Originally Posted by 4075aaron

That is a cool project!

Well, I will decide what to do with the covering material once I get to that point. I am worried about weight. The box doesn't say anything about what the recommended weight of this bird should be, but I am afraid mine will be heavy (compared to other same sized aircraft). Right now I am leaning more in the direction of using solartex...I have never used it but I have heard very good things about it. I have always used Monocote in the past.

If your worried about weight you may want to think tissue or silk but that means DOPE and I've herd you complain about smells be for but if you go light w/ the DOPE the plane will be light as well, or do like Tom said and just use monokote. I was wondering if you use that Nelson paint w/ silk or tissue, Tom might know this one?

Bruce

i agree ,,,monokotte ,does not look scale if that what you are after ,,still i seen profecionals results with it ,,,still im not a profecional with it ,like aaron said you allways have to be heating the model up for wrinkles and details ,a fabric covering like century 21 or solartex migth be the best choice,but it's a litle more money in covering ,,,still im not a profecional with fabric but i feel more confortable ,,,i think i will cover the plane with it at this point will see,,,about weigth ,,,there's allways a way to find ways around it ,,,for example use smaller servos ,,battery,,,receiver,even the wheels can be diferent material to save you weigth,,,most importat build ligth,,,if that is not enougth ,,,we know the rule ,,,the heavier the plane the bigger the engine....

i used the nelson paint with silk like covering ,but tissue will work just fine with it ,,,

ok here's the update on the wankel engine ,,,,took a while to get it, but i think i came out ok ,,,was a lot of work to get the valve rockers covers ready to install,,at the end i had to cut the cowl for the muffler, but once you have the rockers covers you can't see the muffler from the side ,,and i think that if i use a silver color on the cowl you won't even tell is there,,still is not goin to be my case ,im planning on do it in black and red ,,,will see,,,
Still i have to install carb rod control ,glow remote starter ,and most painfull the fuel tank ,,im facing the same problems that arraon had ,,the fuel tank stick to far inside the cab ,,so will see if i mount one smaller tank or i installed it sideway,or i just leave as is

Your moving right along amilcar it's a shame you had to cut the cowl
have you guys thought about using round tanks? like this one.
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXFU37&P=7

Been kind'a watching this thread as I have a STERLING Stinson that I'll eventually get around to building and noticed your concern on covering. As an FYI, a fellow at the club had a Taylorcraft he finished in monokote and was at a local meet when another modeler suggested he paint the surface with an acryclic matte finish to take the "gloss" off. This guy is a professional automotive painter and took his suggestion. It turned out quite well. He used a clear satin finish and applied the paint with a camel hair brush for the first coat. After drying, he used a second coat applied at 90 degrees to the first coat. The only concern I might have here is the glow fuel; his was an electric but it really looked great.

The plane is looking good! That is a sweet engine. I think it is fine that you had to cut into the cowlma bit. It is not even that noticeable. Are you sure you cut enough space around the muffler?

Also, I would suggest bracing the landing gear. The system the kit calls for (4 screws connecting the gear to a bulkhead) I feel is not strong enough to survive a hard landing. I tried to distribute the stress a bit more. I have read that thus plane has to be landed with more speed than you would expect. That indicates a higher chance for hard landings...

i been looking for fuel tanks i have square ones ,,i have a few rounds ,,,,but i got this rectangular suliban and put it on the side ,i don't like the idea of the tank sticking inside the cockpit but it's ok i guess i just like to keep doin progress or i'll never finish this one ,,,,here's some pics,,,yeah it sucks to cut the cowl but i think that the only way to get away is using and electric engine ,,,and im not into that....other way is an smaller engine but it won't pull it ..
the cowl it's small ,,,even for the engine im using

