Super Clown racing build

I am with Rusty on this. This will surely be a great build and plane.

Hope to see more soon.

Theo

Thanks guys!
Drilled and installed threaded inserts today. I like to plug the inserts with beeswax to keep epoxy out of the threads :


Inserts for engine, tank, and nose skid/front brake. Never pretty at this stage:


There's a brass landing gear bushing epoxied in that mount:


I found some ultracote for $6.95 today, pearl purple! Need to think about a fuselage color with that....

Jim

Black, Silver or White.

I like where this is headed.

JPvelo wrote:Thanks guys!
Drilled and installed threaded inserts today. I like to plug the inserts with beeswax to keep epoxy out of the threads ...

Jim, you got me started using 4-40 brass inserts. I love them.

I just run the insertion screw with lock nuts all the way into the insert, tighten the lock nuts, and then apply the epoxy and crank them down into the hole. I leave the screw in until the glue hardens. First I drill the pilot holes and slightly counter sink the plywood to keep it from cracking. While the glue is setting, I make sure the countersink gap is filled with epoxy around the screw too. If it's stuck after loosening the lock nuts(it usually is), I heat the screw and it comes right out. Then shave off any excess epoxy. They've stood up to some rough tests.
Rusty

Thanks Rusty, next time I install inserts they will be much prettier!

Off to a good start Jim I Am sure it will be a beauty when done , Purple sounds nice / white and blue or green would bee some choses I would recommend / but that is just me . Looking forward to the progress . Eric

Have the fuselage roughed out. Not much room for a nacelle with a 1 3/4" spinner after installing 1/8" inboard sheeting but I think it looks a little "racy".



I am going to try and get the wing framed up today. It may be a little ambitious but I would like to be shooting paint by mid week when it warms back up to the mid 70's.

Jim

Jim, does your racing rules require a spinner? Your pretty much dead in the water if a prop change is needed. I've had this happened on hard pit stops where the prop lightly struck the ground. I don't use wire wheel gears any longer due to this problem and since switched to single solid aluminum legs. If the rules don't require it, I would give that some thought. Even a backfire can loosen the prop which makes tightening impossible. Your competition puts about 5-6 laps on you before your airborne.

Ken,
I appreciate the input as I am new to this racing thing. I will leave the spinner off on race day.

Jim

If you wanted to keep a spinner, then you could always use one that screws on top of the propeller instead of over it. It wouldn't be any slower to remove than a prop nut and washer.

Ron

Ron, I use 1/4-28 flange nuts in speed limit combat due to what your explaining. Time is essential there equally and a prop change can determine win lose by one second. This way no fiddling with washers and losing them in the grass. Purchasing several flange nuts allows me to keep them on the side of my pitbox via a magnet so if the nut is dropped or lost due to backfire and spitting off I can quickly grab another. Painting them hi vis orange or yellow is also most helpful. In racing, your against the clock equally so reducing your fiddling with small parts like a washer is most helpful. Your adrenaline shoots out the roof and in the heat of it all you make dumb mistakes. Having your P's & Q's in order is the key to successfully doing well and not how fast you can go. I've seen many make rookie mistakes. Reaming your props to the first step on a prop reamer on all of your props is the best tip I can offer. This allows for quick simple installation and ease of clocking your prop fast. Ken

rsv1cox wrote:You guys are so far ahead of me on these C/L builds that I have to swear off publishing pictures of my stuff....

But, I must say that it's really nice rubbing internet elbows with the best builders & flyers around.  Keep it up, I'm learning and catching up.  

Bob

Bob it takes all of us to fill in the gaps. Everybody here knows things that others of us don't even know we don't know.
Rusty

Jim, I see something that would stall me until I shimmed and sweated over my engine fitment. Your centerline is referenced to the engine center, which is above the airfoil center. Is that by design? I always draw my centerline through the LE and TE of the wing cutout so as to have an incidence reference for the wing and stabilizer. So far all of the kits I've built have had the engine on the same centerline as the wing. I'm not sure if it matters, as this is a racer and not a stunter. On a stunter it seems like you'd want the same amount of propwash blowing over both top and bottom of a symmetrical airfoil.
Sorry, I'm not trying to irritate you, just curious.
Rusty

Rusty,
I was using the crankshaft for the centerline and that's just how it turned out!

Seriously, I could do a better job of being more  precise and less "fast and rough" with my builds. I see a lot if things in my photos after the fact that I don't see beforehand but this looks like it's coming out pretty good.


I always appreciate your input. That brass insert on the upper back side of the engine was installed using your method and I'm sure you can see the improvement over the first ones. Thanks for the advice!

Jim

I think in the capacity it is being used that tiny bit of asymmetry  in thrust line won't make a difference.

Even if you choose to stunt with it, it won't make a difference. It doesn't stunt well enough to be noticeable.

Edit: nevermind, I see you fixed it. Carry on...

Ah very good, I'm glad my insert tip was useful.
That centerline looks spot on now.
Rusty

EDIT: another thing is, I usually remove the screw starting with a quick snap rather than easing on the pressure. I feel like it's safer for the new glue joint which may not be absolutely cured even after a day.

Making good progress.
Fuselage almost ready for silk span:


Framed up wing featuring my "paranoid about the pull test" bellcrank mount:


Framing is identical top and bottom, all cross members get glued to the sheeting, bellcrank is supported top and bottom:


Adjustable leadouts with homemade slider:



I hope to spray primer Sunday or Monday.

Jim

Looks like a rock solid machine. I look forward to some racing videos.

Looks good Jim, really like the racy appearance. Are you going to add tips?

The Brodak version is very different than the PDQ/CLC version.

Thanks guys,

Yes it gets tips and fixed flaps.

Looks Really Good Jim , You do some pretty work, The profile is outstanding ! Eric