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Mam'selle.......


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Hi Danny,
hope I can help you a little with your 'Mams'elle'.I covered mine in Litespan,using Balsaloc as an adhesive.After covering,it is heat shrunk,carefully,as the heat softens the Balsaloc adhesive.I then sprayed a couple of coats of well-thinned clear dope onto the litespan,then colour trim in 2-pack paint,then finished the clear-doped sections,i.e. the wings,tailplane etc,with 2-pack clear ,as used by the car trade over metallic finishes.All this may not be nessarsary,as Litespan is claimed to be fuel-proof,but that's the way I did it.The (2) servos were fitted behind the ply former the holds the undercarriage,about level with the crutch,with the rx below them.For the rx power pack,I used a 4xaaa flat pack,strapped below the lower engine bearer,inside the engine cowl.I know that's not ideal,but the model was pretty tail-heavy by this stage.All-up weight is 14.9 oz,or 430 gm,I'm sure it could be made a little lighter with a simpler finish.So there it is,it may be a lesson what not to do,but it may be of some help to you.I'll post a couple of picture later,that's another hassle for me!.................cheers,Mal.
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Tiger... more like a fire breathing dragon

Thanks Mal, if you post some pics that would be great. Even with the fuel proofer you were still under th 1lb threshold which is good.

I am not sure if the fact that the diesel is mounted sidewinder, and the cowl may help contain the diesel residue may help?

Cheers
Danny
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Posted by Danny Fenton on 16/11/2011 12:00:58:
Being a leccy flier I assumed you just poured fuel in the tank connected the pipe and it ran??? seems you have to do some "flicking"
 
 
There's also a nasty rumour about that if the engine-thingy stops spinning whilst in flight, you'd can't just advance the throttle stick to make it start up again. How weird is that?
 
tim
 
 
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Posted by Steve Hargreaves on 17/11/2011 10:49:54:
Posted by Danny Fenton on 17/11/2011 10:31:37:
 
 
.In the dim recesses of my mind I seem to recall that Humbrol Enamels were resistant to diesel but not glow fuel....or was it the other way around....anyone confirm this??
Danny,
 
Humbrol and rattle cans are OK with diesel but not glow. Polyurethane varnish is good for both glow and diesel, I use the Flair spray can stuff and just give it a light coating, goes well on top of clearcoat as well. On the KK Pirate I used GF resin for the engine bay, white Lite span, with Red trim rattle canned on, then a dusting of poly varnish at the front end. DC Merlin on the front and gets flown a good bit during the summer. It's 5 years old now and still good.
 
Cheers,
 
Chris.
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Posted by Tim Hooper on 17/11/2011 18:50:52:
Posted by Danny Fenton on 16/11/2011 12:00:58:
Being a leccy flier I assumed you just poured fuel in the tank connected the pipe and it ran??? seems you have to do some "flicking"
 
 
There's also a nasty rumour about that if the engine-thingy stops spinning whilst in flight, you'd can't just advance the throttle stick to make it start up again. How weird is that?
 
tim
 
 
No!!!! that cannot be.... how primitive
 
Thanks for the advice guys, I was worried about the slapping with damp (oil) Kiel Kraft catalogues if I used Litespan I think perhaps i should make the fin and try covering it to see what I reckon.
The Rx batterry hasn't arrived yet, nor the 9g servos so I am stuck unable to finish the fuselage stringers. I will push on with the horizontal and vertical stabilizers
 
Thanks for everyones help and encouragement, it is much appreciated

Cheers
Danny
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Posted by Danny Fenton on 18/11/2011 00:55:21:
Posted by Tim Hooper on 17/11/2011 18:50:52:
Posted by Danny Fenton on 16/11/2011 12:00:58:
Being a leccy flier I assumed you just poured fuel in the tank connected the pipe and it ran??? seems you have to do some "flicking"
 
 
There's also a nasty rumour about that if the engine-thingy stops spinning whilst in flight, you'd can't just advance the throttle stick to make it start up again. How weird is that?
 
tim
 
 
No!!!! that cannot be.... how primitive
 
Another difference you need to watch out for Danny is smoke.......with a diesel this is quite normal & means everything is working as it should.....with electric then any smoke should be investigated immediately.....smoke will only escape from the wires if there is a problem.
 
Also please bear in mind that your engine will make a noise when it is running.....a sudden reduction in noise means it's time to land
 
Hope this helps....
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Flaming 'eck all this new stuff to learn. I was reading up on something else there seems to be a chant that I must say out loud when I am flying.... "Dead Stick" or something like that?
Right so if I have this straight I have to ignore the smoke as its a good thing. Enjoy the sound this is also a good thing. When the smoke stops holler "Dead Stick" and pick an area of the field in which to crash..... I think I can do that
 
Joking aside, Chris came over last evening and we were like kids in a sweet shop with the little diesels. I have a feeling he may be in his garden this morning perfecting time travel, and cutting his finger. Diesel fuel in prop cuts thats got bring a tear to the eye.....

Cheers
Danny
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Danny how on earth did you know??
 
Not sure I should be posting about my Matador engine on a Mam'selle thread?
Yep, scary noise, lots of mess and greasy fingers. I remember already why I went all electric!
 
 
But yep, grubby ebay ED 1.46cc Hornet all cleaned and shiny. There's some sort of problem with the needle assembly but it only took a few minutes to get running.
 
A tiny drop of fuel in the exhaust port and she burped nicely, then fuel in the tank but with finger on air inlet fuel would not suck up for a prime. So more in the cylinder and once running it sucked nicely and ran until the fuel ran out.
 
The issue now is that it will run with the needle screwed home, and unscrewing the needle at all leaves it swinging around to all sorts of settings. Finally when the fuel runs out, revs increase a fair bit before it stops. So with my limited knowledge, I think it's running rich with the needle fully in ? Any ideas?
 
