I started cutting foam this morning. Used a sharp steel knife blade. 30 seconds into the process I realized it was going to be a long day. In frustration I put down the knife and grabbed a brand new Starrett hacksaw blade (18 tpi) that happened to be sitting on the counter nearby. Wow! I roughed the wing out in barely over a minute. Then I used a homemade sanding stick (100 grit 3M paper on a 1' x 1" fir shim) to take the edges down to the mark. It was fast and accurate. I couldn't be happier with how it's gone so far.

Good thing it's easy because I'll probably break a lot of them.

Head: I don't dispute you and Lee for a second. You are the experts and I'm the novice. I'm very likely heading for frustration. But I have so very little invested in the Funder that it seems worth a try just for the experience. If nothing else, it will help me to appreciate the SS more.

Secret confession time...I have two SlowStick glider kits, one still in the box and one partly completed. I also have a Multiplex EasyStar sitting in its box. But the thing about all of them is that too much money and time have been invested in them, and they are too easily ruined. Excess timidity (and I know myself enough to know that that's exactly how I would approach flying any of them) is a real damper on progress and growth (and fun!).

I have no compunction against flying my barebones Funder into a pine tree or a snowdrift. Doing the same thing with the EZ would ruin my day, week, and perhaps month. If I were to meticulously paint and stencil a Funder, or if I were to use expensive materials, or if I'd gone to great effort to build it, it would be a different story. But I haven't done any of those.

I promise that if the aggravation level gets too high I'll slap some servos and a TP motor on SS1 and go flying (if I can find a spot not covered in snow!).

Originally Posted by K2XR10

I started cutting foam this morning. Used a sharp steel knife blade. 30 seconds into the process I realized it was going to be a long day. In frustration I put down the knife and grabbed a brand new Starrett hacksaw blade (18 tpi) that happened to be sitting on the counter nearby. Wow! I roughed the wing out in barely over a minute. Then I used a homemade sanding stick (100 grit 3M paper on a 1' x 1" fir shim) to take the edges down to the mark. It was fast and accurate. I couldn't be happier with how it's gone so far.

Good thing it's easy because I'll probably break a lot of them.

Head: I don't dispute you and Lee for a second. You are the experts and I'm the novice. I'm very likely heading for frustration. But I have so very little invested in the Funder that it seems worth a try just for the experience. If nothing else, it will help me to appreciate the SS more.

Secret confession time...I have two SlowStick glider kits, one still in the box and one partly completed. I also have a Multiplex EasyStar sitting in its box. But the thing about all of them is that too much money and time have been invested in them, and they are too easily ruined. Excess timidity (and I know myself enough to know that that's exactly how I would approach flying any of them) is a real damper on progress and growth (and fun!).

I have no compunction against flying my barebones Funder into a pine tree or a snowdrift. Doing the same thing with the EZ would ruin my day, week, and perhaps month. If I were to meticulously paint and stencil a Funder, or if I were to use expensive materials, or if I'd gone to great effort to build it, it would be a different story. But I haven't done any of those.

I promise that if the aggravation level gets too high I'll slap some servos and a TP motor on SS1 and go flying (if I can find a spot not covered in snow!).

I like the Funder, but the Easystar is exactly that easy. It is also a very tough bird. It's like the old Timex watch's, "it takes a licking and keeps on ticking". Check out the Easystar thread, some of the planes there look like Frankenstein, but they still fly great.

K2XR10
looks like you already own the 2 recommended starter planes!
I know what you mean when you say "too much money and time have been invested in them" I've had a ARTF E-Flite Mini Funtana on the shelf for over 2 years ready for when I feel skilled enough to fly it. The reality is that I've been ready for months but I'm having too much fun building and flying depron models such as Dekan's F-22, Goldguys Smart Dart & Nutball, GPW's Skyray and of course Lee's F & L. There is a satisfaction in turning a few £'s,Euros or $'s worth of foam into something that actually flys and sometimes better than some "store bought" ones.
So give the F & L a go. Start on low rates with lots of expo and get someone else to launch it for you until you get it trimmed out. Get 3 mistakes high then just fly some gentle wide circuits trying to keep your height the same with a combination of throttle and elevator. Once happy with clockwise circuits, try anti clockwise ones. Then slowly loose height and bring back into wind to land. If all went well , take a deep breath and wipe that stupid grin of your face!
Let us know how it goes - good or bad.
Head

Originally Posted by headlessagain

K2XR10
I know what you mean when you say "too much money and time have been invested in them"... There is a satisfaction in turning a few £'s,Euros or $'s worth of foam into something that actually flies...
Get 3 mistakes high then just fly some gentle wide circuits trying to keep your height the same with a combination of throttle and elevator. Once happy with clockwise circuits, try anti clockwise ones. Then slowly loose height and bring back into wind to land. If all went well, take a deep breath and wipe that stupid grin of your face!
Head

You've articulated perfectly pretty much everything I've been thinking and contemplating - and that was before cutting out (sawing out) my first wing this morning. It's just a whole lot of fun working with simple and inexpensive materials on a simple design. And I can only imagine how much fun it will be to see the plane fly, even if it's just a few slow and clumsy circles at altitude (three mistakes high, like you say), and even if it ends with a graceless smack into a pile of karfunda (snow).

The building has been so satisfying that I decided to cut (saw) out a second wing and a second set of wood spars and struts today. So far it has been as easy to make two planes as one.

fun isnt it?

Here is some advice for your first flight: stay away from light poles. Trust me. For some reason I launched near a light pole and of course flew right towards it. Didnt hit it but ccrashed trying to avoid it lol!

Well guys...I have had a very interesting evening tonight (as you can see from the photo).

