[Gary Maker]

At this stage it was time to take a break from the assembly work to doing some sanding. I made myself a series of sanding blocks/bars about 12" long out of 3/4" X 2" pine board. I glued sandpaper to cover one full side of each
block. Start with 100 grit, then 150, 220, 320 & 400. 5 blocks/bars in all.

Tip: The smoother you sand/finish the surface to be covered, the easier the covering will apply, the stronger the bond will be & the better looking the finished covering job will be! Sanded in stages as above, once you complete the 400 grit and wipe it down, the balsa will feel like glass.

I sanded the entire fuse to 150 grit at this stage. It will be finish sanded once the building is complete.

Next I did the layout for where the mounting bolts would go for the engine mount. Holes drilled and blind nuts inserted I mounted the engine mount. Next put the engine on the mount, a Thunder Tiger Pro 46 ABC and mark the location of the bolt holes. I drilled out the holes, and mounted the engine using 4-40 soc head bolts dabbed with a bit of blue loc-tight!

Next I removed the hatch cover and installed the fuel tank and lines.

Tip: I use a method I learned some time ago for mounting the fuel tank. It's easy, clean, vibration proof and strong. On the bottom of the tank compartment I layed a 2" wide strip of hook Velcro. On each side of the velcro, I cut a slot about 1 1/4" lg to insert a hold down strap of velcro. On the bottom of the tank, first I cleaned it with Acetone and covered the tank bottom with a 2" wide strip of loop Velcro. Put the tank in place pressing it into the velcro. Use a velcro strap long enough to go around the tank and fasten at the top. That's it. A fool proof tank installation.

While at this stage, I went ahead and drilled the hole beside the motor mount for the throttle line. Next I installed a piece of plastic tube through which I used a length of piano wire long enough to go from the engine throttle arm to inside the fuse to the desired throttle servo position.

I also installed a couple of servo rails near the back of the fuse compartment and installed the rudder and elevator servos in the proper position for the golden rod push rods and clipped the rods to the servo arms.

With the fuse now near finished, I moved on to building the stab/elevator and the fin/rudder.

[Gary Maker]

I repositioned the blueprints to have the tail section pieces on top of the cork board and again covered the work area of the plans with wax paper.

First I stripped some balsa sheet the desired size with the balsa stripper to make up the leading edge of the stab as well as the spars and trailing edge. I cut two pieces of 3/4" balsa tri stock the proper length for the wing tips. Now I had to manufacture the tail wing/stab ribs as the Tele using a flying tail surface.

An easy method to do this is to use some clear template material to trace out one of the ribs onto this material and cut it out. I then traced around the template to draw the rib onto a 3/32 piece of sheet balsa. I repeated this for the number of ribs needed X 2. (Remember, I am building one plane but making up pieces as I go for 2 planes)

Being so small, I simply cut around each rib with an X-Acto knife to make the ribs. I stacked the ribs together and held them tight while I rough sanded all the ribs to the exact same size and shape. Next I had to use the X-Acto knife to cut notches in both top and bottom of each rib where the spar would go. That being done, I loosely assembled the whole stab. Using "T" pins I pinned the pieces to the plans and glued everything in place.

I then removed the pins and removed the stab from the work table. I sanded the wing tips to shape and sanded all the rough edges of the entire stab and that was that. Next I used a length of aileron stock to cut out the elevator halves. I cut out the hard wood joiner and notched the elevator halves in the centre to accept the joiner. Gluing it in place, the elevator was also now done.

Next I used some 1/4" balsa sheet to trace and cut out the fin pieces (3) and the rudder piece.

Tip: to join sheeting, I have found the best method is to lay all the pieces together in their proper order. Holding them tight, use masking tape and tape over the seams lengthways .....on one side only! Now turn over the taped unit and bend one piece to 90 degrees and hold it in that position. lay a bead of CA glue along one edge and bring the pieces back together, holding for just a few seconds until the glue sets. Do the same with the remaining piece and the fin is done. When sanded, you will hardly if, if at all, be able to see the seam as it will be glued tight and smooth.

[williame3590]

Glad your back at things Gary, we're watching.


Bill

[Gary Maker]

Here are a few more pictures showing the sheeting, the cabin compartment, the hatch and fuel system installation, and another of the engine installation.

In the second picture you can see how I modified the front of the fuse to have an accessable fuel tank compartment by making a removable hatch cover. A modification worth taking the time to do!

In the next segment, I will show the finishing and mounting of the stab.

[Gary Maker]

Now that the fin/rudder and the stab/elevators are complete, they are ready for mounting.

Even though this is a fairly easy model to scratch build and is simple enough, this in one of those areas that you must take your time and get it correct. If you've ever tried to fly a model where the tail feathers were crooked you'll know you need to measure correctly, sand level, and assure everything is aligned and straight if you want your plane to handle smoothly and you don't have to fight the controls to keep it flying straight.

I have, as said previously, build many kits over the years. As hard as I tried, I always seemed to get the stab ever so slightly glued on out of level. If the stab goes on crooked, even a bit, then the fin will no doubt also be slightly out of wack. SO once again, and I cannot stress this enough, TAKE your time and get it right!!