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I think you're getting the hang of it Danny....just make sure the engine really has stopped before you shout "Deadstick" though....small diesels have a habit of sounding like they are going to stop & then finding a wee drop of fuel & picking up again. If you shout "Deadstick" before the engine has really stopped then it might pick up again & this would cause you huge embarassment in the pits afterwards.....
 
Other flyers would probably shun you & avoid catching your eye when you walked past & you'd hear them whispering behind their Thermos flasks "....obviously doesn't know much about diesels..." & "...probably flies electric models......"
 
So....take my advise....wait until the propellor actually stops...count 1, 2, 3. Take a deep breath & then with legs slightly apart (the F3A stance) shout confidently in a deep baritone "Deadstiiiiiick" & try & avoid your voice rising an octave or two as you panic.....
 
All this counting & getting in the right stance will have wasted precious time & your model will now be too far downwind to get back to the strip.....but this DOES NOT MATTER....you will have gained instant credibility amongst the other dieselists who will probably offer you their 18 year old daughters as you walk back to the pits......
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Chris....certainly sounds like it.....with the needle screwed fully in no fuel should get through......with such an old engine it could be the wrong needle or spraybar or both....go to your engine drawer & try a few spare needles...you should be able to find one that will close off the fuel completely........
 
Whats that? You don't have an engine drawer full of old diesel engines & spares??? Really....??? How strange.........
 
OK, well it might be worth trying to get hold of a new or secondhand spraybar & needle aseembly......doesn't really matter if its the "right" one...so long as it fits & you can get the hole in the spraybar central in the venturi it should work OK.
 
I would have immediately suggested you contact John Haytree....he used to have loads of old spares & would probably have had something suitable. Sadly John is no longer with us.....I think this guy bought all his old spares & set up his engine repair business with Johns blessing & goodwill......a quick call might sort something out for you.....
 
Other than that a lathe & some brass bar would probably allow you to make a new spraybar to suit....
 
I do think that unless you can sort this then the engine will be difficult if not impossible to tune correctly............
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Many thanks Steve, yes I agree I'll never get a repeatable run.
 
Oddly enough I'm just looking at my old OS MAX 10 and am wondering if the needle has the same thread, or whether I could use the whole spraybar. Need to get on with some work though so will come back to this later. Maybe in it's own thread?
 
PS - Love the hints above, I'm taking notes
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Just another quick thought.....I wonder if a PAW one would fit? At least these are current engines so spares should be reasonably easy to come by.....direct from PAW if necessary....just checked their website & an NVA for up to a 19 is £4.50......
 
Mayhap you could nick the one off Dannys PAW when he's not looking!!!
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Don't get me wrong Chris......silly facial hair & a woolly hat certainly help in the running of diesels......it really can make the little blighters run properly....all I am saying is that it isn't strictly necessary (although the smooth shaven really do need to take extra care with the compression settings & if you are wearing a baseball cap the engine probably won't start at all.....)
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Posted by Steve Hargreaves on 18/11/2011 10:42:38:
OK, well it might be worth trying to get hold of a new or secondhand spraybar & needle aseembly......doesn't really matter if its the "right" one...so long as it fits & you can get the hole in the spraybar central in the venturi it should work OK.
 
One thing you can do which is much cheaper. The needle is usually soft soldered into the brass screw collar. Simply clamp the pin in a small vice, heat the collar with a decent sized iron or pocket blowtorch and then slide the collar outward about 2mm (so the needle into the spray bar is longer), resolder it up again - you may need some additional flux to get the solder to flow properly. To ensure that the needle is aligned properly, you may want to resolder with the needle and collar partially screwed in the spraybar. Take care though, solder will flow much easier over brass than the steel needle.
This is something that I have done and it works perfectly.
 
You may also have a knackered needle. It should be a VERY sharp point - occasionally they get bent or snap off, in which case, get the dremel out, regrind it andthen move the collar back as I have described above.
 
Seemples...
 
Good luck
 
Martyn

Edited By Martyn K on 18/11/2011 11:46:25

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Posted by Chris Bott on 18/11/2011 11:18:29:
Aw, I've been cultivating facial hair since the 1st Movember. Was going to ask for a wooly hat instead of socks for Christmas.

Yo! MoBro!

 
Nuff respec from MoBro 1361108!
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Yo Dave, where is the mustache smiley when you need it?
 
Martin, many thanks, that confirms where I was going to look next. There are signs of solder on the needle above the brass screw fitting, so I had wondered about trying to move it.
 
Steve thanks for the pointers.
 
Danny - I know I keep borrowing things, would you like your thread back?
 
 
 
PS - What size prop for a 1.5cc diesel?

Edited By Chris Bott on 18/11/2011 12:06:25

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Hi Chris, you know my threads are usually reduced to silly banter

I do draw the line at discussing facial hair when we are trying to have a serious discussion regarding flightline etiquette
 
Still searching the tinterweb for the official F3A stance, nothing on the BMFA web site about it. Though if I am imagining Steves description correctly I can't seem to get the left leg in the right position, need to find a you tube video

meanwhile, this arrived in the post..

 
No idea how long it will supply power, but as the Rx has telemetry i will see it dropping I hope.
 
Cheers
Danny
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This is what happens when you leave a Mummy Eneloop & a Daddy Eneloop alone for too long...........
 
I reckon it will last a while actually....I'm thinking you will only have to touch the sticks every other Tuesday after all......
 
I understand that there is a special BMFA course on how to achieve the correct F3A stance.....the distance between the feet is, I believe, critiacal. However I have heard that before you go on it you have to have your sense of humour removed......apparently it is all Very, Very Serious & any giggling means you are ejected from the course......
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