Put my MaxAmps 5S 4000mAh LiPo on the charger and went outside to do some fireworks with the family and friends. After we finished my wife heard a beeping in the garage and saw smoke near my chargers. I ran in there and found the LiPo leaking, expanding, smoldering, and ready to blow. Like McGyver, I ran inside, pulled the battery off the charger, removed the Astro Blinky and headed outside. As soon as I got to the backyard the sucker blew up in my hands. FOOOOOOOOSSSSSHHHH!!! HUGE FIREBALL. Grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out the flames.

Good news: everyone safe, garage still standing

Bad news: Wife pissed, lawn burnt, lost an expensive LiPo, chemical leak all over my charging table, and no reason to explain the failure.

Looking forward to a better 2010.

-Lee

Originally Posted by yarsmythejr

Well guys...I have had a very interesting evening tonight (as you can see from the photo).
-Lee

Wow! A cautionary tale indeed! Very glad you're okay. K2 will be charging LiPo's outdoors and on concrete from here on out!

Now, that's taking the old year out with a bang!

Glad to hear no one was hurt.

To a happy & prosperous 2010...

Originally Posted by yarsmythejr

Well guys...I have had a very interesting evening tonight (as you can see from the photo).

Put my MaxAmps 5S 4000mAh LiPo on the charger and went outside to do some fireworks with the family and friends. After we finished my wife heard a beeping in the garage and saw smoke near my chargers. I ran in there and found the LiPo leaking, expanding, smoldering, and ready to blow. Like McGyver, I ran inside, pulled the battery off the charger, removed the Astro Blinky and headed outside. As soon as I got to the backyard the sucker blew up in my hands. FOOOOOOOOSSSSSHHHH!!! HUGE FIREBALL. Grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out the flames.

Good news: everyone safe, garage still standing

Bad news: Wife pissed, lawn burnt, lost an expensive LiPo, chemical leak all over my charging table, and no reason to explain the failure.

Looking forward to a better 2010.

-Lee

Glad your ok, isn't this sorta how you lost your P-38? You might want to consider making a battery bunker for charging. Happy New Year and be careful with this lipos.

Mike K

Originally Posted by yarsmythejr

Well guys...I have had a very interesting evening tonight (as you can see from the photo).

Put my MaxAmps 5S 4000mAh LiPo on the charger and went outside to do some fireworks with the family and friends. After we finished my wife heard a beeping in the garage and saw smoke near my chargers. I ran in there and found the LiPo leaking, expanding, smoldering, and ready to blow. Like McGyver, I ran inside, pulled the battery off the charger, removed the Astro Blinky and headed outside. As soon as I got to the backyard the sucker blew up in my hands. FOOOOOOOOSSSSSHHHH!!! HUGE FIREBALL. Grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out the flames.

Good news: everyone safe, garage still standing

Bad news: Wife pissed, lawn burnt, lost an expensive LiPo, chemical leak all over my charging table, and no reason to explain the failure.

Looking forward to a better 2010.

-Lee

Glad to hear that all you lost was a lipo. If I may ask, were you charging using the balancing mode or fast charge or...? What charger were you using?

chewy

PS: After re-reading, I see you were using an Astro Blinky. I supposed the linky does the balancing while you are charging? Your charger does not have a balancing mode? In that case, maybe you need to check out the Blinky before charging any more expensive packs.

Originally Posted by heymak

Glad your ok, isn't this sorta how you lost your P-38? Mike K

Mike,

This was NOT the same setup / charger. This time I had an Astro Blinky on the battery and it was plugged into an Astro 109 charger. I plugged the Blinky in first, got my 5 lights, and then two lights were blinking (balancing two cells). I then plugged it into my 109 and it started right up. It even recognized 5S right away. The problem started about 20 minutes after it was on the charger.

I didn't have time to read the screen on the 109. I can tell you that the Blinky was lit up like a Christmas tree and the 109 said "BTRFLT" or something like that. I shut power down immediately to protect everything around the spill.

As for a battery bunker...let me share these few comments. My charging table it littered with ceramic tiles. I charge my batteries in a Pyrex dish (not covered). If this sucker was in a closed / semi-closed container, I believe it could have reacted like a bomb with pieces flying everywhere.

The previous LiPo fire was <gulp> my fault. This one can only be attributed to a rapid cell failure that the Astro 109 could not stop in time.

And topping it off...I went flying today and dorked my new Trojan T-28D. Lost it in the sun, got disoriented. Ended 2009 with a BOOM, started 2010 with CRUNCH.

Happy New Year Y'all!

-Lee

Originally Posted by yarsmythejr

Mike,

....

As for a battery bunker...let me share these few comments. My charging table it littered with ceramic tiles. I charge my batteries in a Pyrex dish (not covered). If this sucker was in a closed / semi-closed container, I believe it could have reacted like a bomb with pieces flying everywhere.

The previous LiPo fire was <gulp> my fault. This one can only be attributed to a rapid cell failure that the Astro 109 could not stop in time.

And topping it off...I went flying today and dorked my new Trojan T-28D. Lost it in the sun, got disoriented. Ended 2009 with a BOOM, started 2010 with CRUNCH.

Happy New Year Y'all!

-Lee

Lee, didn't mean to sound so harsh, it sounds like you are already using a type of battery bunker, no battery bunker should be air tight for the reason you alluded too. What type Trojan did you get? Hope you can fix it. I've been wanting one of the PZ Trojans for a while but the budget won't allow it.

Happy flying

Mike

Originally Posted by heymak

Lee, didn't mean to sound so harsh...

The thought never crossed my mind. I think battery bunkers are a great idea. My circumstance had me thinking it wouldn't have done a whole lot more to protect me.

-deleted

Thanks for the plans to this airplane I love it.