All good things take time to mature. From a time many, many moons ago I wanted to build one, but from idea to first metal took a bit of time. I started off with the original pans that still can be had from Aircraft Spruce. On a separate website I gathered all and everything I could find about building metal fuses. In the end, just get your metal hot and start is the best method to learn. My biggest stumbling block was an old pot of Silversolder powder with an activating point of 850C, when my soldering rods (the usual yellow ones) melt at a lower temp. Why I did not notice earlier? Anyway, I now have a good combo from Silberlote with the proper paste. And all of a sudden the soldering is easy..
Notes for soldering: getting the right flame is still a bit of hit and miss. Today I learned form an expert welder that I overheated the bar where it turned black. You need no more then a yellow flame, blue is too hot! Lesson learned. Previous joints were made with a tiny needle like tip, but I did not quite get it right all the time, the valves on my rig are too sensitive, just moving the torch changes the amount of gas. The joints made with the needle tip are nice, easy to clean, but I could use just a little bit more heat. The number 6 tip supplied, is too much, or I need to reduce the O2.
By the way, I am building things to scale, within the limits imposed by the availability of the tubing: 1″ tubing ends up 9 mm, which looks about right. Strength wise it is overkill, but I don’t want a skinny looking frame. Weight will not be an issue.
Station 12, Landing gear bungee cord supports
It’s been a while, I must admit. We have the odd bit of summer, interspersed with bouts of autumn and spring and winter. That’s summer for you! Given the general uncertainty of the results of the plans of our minister Dobrin (He who wants to put a ceiling on all model-aircraft activities of 100 meters, so that amazon can deliver their stuff) I have decided for the moment to go gliding. That way I will most certainly be above 100 meters! Once you set the mind to gliding, big ones, all of a sudden the universe throws a lot of them at you. Looking to acquire an 5 meter ship, and possibly 2 pieces 4 meter something. All of them in ‘GFK fuse, and the rest is up to you!’ format. I love it.
So, plans for large biplanes are shelved for now, plans for more F3A-X/Imac planes are shelved. We goes gliding!
I have motorized the PURES a while back, and I must admit that e-PURES makes life easier on the bones. And I get to go up real quick, because I did not have a suitable size motor in the box, I took something that looked about right. On a small 1000 mAh battery it goes up like a homesick angel. Almost as fast as the Orion. And I can repeat that a dozen or so times on one charge. What more do you want?
Speaking of Orion, it’s getting there too, being tuned in that is. We had a few quiet evenings, which allowed me to tweak CofG without too many disturbances. I am getting to the stage where hands-off circling is happening. Move the battery just a tad more to the front, and we are there. (at least in quiet conditions) This flight was on a Sunday, around 4 in the afternoon. Not bad for one of the first outings!
UncategorizedComments Off on The new shed is taking shape..
Mar102015
..and so is the house. Took a while, but hey, all good things come to those who are patient. Spring has been here during the weekend, and it could be nice tomorrow. If the weathergods are kind to me, I will be off for a few flights. Last weekend I had the Insider in the air, and after a first test-flight, I got an almost perfect 10 mins flight from 150 meters, landing within a wingspan from my feet. That´s not bad after a few months´ abstinence. No doubt that will be the last time this season I manage that trick. 😉
Above is a view of the chaos in the shed, just to prove I have a shed! The Carden looks almost small on the 2 meter table. When I took this pic, I was just installing some lights, hence the glare.
UncategorizedComments Off on Xmas 2013, and all is well.
Dec252013
Except we don’t have any snow, it almost feels like autumn, or early spring! Bit windy though..
We’re still on the server-recovery road, and as you will know, every road has it’s hidden potholes. I discovered after doing the first websites, that something was automagically creating fake users on a website?? WTF, that’s impossible! A desperate search revealed the culprit to be the new NAS I got myself as a xmas present. It’s way to clever! (Sorted in the meantime, I wanted something dumb, and by golly, I’ll make you do what I want!) So, rather then blindly and hurriedly restoring everything, I think it’s wiser to thread very carefully.
In the meantime, enjoy your Xmas, be good, and be happy!
My server got trashed badly. At the moment I’m actually wondering if I should rebuild things or let my past be my past. It sort of seems fitting to start fresh with an empty sheet.
UncategorizedComments Off on Teach an old Tranny new tricks
May262009
My Cockpit SX is not that old, but still.. As my understanding of the 2.4GHz technology grows, so does the urge to go the full way.
As you know I like to throw planes now, and I really like the small Multiplex SX. It seems to be built for the job (it actually is). My last session out was with the new Blaster and a cranky 35Meg receiver. In all honesty, the less then perfect performance of the radio was largely due to an empty-ish Rx battery, but still. Of course a plan had already been hatched long ago, so this was just the excuse needed to fire up the soldering iron.Continue reading »
It’s been a while, I must admit. We have the odd bit of summer, interspersed with bouts of autumn and spring and winter. That’s summer for you! Given the general uncertainty of the results of the plans of our minister Dobrin (He who wants to put a ceiling on all model-aircraft activities of 100 meters, so that amazon can deliver their stuff) I have decided for the moment to go gliding. That way I will most certainly be above 100 meters! Once you set the mind to gliding, big ones, all of a sudden the universe throws a lot of them at you. Looking to acquire an 5 meter ship, and possibly 2 pieces 4 meter something. All of them in ‘GFK fuse, and the rest is up to you!’ format. I love it.
Speaking of Orion, it’s getting there too, being tuned in that is. We had a few quiet evenings, which allowed me to tweak CofG without too many disturbances. I am getting to the stage where hands-off circling is happening. Move the battery just a tad more to the front, and we are there. (at least in quiet conditions) This flight was on a Sunday, around 4 in the afternoon. Not bad for one of the first outings!
..and so is the house. Took a while, but hey, all good things come to those who are patient. Spring has been here during the weekend, and it could be nice tomorrow. If the weathergods are kind to me, I will be off for a few flights. Last weekend I had the Insider in the air, and after a first test-flight, I got an almost perfect 10 mins flight from 150 meters, landing within a wingspan from my feet. That´s not bad after a few months´ abstinence. No doubt that will be the last time this season I manage that trick. 😉
n’t have any snow, it almost feels like autumn, or early spring! Bit windy though..
My Cockpit SX is not that old, but still.. As my understanding of the 2.4GHz technology grows, so does the urge to go the full way.