Originally Posted by birdofplay

sitruk:

Glad you were monitoring here !
e-mail would not allow a reply, sorry about shipping costs :-(

Bob
Hoosier Cutout Service

No problem Bob, it's all part of living on an island!

Thanks for letting me know, even if the email thing didn't work out.

Guess you must have a lot of terrorists trying to sneak into the USA form Bermuda, eh ?

Whodathunkit.

Originally Posted by birdofplay

Guess you must have a lot of terrorists trying to sneak into the USA form Bermuda, eh ?

Whodathunkit.

Not terrorists, tourists.

Ok--got my motor worked out (Mystery 2212-6), A4 plans are printed/taped, finally got some 6 mm Depron (I think thats what it is, anyway!) and its time to start cutting.

A few subtle questions I'd like to ask before I get started:

1) Preferred hinging methods for this plane? I am not the worlds most talented scratch builder, so a semi-foolproof method would be appreciated. I have some of the pre-made hinges of all varieties.

2.) For the battery hatch, are there any little tips you have for keeping this area durable? I always find my battery area ends up damaged. Either the corners want to tear, or the hinge gets all floppy, or the door gets shoved "through" and has to be extracted (saw the 45 degree tip--that's great! will try that) In general I havent figured this area out.

3.) Extend the nose--got it. 2.5 cm should be sufficient, yes? And consider widening the fuselage (esp. towards the back) to fit a 2200 Lipo. If I widen the back, that means I would need to change the "spigot" (tabs) so that they line up. Gotta remember that!

4.) Is it better to tape the whole thing after it's built, or before? Or perhaps some in-between? I find my planes looks great until I go to tape them--then I get a bunch of bubbles, wrinkles, inconsistent overlap, etc. and I wish I didn't have to tape them at all! Also, I see some people are covering the whole thing (or at least the vertical stabs) with fiber tape--seems like that would add a lot of weight! Is it worth it?

5.) If I'm using a carbon fiber rod, do I need to tape every square inch of the wing?

6.) How are you all attaching your batteries? I've got velcro glued onto all of my LiPo's, but I don't really like that system. It just seems like a recipe for eventual damage to the plane. Pulling a huge piece of velcro off is pretty hard on the surfaces involved.

7.) Do you tape the wing before you fold it over for the KFM airfoil, or apply tape after the fold is complete? Seems like maybe the added tension of the tape might add some beneficial strength.

8.) For the rudder-flyers, what exactly does adding the rudders to for the plane? I would (in theory) like to be able to fly this indoors...I'm assuming rudders just help keep elevation during turns? (don't have to bank as hard)

1.) Blenderm tape for hinges.
2.) Battery hatch on my build is on top between the l/e and motor mount . I cover it in coloured packing tape with the tape wrapped around the edges and underneath. The front is hinged at the front with a piece of cross weave tape that's secured to the motor mount. The back is held down with a servo horn.
3.) The amount of extension depends on the weight of the motor and lipo pack you plan to use. My FB's nose is 110mm from l/e of wing to motor mount but I think that 70-80mm would be enough as my 850 4S pack does need to be pushed back a ways. This would still leave enough room to get the pack in. I'm running a spare HK Funfighter motor on a 6x4 prop
4.) & 5.) I tend to cover all my depron models (even when using carbon spars) once the airframe is complete but before the final fitting of the servos and horns.
6.) I find velcro holds anything up to a 3S 3300 mAh or 4S 1800 mAh pack just fine. Never had a pack move in over 6 years of using this method.
7.) I don't bother with folding as I use 12mm stock l/e balsa so I just butt the top panel against this. My last few FB's have used a KFm-4 using 3mm Depron for the panels. I don't use the folded fuse either, preferring to fit a separate fuse bottom after sorting out all my electrics and cooling holes.
8.) Sorry, can't help with this one as all 5 of mine have been strictly yank and bank
Hope this helps
Andy

A short video of my Funbat using the Hobbyking 1950kv Funfighter motor,Nano-tech 850 4S pack and 6x4 prop. Flight times are only 4 minutes but that's enough for me at the speeds it can go.

Depron Funbat flying wing with KFm-4 wing, 1950kv motor on 4 cells (2 min 23 sec)

Andy

Head.. Always a class act As usual it looks super stable. Do you find it more stable at higher speed, or is it just that good because of the exacting build ?

It tracks well at all speeds even with the reduced size fins. Next step is to try her on an APC 5.25X6.25 as that's the hot ticket on my Rare Bear
Andy

Andy is there anywhere specific you order from to get your double glazing spacers to use as spars. Or have you managed to scrounge some from a window manufacturer.

