were out of square with each other. But I didn't have to dig them out.

I snuck up on the size of the engine holes bit by bit... literally. They are wider than I would have preferred but there's plenty of metal left to secure the engine with no worries. If I had had to open them up past the boss, I would have stopped and changed plans, but I barely got there without removing them.

Now I can continue on with clear coating and making a fuel tank. I'm down to only a slim probability of flying it tomorrow. Clear coat requires a 24 hour minimum drying time.

You know, I always find problems easier to solve the next day as well. I think the brain gets frazzled and gives up on you in the evening. Glad you got it sorted.

Ron

I sprayed the clear on today. Three very light coats went on, then I gave it a couple of hours to dry and added the heavier coat to give it the glassy look. As it dried, it crazed a couple of patches of the red on the fuse, and bubbled it up. I hate it when that happens. I'm not sure what causes it. Maybe I hit it too soon. No big deal, I'll scrape it off and hit it with some fresh red and leave it alone. It looks pretty good for the most part and is fuel and oil proof now. I can bolt the engine on in the morning.

One of the club guys used to work for a hobby shop. He gave me an old Perfect tank display with all the different tanks on it, including one I could use, a #10 3oz normally vented. The only thing is they are all attached to the backboard by a pair of pop rivets, so every tank has two holes in it. I drilled it off the board and pulled the rivets out. Two nice holes in it, and the bottom vent tube had been removed so it would mount flush on the display.

I've never soldered anything but electrical stuff, but I've read plenty of Ken's writing on working on tanks, so I whipped out the little torch and my Weller gun and went to it. After removing the front end cap, there was a little mess inside on the edges, probably just old flux. So I took some acetone and a brass brush to it and it cleaned up easily. Then there were the two holes to deal with. I thought of patching, but took an easier route. I have plenty of brass tube, so I cut two 1/2" pieces and soldered them in the rivet holes. I cut a vent line and soldered it in place, then removed as much of the old solder from the edges of the end plate as I could. I had a can of rosin flux, not acid, and ran a bead around the lip. Put it together and went around it with the gun and the 60/40 solder. I hope 60/40 is okay.

These tanks must have been factory rejects. I capped all the vents and plugged a syringe into the feed line and pumped it up under water. It blew bad bubbles out of the corner under the feed line, so I fixed that, and then it blew little bubbles out of the long back seam. I rubbed rosin into it and soldered it, and no bubbles. It holds pressure nicely. So now I have a funny looking tank, bristling with two extra tubes, both plugged. Not uniflow, but it will do for now.

And that's today's Shoestring update.

I have had success bridging holes with solder alone. It's tricky, but can be done.

Humidity....... That's when I usually notice the crazing when I paint. Of course it could be a compatability issue.

Ron

cribbs74 wrote:I have had success bridging holes with solder alone. It's tricky, but can be done.

Humidity....... That's when I usually notice the crazing when I paint. Of course it could be a compatability issue.

Ron

I think it was me rushing and putting the thick coat on too soon. I just ran out there between tax documents and took a look. The good news is I hit it with a razor plane and sandpaper and knocked it down smooth. A quick shot of red will completely fix it. Mmmmmaybe I'll get to the field with it today. Probably late, but I can hope. The Income tax is going pretty smoothly. It's a beautiful day, already 65F and no wind.

Taxes will be waiting when you get back. Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow.

65 degrees and no wind!!!!!!!!!! Go Go Go!!!!

My wife is an accountant... I am a gopher.

Well 3:00 came and I could've gone flying, but I'd been on and off a ladder for two hours screwing with the back yard light. When I got finished I decided to spend the rest of the day meditating with the Shoestring. I wanted to get the LG on and the engine mounted.

The beam mount holes weren't the only thing crooked on the old battle axe. The LG holes were a real cluster fail. They were drilled at three different angles through the fuse, which made putting on the outboard strut pretty hilarious, the angled screws were nowhere near the holes in the strut. So after 4 trips to the drill press and two files later I finally got them on and pointed in the same direction. I pushed across the floor and it rolls straight now. Earlier it wanted to turn left like a NASCAR ride. Needless to say, turning left on the wheels is very Bad for a control line plane, especially launching.

Then I made a pair of 1/16" aluminum shims to bush the engine against the wood and keep the offset washers from digging in. And after my master craftsmanship Saturday of reworking of the holes, it slid right into place, even pointed in all the right directions. She's a thing of beauty now. But I would have never gotten it all done in time to fly today anyway. It suited me to just take my time and work at my leisure with the shop doors wide open to sun and 74 degrees. With daylight savings time i think I can get some weekday flying in over at the churchyard.

So tomorrow I'll have my funny looking fuel tank mounted and I know I won't be able to resist cranking it up and seeing it come to life.

Good stuff Rusty, be sure to post a finished pic when you have a chance. Followed by a oil soaked pic shortly therafter

She's ready to fly. Mounting the tank took some work, as I didn't just want to strap it on with rubber bands. I cut a 3/4" wide strap from a soup can, smoothed the raw edges and made a tab at each end to screw down to the existing holes. Two pieces of silicon fuel tube glued to the back of the tank cushions it and the strap looks pretty pro. Only thing is I dropped the tank on the table and heard it go clickity click, so there's a bit of solder loose in there... it's always something, i'll address that later.

I unrolled my .015 lines and inspected them, cleaned them and test held the Sullivan EZ-Just handle. Feels good. I have a choice of the line width of 3-5/8" or 1-7/8". Hmmmm, I think I'll go wide. The elev horn is set for narrow throws.

AUW=30.9oz. without the muffler. Not too shabby for a repair job

Awesome job! Now fly that thing!

I should be right with you Rusty. My Ringmaster is finished, and I set up the lines today. Now, I just need Mother Nature to cooperate !!!!

Wow, I am behind now. I haven't benched and broke in the engine for my ringmaster yet. It is a NEW Fox .35 stunt, so I know it will take me all day to break it in. I think I still need a prop too. I do have a set of lines and did make sure they were usable. I also have a handle.

I need to put a wire tail skid on the airplane and set up a stooge.

I'll probably be doing break in when you two get your first flight.

Phil

Well I'll be doing my maiden on Sunday the 17th at about 1:30, so there's still time, Phil.

Ha! I beat all three of ya.....

Yeah I see that greasy ol plane. Give us a good report, boy!

I just got back from Brodak.com. I went ahead and ordered a nice new uniflow 3oz oval, a couple of clevises, or maybe that's "clevii" and some 1,2 and 3 degree offset wedges. I might remove my washers and use those. It didn't say what size engine they were for, but they were cheap.

Yep, Kim, Phil take your cameras and we'll meet up for a video contest this weekend.

I bought a digital video camera that can go on my tripod just for flying. It isn't expensive, or even full HD, but should be good.

Phil

I set my camera back about 30 feet with the tripod only a foot or two tall, and just make sure center circle is at the very bottom center of the viewfinder. I might have to adjust the distance for the 60' lines, but that works well for the 40' 1/2A videos.

Can't wait guys, you all have some nice planes. I wish I had a camera today, but I wasn't about to ask the weathered old dude to film my exploits on my Iphone.

Respect your elders!!!!!