That rotary engine looks awesome on there ,nice plane

ok tail wheel ,,,,in the plans i could not find info about how to make the steering tail wheel ,,or at least i missed reading that part ,i don't know,i have no much patience for instructions some times,,anyway this is what i did it ,,i remember that the sig ryan use something similar to this ,so i got a 3/8 dowell drilled thru then insert a bronze rod(like the ones used for the fuel tanks)( I make sure to make a tigth fit)and thru there the steering rod ,,at one end i soldered 1 metal strap (the ones use for landing gears) ,,then a few bends solder a few washers to hold the wheel and done ,,now it's glued to the rear bulkhead ,,im planning on re-inforce a litle that area and installing a side access panel in case i need it ,,the all assy will be controlled by the rudder servo ,,i have to connect a control cable from the eye of the strap i soldered at one end to the rudder servo ,,,servos are located under the cg i replaced the 2 side stringers balsa for brasswood then i glue the servo tray (to wood pieces)if my calculations are ok ,,,the batt should be behind the servos next to the receiver ,,, i hope that if somebody needs and idea how to make the tail wheel to move this helps a bit ,,,i think it would work no problems ,,,
thanks guys for the compliments on the engine work ,is one of those engines i had for ever and could not find the rigth side plane to use it ,,i think this is the rigth plane will see ..

Strange...I lost this thread for some reason. It is not showing up when there are new posts, and it no longer shows that I started it (?!). Luckily, I decided to search for it and I found it.

Looking really good, Amilcar! Great progress lately. You might lap me at some point

The plans do not call for a tail wheel that can be steered. Your design looks good, I had not decided what to do about mine yet. In theory, the rudder is large enough that the plane may not need a steerable tail wheel. We will see...

Hope I don't lose you guys again.

Are you installing your servos right behind the fuel tank?

the servos are installed just behind the former that holds the landing gear,,under the floor line im planning on install a floor in there ,i have something in mind...im trying to do as much as i can ,,to get it done before the flying season

I have been following your build with interest. I had almost forgotten the problems with IC engine-powered short nosed "golden age" radial engine scale designs including fuel tanks, finding Pitts style mufflers to fit your engine and finally getting the darn things to run reliably without overheating and flameouts, etc. Perfect made a number of light weight square metal tanks with a simple pickup tube, a vent tube and an overflow tube.You could plug the overflow and supply muffler pressure to the vent tube for improved fuel flow. There were a number of easy fill and muffler pressure plumbing setups. Things are a lot easier in some ways with electric power but there is no wonderful smell of fuel and exhaust noise. I'm glad that you didn't go for the new .60 sized gas engine, glow is probably best for your size Stinson. I'm using Solartex from Balsa USA for my 1/6 scale Sig Cub project. From what I have read it is the all around lightest and easiest to use covering that closely simulates a doped fabric covering. Other fabric coverings don't work out as well from what I have read. You are doing a great job coping with this difficult model. I may have to get my old Sterling SR-8 kit down from the shelf and build it for electric power but have done enough Stinsons for a while.

Ok...sorry for the one week break. I needed to finish a large recording project and assuming she is happy with the product, I should be able to get back to the plane!

I did manage to do final sanding of the cabin area and get a base coat of green painted in it.

aaron what color the cabin is suppossed to be ?,,,i protected the area with gray paint from nelson and i added the crosslinker ,,anyway im thinking of doing all the interior detailed ,im not sure,, im working in floor board now ,,,also i did install the fuel tank and i made a door on the side to get access to the fuel tank connections,,
Like e-challenged said working on little planes sometimes is a pain ,,,i know that the door is not scale looking but it will be practical at the flying field, if i have a problem with fuel lines ,,which i had with other planes in the past ,,,also i installed a fuel charge valve in it ,,servos are all installed on the fuse the totle is the one upside down mini behind the rudder and elevator servos ,i ran a control rod for the carb from that servo thru all the bulkheads ,,,works like a champ so far ,,the batt and receiver are goin to be next to that servo ,everything under the floor line ,,,will see how that will looks can wait to start the covering stage....