[Thunder Chicken]

I'll be soon starting a scratch build of a twin otter. Plans call fir 3/16" and 1/2" sheeting on the fuselage! There's only one stringer running length wise down the fuse. I'd like to use 3/32 sheeting. should I add a few more stringers say 1/2 the width of my sheeting apart for support, or just break the bank and kill the rainforest and build as per the plans?!! (or buy the arf but what fun would that be!)
These are Model Builder plans btw.
This won't be a museum quality scale model, as long as it kinda looks like a twitter flying around i'll be happy!
Thanks for any advise

[bobreib]

This is a fairly large electric twin otter. ( 65 inch wingspan )
Plans are from Model Airplane News.
The fuse was made from 5 or 6 formers and some 1/4 inch framing.

I would use some light ply formers and stringers and forget the sheeting, or use very thin stuff like 1/16 inch ..

[guyl]

I would build it with 1/16 or 3/32 sheeting. I would put stringers to
provide sound structure then I would glass the structure with 3/4 oz
glass and use Pacer Z Poxy Finishing Resin diluted 50% with ethanol. You will end up with a very light structure and strong. You do sand down with 220 sandpaper before
applying a filling primer wich you sand down again prior to colour
application.

Just finish glassing a TF Spitfire MkIX.....I am coming down with a
rash on one of my forearm...first time I did use the Pacer Finishing Resing
Z Poxy....I think its Epoxy Resin Dermatitis... Looks like Poisin Ivy
Burns like hell. It could be it is more toxic than some other resin I used
in the past..I was told it was more sandable than other type of epoxies.
and it does and very easy to blend in overlaps, nice stuff.
As for my rash...well maybe I have been expose for too many years
in poorly ventulated areas with resin and other chemicals.

Guy

[Struts1]

Originally Posted by guyl

I would build it with 1/16 or 3/32 sheeting. I would put stringers to
provide sound structure then I would glass the structure with 3/4 oz
glass and use Pacer Z Poxy Finishing Resin diluted 50% with ethanol. You will end up with a very light structure and strong. You do sand down with 220 sandpaper before
applying a filling primer wich you sand down again prior to colour
application.

Just finish glassing a TF Spitfire MkIX.....I am coming down with a
rash on one of my forearm...first time I did use the Pacer Finishing Resing
Z Poxy....I think its Epoxy Resin Dermatitis... Looks like Poisin Ivy
Burns like hell. It could be it is more toxic than some other resin I used
in the past..I was told it was more sandable than other type of epoxies.
and it does and very easy to blend in overlaps, nice stuff.
As for my rash...well maybe I have been expose for too many years
in poorly ventulated areas with resin and other chemicals.

Guy

TC, who's plans are you building this TOtter from?, doesn't sound good building plans to me, yeah most scale plans are builder's plans and do have there low points as Don Smith, Dan Palmer are notorious for inaccuracies in them, yet people have built beautiful models from them. I would follow what Guy stated in his first section of the post, add more stringers and then sheet it with 3/32" sheeting, then glass over it.

Guy,

Sorry to hear about ur allergy with epoxy resins, i have heard that people do get allergic to epoxy resins after long exposures specially if you don't wear gloves when laying resin on the cloth. I don't like Poly resins at all, they stink, i use epoxy resins myself, bit pricey but far better results specially if you are working indoors....

[Tomahawk]

Building from a kit or plans, I always refer to the building instructions as a suggested guideline. If I know of a better way to build the plane or structure I change the build to my way of thinking.

Probably why it takes me so long to put these things together as I am always changing one thing or another.

Chris

[Thunder Chicken]

Quote:" These are Model Builder plans btw"

I guess the general info I'd like to know us how much support the sheeting needs. On say 4" wide sheeting, would stringers 2" apart be enough support?

The building guide with these plans is a copy from the 1970's magazine they were published in and provide very little in the way of building instructions. Besides a few kadet's and spades, this will be my first in depth scratch build. I'm looking forward to it!

[Struts1]

It all depends on are area of the fuselage that needs sheeting, for instance around firewalls stringer gaps could come close to 1/4" to 1/2" but then on the top decks sections may only need 3/4" gaps between the stringers to say as rough estimate with out seeing the plans.

How wide is the fuselage cross section wise both side to side and top to bottom at the widest point and both front and back ends.....

Post some pictures of these plans for guys to get better idea to help you out with your questions.

[canadianf1pilot]

I prefer the 3/32 sheeting, but i'm a bit ham fisted so the 1/16 tends to get broken...

our ski fly in Souix went great, and finnaly got a look at Joe's "Diesel Beaver"....looks great and Tom Rowe made a great set of ski's for it.....

hope we get a few fires in the Dryden area so you can com visit...

Bill