The FunBat is on the list to do shortly, will build two, one for my brother.
Got a selection of motors and batteries but will probably go smallish to start, BW upto 30 grams or so.

Deyrick

Hi Deyrick
I can't take any credit for the idea of using double glazing spacers as spars. I bought a Green Air designs kit in August 2011 which included this material as the spar.
My brother sourced the spacer from a local double glazing manufacturer. It's approx 6mm x 6mm and available in a number of colours but I use white. I think he paid £1 per metre so a bit cheaper than carbon.
It's ideal when making a flat wing with a KF step. On my Funbat the main wing is 6mm depron with a KFm-4 3mm step (top & bottom)
A light weight FB with a 3000kv BW,4.75 x 4.75 & 3 cell 800-1000 mAh should really rock. It certainly worked really well with scratch built Mini Wing

Depron Mini Wing KFm-4 on 4.75 x 4.75.#16 PK 12Feb12 (3 min 43 sec)

Andy

I wondered if thats where you had the idea from, my brother has had a couple of Green Air kits with that as spars.

In fact he emailed them asking where they got it as he was after some to make new arms for his Small Quadcopter (V929).

They were nice enough to send him some short lengths gratis.

His Small Quad is flying well with the longer than standard arrms and has some bits spare.

Originally Posted by headlessagain

Hi Deyrick
I can't take any credit for the idea of using double glazing spacers as spars. I bought a Green Air designs kit in August 2011 which included this material as the spar.
My brother sourced the spacer from a local double glazing manufacturer. It's approx 6mm x 6mm and available in a number of colours but I use white. I think he paid £1 per metre so a bit cheaper than carbon.
It's ideal when making a flat wing with a KF step. On my Funbat the main wing is 6mm depron with a KFm-4 3mm step (top & bottom)
A light weight FB with a 3000kv BW,4.75 x 4.75 & 3 cell 800-1000 mAh should really rock. It certainly worked really well with scratch built Mini Wing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8tvpIUbT7g
Andy

Andy

But if a cheek asking but do you have the plans and parts list for your flying wing....as the funbat is now finished (pictures to follow) a wing was going to be my next project and like the small size of your wing to get started

Regards
Craig

Hi Craig
not cheeky at all! Here is the thread containing details of my builds - I built 3. One was all 6mm depron with 6mm KFm-4 panels,, another had an EPP core with 3mm Depron KFm-4 and for the final one I added the width of the evelons to the chord and built out of 6mm depron with 3mm depron KFm-4 panels
See from post 35 onwards https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show....php?t=1538276
Check out KFm compilation video for some more ideas

Radio control planes using various KFm wings (8 min 22 sec)

Andy

Originally Posted by headlessagain

Hi Craig
not cheeky at all! Here is the thread containing details of my builds - I built 3. One was all 6mm depron with 6mm KFm-4 panels,, another had an EPP core with 3mm Depron KFm-4 and for the final one I added the width of the evelons to the chord and built out of 6mm depron with 3mm depron KFm-4 panels
See from post 35 onwards https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show....php?t=1538276
Check out KFm compilation video for some more ideas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAFXjG04FIM
Andy

Andy

Thank you for this and the link....you do appear to be one of the most prolific builders that I have come across since viewing threads on RC Groups, don't know how you build so quickly but I will have to accelerate my builds and not be quite so fussy about the aesthetics but more about making sure the thing flys and then making it look pretty. Do you keep a stock of standard building components such as foam, motors, ESCs, servos and push rods etc and if so what would you suggest.....Craig

I do have a stock of 5 and 9 gram servos, esc's ranging from 6 amp to 50 amp and motors from 10 g to 190 gram monsters. Some were salvaged from models lost in last May's lipo fire. I also have props from 4" to 11" to match the cell count and kv of the various motor I have.
I'm down to about 6 sheets of white and 2 sheets of grey Depron & a sheet of 6mm EPP. Need to get some 3mm Depron in as I like using this size for KFm-4 faster models. I have 3 tubes of cheap 5 min epoxy, 3 tubes of UHU Por, a tube of the excellent Hobby King 200g glue and some foam safe CA.
I buy my carbon from HK's UK outlet http://www.hobbyking.co.uk/hobbyking...ass_Fiber.html but Giant Shark also stock flats and tubes
I suppose that I have enough materials and electronics to build around 7 new models but I'm trying hard to resist!
I plan to cut a depron fuse for my Wot-4 balsa E as the original needed a significant amount of lead up front to achieve the correct c of g. I'm hoping that I can cut down the weight, bring the lipo pack further forward and she will still fly well with the standard wing
Andy