First I measured the length of the leading edge of the stab and put a pencil mark at dead center, as well as on the trailing edge. Just in front of the stab, measure and put a pencil mark on the fuse. Do the same at the rear of the fuse. You will note the pencil marks on the pictures to follow. Now when you put the stab in place it should be fairly close to proper alignment BUT not perfect! And it is bound to be slightly off level. Here is what I did to help assure it was NOT glued in place like this.

First, cleared the table off directly under where the stab will sit on the fuse. Then I pushed the fuse down as low as it would go and weighted it to stay in this position. (note this in pictures) Next I put the stab in place on the rear of the fuse and aligned my pencil marks. Holding it in place, I measured the height from the table to the bottom of the stab trailing edge at the last rib before the wing tip, adjusting the stab until both sides measured the same.

Next I made a couple of "T" pieces of 1/8" X 1/2" balsa and cut the height to this exact measurement. These pieces will slide under the trailing edge at the last rib before the wingtip. Both pieces should have no gap with the stab sitting on them but not even slightly causing the stab to be raised. Sand it slightly until you get them to fit perfectly this way. Now, I can be assured that the stab will be perfectly level when I apply the glue and set it in place. DO NOT glue yet!

Next, I needed to assure that the stab was exactly perpendicular to the center line running the length of the fuse. To do this, I made another jig to help me with this part of the alignment.

Again I used a balsa stick 1/8" X 1/2" wide approx 2.5' in length. Just behind the cabin opening I put a pencil mark in the exact center of the fuse width. Using a T pin I pinned the stick in the center of the pencil mark. Now I swung the far end of the stick to the corner of the Right hand side of the stab and put a mark on the stick at this location. I used a square and drew a line across the stick. I swung the stick to the left side and checked to see if the line was exactly in the center of the stab corner. Slightly off! Adjusted the stab and made a new mark on the stick and again swung it from side to side checking to see that the stab was perfectly square.

I also had to slightly change the pencil mark on the fuse at the center front and rear of the stab. Now it's perfectly level and perpendicular AND ready to permanently glue into place.

Once this is glued into place, I will glue the fin into the opening on the top of the stab. Next will be to mount the hinges into the control surfaces and the fuse is almost completely done!

Tip: Use Epoxy to glue the stab to the fuse. As epoxy takes a few minutes to setup, it will give you a bit of time to double check that everything is lined up and as level as possible. With C/A, you better get it bang on the first try or you're fudged!

Here are a few pictures to show the alignment process of the stab to the fuse.

[michel gravelle]

Hi Guys

Sure wish the younger lads would get in on threads like this . There,s a lot to learn here . Great thread

Michel

[Gary Maker]

Michel, thank you my friend for the encouraging words.

One of the main reasons I thought of doing this thread was, not to have just another build thread but, to share ideas, techniques, & hopefully inspire those who have never built a plane from a kit, let alone scratch build one, to give it a try, at least once during their time in this wonderfully diverse, fun and very educational hobby!!

I have absolutely nothing against ARF's. For many folks, the advent of ARF's gave them, or should I say, allowed them entrance into this hobby that perhaps they could otherwise not have had the time, the space nor the means to participate in and enjoy all the benefits this hobby has to offer.

But to those of you who have never built a kit, I wanted to encourage you to do yourself a big favour and go for it. Yes, it is going to involve more time to build a kit compared to assembling an ARF. Perhaps even somewhat more of an expense to obtain all the necessary equipment, parts and supplies. But the benefits of building a kit are amazing!

It will help you learn and/or understand blueprints. How all the individual parts relate to one another and how they all fit together to produce your plane! It will show you where to put all these parts to get the desired results. You will gain an understanding of all the various components that make up a model plane. You will develop building techniques, learn the proper applications of the different glues used. You will learn and understand about the various woods used and on and on it goes!

One of the big benefits is that like any type of planes, even ARF's can crash and after building a kit, you will have a much greater knowledge and understanding of how to apply the skills learned to affect a strong, relyable and almost unnoticeable repair to your otherwise demised ARF.

Remember how you feel after assembling your ARF and you take it to the field for the first time, fire up the engine or switch on the motor, taxi out and take off and see your plane fly for the first time?? Awesome feeling isn't it?

Now just think of the pride, excitement and overwhelming joy ( maybe even a bit of the shakes ) when you take a box of balsa sheets and sticks, glue them all together, complete a beautiful finishing job, actually building your own plane. Now you taxi out, apply the throttle, your plane picks up speed and lifts off! A couple clicks of aileron trim, perhaps a click of elevator trim and your flying, exactly the way it is suppose to. OH MAN, it's the second greatest feeling in the world! And you did it!!!

That's why I am doing this thread. Hopefully you will be inspired, gain some knowledge of building, and gain the insentive and self confidence to at least once during your time in the hobby, to build a plane from a kit and fly it. The thrill, the pride and the excitement, that you too can experience by flying a plane that you actually built yourself!

[michel gravelle]

Hi

This says a lot , QUOTE :The thrill, the pride and the excitement,

If they only knew what they are missing .

Michel

[dean2287]

Great work so far Gary! You make it look easy, but I can appreciate the planning and skill involved. Well done.

[Nick Milligan]

It is great to see so much encouragement to create, Beautiful work and thank you for sharing.
NIck