OK here it begins.

This is my work area. Tucked away in a back room of my basement that I call the "Duck Room" because I have to duck to enter. Its tight, but its the only place in my small home that I can pull this off without causing marital strain. I had to purge a lot of junk to make room. In the past, when I was single, I set up in the spare bedroom. Now my new wife has that room for her stuff.

I built a building board out of 2'x6'x3/4" particle shelf board, and two layers of cork sheeting glued on with 3M 77 spay. I had a smaller one but my cat used it for a scratch board. I needed a bigger one anyway.

After taking about 12 years off from the hobby, I have decided to get back into it. I guess I had forgotten what catching great thermals was like.

This will be my 9th build since 1984'ish. I've been out of the loop sort of speak, so I'm going to need advice as I go.

Thanks for watching.

Here is the building board. Open and receptive. The kit is due tomorrow.

Let 'er rip, tater chip...all eyes here...

Don

Looking forward to this build. Just one suggestion: If you haven't already, sight down the length of your build surface and be sure there is no "dip" or "crown". If there is you may have to shim it from the bottom to make it as flat as possible.

PP

I've checked that with a large strait edge. Its pretty good.

Is it done yet?

build light, flies right.
build straight, flies great.

my old buddy l.a. told me this back when i worked as an engineer at lockheed - not bad, huh!

Well here it is, nice and tidy. Very nice kit. Well organized.

I unrolled the plans and started reading the instructions and came to an immediate snag. The instructions spoke of gluing the .0007x3/8" carbon fiber to one of the spars, yet there was no carbon fiber included in the kit. Is this an option or was the carbon fiber omitted by mistake? I sent an email to Ray. I'll find out soon. Perhaps I can get the carbon at a local hobby store.

I figure if I start now, I could have the kit finished by 4 AM Sunday working nonstop.

Include me in the crowd!

Don't know if the CF is supposed to be included with the kit but it's usually available at the LHS here plus there's several good sources on line. You'll need it NLT Saturday by 3:00 to reach your Sunday morning deadline though.

It looks so much like my O3 kit when I got it. I suspect it is similar and of very high quality.

PP

Looking forward to this build...

After reading further, I realize that first thing, I'm going to need to figure out how the spoilers will be actuated. From the look of things, wing servos will be needed. I don't think tubing for dial cord to a central servo will be practical.

He shows the servos being a little aft with a linkage to a horn on the spoiler. I saw somewhere where the servo was under the spoiler and lift it with friction and no linkage and small magnets were placed to firmly hold the spoiler down. I like this because it moves the servo more forward.

I can take pics of my Skybird if and when you feel the need. I wish I could say that I built it! (But, I have built a Skybench Lil Bird and a Mini Bird). I bought the Skybird used and the first owner did a fantastic job building it!

What a beautiful kit...Ray rocks! Tubing and dial cord/SpiderWire is very practical and saves weight and power. I used it on my OlyIII and the blade actuation is very even and at about 80°.

CF strips you'll have to purchase. I think most folks apply the CF to the upper and lower spars and use .014" thick. The great thing about Ray's stuff is that your able to put your own spin on things.

Don

I'll be watching too . I just ordered the Oly II, but a SkyBird might be in my future . The use of Carbon fibers and other Carbon Composites is a little new to me and wonder how this stuff is used/applied?