I haven't seen anyone do a build review yet on the Mini Telemaster so I thought I'd start one. It won't be a real fast build. However I'll try to do it as rapidly as possible. I'm going to use Speed 400 power. My first thought was to put ailerons on it but I'm having second thoughts about that now. I may just keep it R/E. I'll be covering this plane with scraps out of "coverings and trim sheet" box.

I built the fuselage over the past couple days (still not done). Some sheeting and diagonals still needs to go on but I snapped this picture today just to get this thread going.

I am not pleased with some of the wood in my kit. I threw out half of the 1/4 x 1/8 balsa for the fuselage rudder and stab construction. It was soft, no grain and "popped' in half when bent. Also, the sheet wood for the rudder, and elevators were hard as a rock. I replaced them. Rib wood looks OK and the rest of the strip wood looks good. The laser cutting looks great. Something I've never seen before, the turbulaors on the wings have no "rib" between them. The ribs are cut low at that spot and the turbs just sit on the rib.

Fred G.

I always enjoy watching others projects go together. Please keep us updated. Looks real nice so far. Too bad about the cheap balsa.

Mike

Fred:

I just read over your first post again. I don't think I would put ailerons on it either. (whats the point?) My funnest airplanes have always been slow rudder elevator models. Ailerons on slow models don't really seem to do much. I am always happier without em.

Mike

I think Gofli is doing a review....just cann't remember who the review is for, or if its done.......

I cringe when I see all those balsa sticks in the fuse. Always thought the Telemaster was a classic.

You'd think they could have burned balsa slab sides with laser cut lightening holes in them and saved all that gluing of sticks.

Can you tell that building is not my favorite part of this hobby?

Sierra Gold

Yup,

I am reviewing the Mini-Telemaster for Ezone. Looks like Blaze is a little ahead of me, however


Later,
David

Originally posted by sierra-gold
You'd think they could have burned balsa slab sides with laser cut lightening holes in them and saved all that gluing of sticks.
Sierra Gold

Nope, don't want to do that. The grain would be running the wrong way and make the structure weak. The glued-up stick method is the strongest and lightest way of doing it.

Personally, building is half the fun of the hobby for me. An ARF is like eating food someone else has already chewed.

Blaze,

This is a great thread! I just got my mini TELEMASTER in the mail last week as a result from a buddy Gerry (a.k.a., SIMANO) who was kind enough to purchase it for me so, he can get his sky brother in the sky with him and fly alone with his SIG (Electric) RASCAL!

Wow, I will be following this thread carefully and will keep notes of those recommendations as you go along!

Thanks!
Carlos

Originally posted by kansascloud
Fred:

I just read over your first post again. I don't think I would put ailerons on it either. (whats the point?) My funnest airplanes have always been slow rudder elevator models. Ailerons on slow models don't really seem to do much. I am always happier without em.

Mike

Mike,

You are so correct.....take for example the GWS E-STARTER, a nice foamie model that comes in around 15 -16oz and does have ailerons with dihedral ! Depending on what kind of power you put her, she usually is going too slow for any effective response from the ailerons especially to roll he about the FUSE axis. What I usually need to do is kick some rudder along with the ailerons to get any effective roll. However, many start flying this model just with elevator and rudder and it does very well. Ailerons need air speed in order to be worth while.

I studied the mini-TELEMASTER blue-line drawing that came with the kit and it just isn't worth the trouble nor the extra weight for this model to obtain ailerons IMO.

Carlos

Originally posted by sierra-gold
I cringe when I see all those balsa sticks in the fuse. Always thought the Telemaster was a classic.

You'd think they could have burned balsa slab sides with laser cut lightening holes in them and saved all that gluing of sticks.

Can you tell that building is not my favorite part of this hobby?

Sierra Gold

Sierra Gold,

Most of the classic models that my fellow GAS (I.C.) flyers fly have the same kind of construction and they are considered classic since these models are very old. I fly in a club that mostly have a large retirement community near the Space Center and these guys have classics! Surprisingly, they don't have a problem with me flying just electrics and it seems that I have given them the bug to fly electrics as a result of less gear they have to deal with.

I personally will drill out some holes in the solid sheets of balsa up front on the FUSE to lighten her up a bit and use CARBON REEL product that is available here in WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA...from a supplier known as BOB VIOLETT MODELS. These Carbon Fiber Reel can be easily cut with a standard shears or knife and you can re-enforce almost any structure including the foam ailerons that are shown in the attached picture from a GWS FORMOSA ARF.

Carlos

mmmmmmmmmmmm sticks.... gotta love it! Keep us posted!

-Bill

Well, ive got ya all beat! All i have left to do is build a wing panel, everything else is covered already. I love building with sticks, i actually prefer it to the nice laser cut plank sides. The wood in my kit was good, except for the control surfaces. I built a larger rudder (about 2x, is that too big?) out of scrap sticks, but im going to replace the elevator wood, as it could pass for liteply almost. I weighed my tail surfaces (Horiz. & vert. stabs. and rudder) and the elevator halves weighed more than everything else combined! I also added a hatch in the bottom for battery access, inbetween the LG block and next spar. So far its been a really easy, well designed kit to build. My fuse and tail surfaces, covered weigh in a less than 2.25 ounces, im pretty happy with that so far.
Jonathan

I tried posting earlier but something was "down" somewhere and I couldn't connect. Kansacloud (Mike) has it right. I have other airplanes that I can do rolls with.... why else would you want ailerons? Besides, a high winged airplane doesn't do very pretty rolls anyway. Mine will be R/E.

I have the fuselage completely done. Construction of the stab will begin this morning. More pictures later today. I may even get to the wing today.

Stick constuction IS very time consuming, I admit. But it's well worth the effort when you show up at the field, and people praise your workmanship . I have a double size Comet Sparky covered in trans. yellow that gets all sorts of compliments everytime I show up at the field with it. I'm a builder, but admit to luv'in some of these ARFs that are out there.



Fred G.

A bottom hatch >would< be a great modification.

I only skim directions, as a I sheeted the sides after putting in the cross pieces. No problem, everything is straight and true, perfect.

Do these pictures look clear? When I view them online, they are grainy. I think it's because of Earthlinks' "accelerator" in their new software,.. faster download but poorer quality.

Fred G
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~guilfo/fms.htm

SWEET!!!

Fred G.
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~guilfo/fms.htm