Buzz

I get my decal paper from Bel Decals. This time I made balsa floats just for fun--they are lighter.

Hy Guys,

i have this ki from long tme, and i decide to start to build...

There is a summary thread or post with all lomks to tricks, mods and suggestions?

This mega thread is nearly 900 pages, and its impossible, for me, find basically tricks, mods, improvement etc etc...

Many thanks

Ale

Go to post 8000 and forward.

Originally Posted by Pat Daily

Buzz

I get my decal paper from Bel Decals. This time I made balsa floats just for fun--they are lighter.

Thanks, Pat. I'll check them out. The float thing confused me. (Most things do!)
I think I'll go for the foam floats first. Thanks for the help!

Buzz

Originally Posted by Pat Daily

Chen the floats and mounting struts weigh about 3 ounces and the floats have internal formers at three places in addition to the nose and rear end.

Thanks for the information, the balsa float set you built looks better than the foam one, and yours is even lighter than the foam one. Great job !

No question, Pat - you have raised the bar on the TM float planes! Beautiful renditions and obviously an accomplished float pilot. Nice job and beautiful pics!

Aeronca

Pat
Those floats are BEAUTIFULLLL!!!!
Do you have them on a pdf or dwg file?
do they have less volume , less buoyancy , than the foam floats ?
I see they too have the skeg running all the way aft from the step.
SO NICE !!!
Wes

Wes

I built them literally in the "air". I do have a pattern I made for the sides, but the rest was cut and fit. Really pretty simple floats--they are wider at the widest point on the bottom ( about 21/4 inches) than the 2 inch wide foam floats, but narrower on on the top and narrower at the nose and rear than the foam. They work great as I tested them this past weekend off of some puddles at the sod farm. I will take some measurements and try to come up with a pattern. The skeg or keel at the rear helps them track just fine.

Pat, will you be posting that pattern when you're finished? I'd love to give it a go.

I made a single float for my N9 using foam for formers and covering with plastic from 2 liter drink bottle. Is lighter than a foam float I made. Liter bottle plastic makes a hard slick surface.

Originally Posted by degreen60

I made a single float for my N9 using foam for formers and covering with plastic from 2 liter drink bottle. Is lighter than a foam float I made. Liter bottle plastic makes a hard slick surface.

Interesting. Do you have any pictures to share?

Buzz

Originally Posted by snowman

Pat, will you be posting that pattern when you're finished? I'd love to give it a go.

I think there's a market out there for Pat to market his floats in various sizes.
Just think..... plug n' play floats! I'd buy 'em!

Originally Posted by Buzz

Interesting. Do you have any pictures to share?

Buzz

When I made the float I covered the top with 3 pieces. If I make another one I will cover it with single piece cause the joints show too much.

Originally Posted by degreen60

When I made the float I covered the top with 3 pieces. If I make another one I will cover it with single piece cause the joints show too much.

Hey, that looks great! Can you show us how to make them? I want 'em! lol

Buzz

Originally Posted by Buzz

Hey, that looks great! Can you show us how to make them? I want 'em! lol

Buzz

I cut a backbone for the float the shape of the middle of the float and lenght of the float. Then I made foam formers and glued on each side of the backbone. It has other formers to make an egg crate form so it will mantain its shape while being covered. Then cover with liter bottle plastic. Just remember, the plastic only bends one way. You maybe able to get slight compound curve but not much. The top of my float is straight and curves down on each side. The float also has a flat bottom. Best thing about the float everything is free but glue and paint. Foam is from meat trays, plastic is used liter bottle, and legs for landing gear are popcycle sticks.