My new Tiny is almost ready to go. Scratch built, and covered with Reynolds wrap using Balsarite. GWS-DXA motor with GWS 9x7 prop, Hitec Feather receiver, 2 HS-55 servos. Finished weight without the battery is 4.1 oz I'm waiting for a 8x300 mAh NiMh from Todd, which I think weighs 2 oz, so I will be a little heavy at 6.1 oz. I'm a pretty good builder, so I know the airframe is fairly light. I could shave .3 oz by using a GWS R4P receiver and 2 GWS Pico servos. And if I used a 8x120 pack at 1 oz, I'd be at 4.8 oz You guys who can build this at 4.1 oz with a 8x120 pack are quite good!

I am trying the carbon fiber landing gear from Todd Long. I sandwiched it between the motor mount and the CF tube. Hopefully that will stay. Only thing is, there is only about 1/4" prop clearance to the ground when sitting still. Hopefully it will hop off quickly without needing much flying of the tail. I should have mounted the landing gear to the bottom of the tube to get another 1/4" clearance. Oh well.

Photo1 - I never knew Reynolds wrap came in 8 colors!
Photo2 - Motor mount, ready to assemble.
Photo3 - Closeup of Todd's landing gear.
Photo4 - Closeup of finished front end.

PS - if you don't have CF thread, then use cotton thread. I tried a polyester thread and the CA would not stick to it. The CA loved the cotton thread.

Happy Flying,
Derek

Originally posted by DerekB
Photo2 - Motor mount, ready to assemble.

Originally posted by DerekB
Photo3 - Closeup of Todd Long's landing gear

Originally posted by DerekB
Closeup of finished front end

Nice Job Derek!

Great job Derek! I tried that gear too and found it to be short. I built mine from a kit so I used the longer one provided and it works good. You will love the Tiny I am in training for my E3D with it. Got my kit Sat. It looks so BIG.

Originally posted by Jim Ward
I am in training for my E3D with it.

Jim,

Exactly my thoughts too. I can't decide whether to get the Edge 540 from Dave at RadicalRC or get the E3D from Gary. It seems like the Edge 540 is still in the ParkFlyer category, ie, can fly in small field. The E3D just seems so big that it would require a much bigger flying field during the learning stages. I'm sure the experts could fly it in a small spot.

I've priced out all the components for the Edge 540. What do you think the E3D will cost you (kit, motor, ESC, servos, receiver, battery - the whole flying package). I know all the stuff is bigger for the E3D.

Derek

Derek:
The kit and Motor from Gary cost $150.00. I will have to build a pack or two. prob. another $75.00. I have all the rest from other planes. I will use a JR 421EX that I aquired for very little, not the best radio but will suffice for my current skill level. I have a friend who just completed an E3D, he is a excelent flyer and is very impressed with the plane. He used a Phasor Motor and the plane is AWSOME! Space to fly out here in N.M. is not a problem altho my friend can fly his in a very small space. I do not know anything about the Edge 540 but I love the looks of the E3D. And its flight envelope is a proven fact.
Have you flown tie Tiny yet? Also a proven design by an envolved designer.
Jim

That's a great Tiny!

Just out of curiousity could you flip the motor/prop over so the gear runs topside? You might get a bit of clearance that way....

I really really like that plane! (Drool...) Hmm.. Where's that spare feather reciever laying about.......

Originally posted by Crete1
Just out of curiousity could you flip the motor/prop over so the gear runs topside? You might get a bit of clearance that way

I hate to admit it, but I think you are right. I can probably carve/sand off the thread and CA without damaging the CF tube and make a new mount.

If you look at the plans for Tiny, Dave shows a DC 1717 motor mounted about 0.6 inches ABOVE the CF tube. I wonder if he intentionally made the center of thrust above the wing chord? If so, my setup has the center of thrust below the wing chord (which seems to be the way others have set up the GWS DXA, and I haven't read any complaints.)

My batteries are not here yet, so I better just bite the bullet.

Thanks,
Derek

Originally posted by Jim Ward
The kit and Motor from Gary cost $150.00.
.....
Have you flown tie Tiny yet? Also a proven design by an envolved designer.

Jim,
I found some other posts by Gary Wright saying his goal was to produce a plane for all up cost of around $250 (I don't know if that included the radio gear or not).

I haven't flown the Tiny yet - waiting on some batteries to arrive this week from Todd. In the meantime, I think I'll make a new motor mount (as suggested by Crete1) and raise the prop shaft 0.6" above the centerline of the CF tube. That should solve the clearance problem.

Probable test flights on Sunday!

Derek

Originally posted by DerekB



I haven't flown the Tiny yet - waiting on some batteries to arrive this week from Todd. In the meantime, I think I'll make a new motor mount (as suggested by Crete1) and raise the prop shaft 0.6" above the centerline of the CF tube. That should solve the clearance problem.

Probable test flights on Sunday!

Derek

Hello,

Could you flip the motor, then put the piece of balsa next to the the CF rod. Then put the landing gear under all the mess and bind it like you did?

Seeing that spiffy plane really makes me want to build a tiny. I've got a "heavier built" and longer wing I've had for some time playing around with a speed 400 idea. It's the same as the tiny where I stole the template. But that project got dumpstered when I got the Zagi. I still have the wing, but it's a bit heavy for your set up. I wanted to fly and needed the instant gradification of the Zagi since I've got very little free time (school and all).

Tiny is way cool and it's a fairly quick build from what I've seen and played with.

Originally posted by Crete1
Could you flip the motor, then put the piece of balsa next to the the CF rod. Then put the landing gear under all the mess and bind it like you did

I'm going to try something like that, hopefully tonight after the kiddy's get to bed. My 6 year old daughter made me promise to play Crash Bandycoot with her tonight 'until she gets bored' - could be a long night.

Derek

Originally posted by Crete1
Could you flip the motor, ...

OK, here are the results. I liked the stylish look of the landing gear, so I did not want to give up on it. It should work fine now. Note that these are not the stock wheels that come with the landing gear kit. They are the 1.85" diameter wheels (EPW47) from Todd also - very light and nice. I had to drill out the hole to fit the CF axle. The O-ring needs a few dabs of CA to keep it from popping off the rim.

Photo1 - Plenty of ground clearance now.
Photo2 - Maximum down angle with prop just touching - more than one use for the kid's sore throat medicine.
Photo3 - Closeup of revised motor mount.
Photo4 - Centerline of thrust is now above wing chord, which is more like how the plans show the DC 1717.

Note - ailerons and elevator are drooping because I don't have the control rods hooked up yet.

Derek

Originally posted by DerekB
Photo2 - Maximum down angle with prop just touching - more than one use for the kid's sore throat medicine.