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WolstonFlyer's Tucano


WolstonFlyer
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Thanks guys.

Now as to a build blog, it took me nearly as long to re-work out how to get that pic on here as it did to make the thing.

Computer Tx? No problem. Home PC, PDF`s, drawings? I`m a duffer.

Will give it a try though. Used Profili (basic free download) to do the wing section. Could post this here but would prefer a modified (thicker) version and am concerned about the copywright on the program.

Leave it with me.

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Well, 3 hours of checking measurments on the plans & head scratching and I have ordered the wood for my build.

I have decided to go the "scratch build" route rather than use the CNC wood pack, mainly because of the removable wing mods and to also get some spare wood at the same time - oh and also balsa for my Tony Hijhuis 30" spitfire (my first spitty, although it is rather small)

 

Balsa 36" long
 
4 sheets 4 inch x 3/16 medium ( Fus sides & tailplane & elev + 1 spare)
1 sheet 3 inch x3/16 soft ( fin & rudder )
1 sheet 3 inch x3/8 soft (fus top )
 
1 sheet 4 inch x 3/8 hard (Wing Leading edges)
2 sheets 4 inch x 3/8 soft ( TE & aileron + 1 spare)
4 sheets 4 inch x 3/8 medium ( wing panels and modified centre section + 1 spare)
2 pieces 1/4 x 1/4 D section for LE (a bit of an experiment)
2 pieces 1/8 by 3/8 strip (for wing spacers)
 
1 sheet 3 inch x 1/4 medium ( formers, also laminate for front deck)
2 pieces 1/2 inch triangle (might not work for the rear top fuse strips)
2 pieces 3/8 inch triangle (I am adding this to the rear fuse floor so I can round the fuse off more)
1/16 x 2 inch medium ( wing fairing & fin front gusset)
3/16 x 2 inch hard ( fin post )
1/8 x 3 inch medium ( canopy floor)
 
Ply & Beech
 
1/8 Birch ply 12 inches by 24 inches (Modified wing joiners, F1 & u/c plates, removable wing / lipo plate & fixing)
1/4 Birch Ply 3 inch by 3 inch ( F1A motor bulkhead for rear mount )
1/2 square Beech by 2inches (u/c block)
1/4 square Beech by 12 inches( servo supports)
3/16 dowel 4 inches ( elevator joiner) ( could use bit of the square beech)
 
Total £45.49 + delivery
 
But then I have also spent another £45 on glue, hardware (wheels, collets, snakes, linkages, horns, hinges, screws etc) and another £18 on wood for the little spitty......... the list goes on.
 
I think in the end this tucano will cost me about £190 completed including all electronics, covering, pilots and a few small tools. I might have bought too much hardware (just guessing at some things) and other builders will have supplies of things like piano wire, linkages and glue so the cost will be lower.

Edited By WolstonFlyer on 02/12/2012 01:50:52

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Just a quick update, my Vortex Vacform parts arrived today and they all look good.

For anybody that is interested, here is the full set of Pilots, seats and canopy with colour instructions

vortex-vacform-tucano-set.jpg

vortex-vacform-pilots.jpg

The seats have to be cut and folded as per the included instructions:

vortex-pilot-detail.jpg

The Vortex canopy is "very" nice indeed:

vortex-canopy.jpg

My canopy that came with the MHS plans (From Sarik Vacform, Bristol) has a bit of a "wobbly" bit at the front with what looks like a thumb print (could be in a plaster mould that the form is made over?), there is also a slight ripple in one area near the back.

I think all of this will be trimmed off anyway (probably) so not really an issue.

sarik-vacform-canopy.jpg

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As per Tim's build I have filled the back of the pilots with some spray foam to fill the thin plastic shell ( I just managed to get enough out of a can that has been in the shed for about 5 years yes)... but I think I have put too much in and this stuff just keeps on growing!

pilots-filled-with-foam.jpg

I will not post the rest of my pilot building pictures, it will be the same method as Tim's (Thanks for the tips Tim!)

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Just for info:

I have created a shot URL to the files download for Phil's removable wing design. I will add new versions to this as Phil sends the changes to me.

This is hosted on my Google Drive so there is no problem with the amount of people downloading the files, they are quite small anyway.

The link is:

http://goo.gl/crZQe

Edited By WolstonFlyer on 04/12/2012 23:23:05

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  • 2 weeks later...

I finally made some time to work on this build last night and spent an hour painting my pilots

They are not very detailed and the green is about right (ish) but I think they turned out OK considering I don't have a range of very small brushes or many paint colours.

They can sit on the shelf in my home office and wait for their plane to be built!

tucano-pilots.jpg

Edited By WolstonFlyer on 18/12/2012 08:51:41

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have just spent an hour and a half doing my first ever bit of balsa bashing... this stuff is very, very nice. I can see what the appeal is now

One thing I could do with is a razor saw, it was heavy going doing the cross cuts in the 9.5mm thick wing panels with a scalpel but I got there in the end.

I really wish SLEC would put labels or write on the wood to say what the hardness was - I think I have used the correct lengths.

Here is my pile-o-wood, no laser cut kit for me, I decided to go the whole hog and cut the wood myself.

pile-of-wood.jpg

I had a bit of help from my 6yr old, she was actually very interested in helping (and popping bubble wrap).

The wing panels roughly cut with firm leading edge, medium middle and soft trailing edge.

wind-panels-cut.jpg

Port wing with tip and spacers. I am making Phil's removable wing so the spacers are a bit shorter than the plan to allow for bigger dihedral braces.

port-wing-cut.jpg

Both wings cut and ready for glue. I will stick them together later and leave to dry for 24 hours.

I am thinking of using Gorilla glue because my cutting is not perfect and it will fill in some of the small voids in the seams between the panels - does that sound OK to do?

both-wings-rough-cut.jpg

I have also weighed the sets of parts, with a bit of swapping about of parts one wing is 120g the other 118g so very close in weight. I will try and get them exactly the same while I do the shaping of the profiles.

Edited By WolstonFlyer on 06/01/2013 17:11:41

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Wolston,

When you stick the panels together Sellotape the join on one side, so it's like a hinge then turn your panel over and run your glue in between the parts then put it down on a flat surface and wipe the excess away, pop a weight on top to keep it flat and leave to dry, when done just peel the tape off and you have a nice clean join.
This also stops it sticking to the surface you leave it on.
 
(You may already know this!)
 
Gorilla glue will be ok, I use pva and any gaps left I fill with light weight filler before sanding. 
Cheers woody 
 
 

Edited By woody on 06/01/2013 17:40:41

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Hi Woody

Thanks for the tip.

I had not got as far as thinking about how to hold the wood while the glue was drying. I am sure you have just saved me from sticking the wings to my cutting mat!

I have gorilla glue and a tube of aliphatic resin. Is one stronger than the other or more suitable for this job?

Thanks
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