Mike T Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 Ideas only, I'm afraid, as I varnished my wings. The hinge is under the veneer, so I think scoring through your laminate on the hinge line down to the veneer surface should free the control surfaces off nicely. However, I would try flexing them before cutting, to see how freely they move before scoring, and then only score as necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 Re your question about the ballast tube - I assume you've sorted this now?! I epoxied mine to the fus. floor, straddling the nominal CG position. It's held in place with epoxied 1/4" liteply formers. I used 25mm alloy aerial tube from B&Q. The ballast slugs are lead in 22mm copper jackets (a.k.a. hot water plumbing!). Pics: I finished it back in '17. Still hasn't flown... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Chantler Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 I just varnished mine as well. I had to free up the hinges a bit to get the travel I wanted. Quite easy but you have to be very patient & careful otherwise you can put a score across the wing :O. I used 3 coats Eze-Kote. I'd experiment with the West/glass combo on scrap balsa first to see how easy it is to score through - I remember it being quite tough, but I think mine was 10 years old and had thickened up a bit. You should be able to get through 20g glass quite easily as long as you use minimum epoxy i.e. about the same weight as the glass or a little over. I have put 25g glass on with Eze-Kote on a PSS model - works well but not as tough as epoxy. I'm pretty confident (gulp, I think!) that I will get be able to score through the glass/veneer & down to the kevlar hinge - but Easy-Kote goes on really thin. I left the wings natural, but added sign-writers vinyl for orientation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Chantler Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 I used a very similar ballast tube to MikeT. But mine can't take as much weight. It uses 20mm conduit which will take 520g - this is enough for mine, but I was focussing on a very light model. It will easily outfly most other slopers in light wind and in 10 mph will go up fast. However, as you'd expect it's slower than a mouldie and so will not roll as fast as a 2.5m Blade for instance. PS make sure you get rid of the release agent from the inside of the fus. otherwise the ballast will free itself on landing as mine did a while back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Chantler Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 @MikeT - I like the slugs - very posh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 They were a fair bit uglier before I spun them up in the lathe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeQ Posted October 28, 2020 Author Share Posted October 28, 2020 Hello thanks for the feedback. I haven't sorted the ballast tube yet but I do have a plan ... which is pretty much what you've done with the bottom loader. Ive got a plan for the glassing involving strips of sellotape and nerves of steel. Will update once it's all gone wrong. cheers mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeQ Posted October 28, 2020 Author Share Posted October 28, 2020 Hello thanks for the feedback. I haven't sorted the ballast tube yet but I do have a plan ... which is pretty much what you've done with the bottom loader. Ive got a plan for the glassing involving strips of sellotape and nerves of steel. Will update once it's all gone wrong. cheers mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeQ Posted October 28, 2020 Author Share Posted October 28, 2020 Hello thanks for the feedback. I haven't sorted the ballast tube yet but I do have a plan ... which is pretty much what you've done with the bottom loader. Ive got a plan for the glassing involving strips of sellotape and nerves of steel. Will update once it's all gone wrong. cheers mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 Hmmm. Those steely nerves seem to have developed a little tremor over the 'post' button Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeQ Posted October 28, 2020 Author Share Posted October 28, 2020 Think your right there mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeQ Posted October 28, 2020 Author Share Posted October 28, 2020 Think your right there Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Chantler Posted November 1, 2020 Share Posted November 1, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeQ Posted November 29, 2020 Author Share Posted November 29, 2020 Hello, still got to get around to glassing top of wings. In the meantime have stolen a few idea s seen on other Hammer builds as above. Covered V-tail in tissue and dope today, will prime and spray that later on e mounted. Swapped the snakes for carbon ones from Hyperflight. Will use ball links on Vtail end. Test fit thee cockpit areas today. cheers mike Edited By MikeQ on 29/11/2020 21:56:24 Edited By MikeQ on 29/11/2020 21:56:55 Edited By MikeQ on 29/11/2020 21:57:18 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Chantler Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 looking nice much neater than mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeQ Posted December 8, 2020 Author Share Posted December 8, 2020 Hello thanks ... getting there. Epoxied and screwed servo tray in place. Only thing I'm overthinking now is the V-tail links. Using carbon pushrods and 2mm ball links. These V horns supplied with the kit don't really look like they have a lot of meat on them where the ball links go and doing a trial fit on the V-tail mounted on the fuselage ... the horns will need to be at the very end of the elevators. All looks a bit flimsy? Anyway, glassing the tops of wings at the weekend! Cheers Mike Edited By MikeQ on 08/12/2020 22:15:58 Edited By MikeQ on 08/12/2020 22:17:14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeQ Posted December 20, 2020 Author Share Posted December 20, 2020 Nearly there ... wings all glassed. Was worried about glassing with the live hinges but did wing first then moveable surfaces separately. Used Frog tape pushed into the hinge V with the back of a blunt curved metal blade (hinge slotting tool) then shaved off with a razor blade. Proved just right for stopping the resin getting to the hinge. Final pic is the actual finish after removing peel ply and sanding off glass fibre excess overhang. The peel ply also takes the waxy finish with it. There is a very slight dimple pattern that sand off with no effort leaving a surface ready for priming.. Edited By MikeQ on 20/12/2020 22:42:09 Edited By MikeQ on 20/12/2020 22:44:59 Edited By MikeQ on 20/12/2020 22:45:27 Edited By MikeQ on 20/12/2020 22:45:47 Edited By MikeQ on 20/12/2020 22:46:37 Edited By MikeQ on 20/12/2020 22:47:58 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeQ Posted October 10, 2021 Author Share Posted October 10, 2021 (edited) Hello finally got first flight in of my Hammer today. Really pleased with it. Came in at 1500g total with glassed wings, carbon ballast tube and 2000mAh NimH and all that. Some good air got me worryingly high ? Might as well put some colour on it now I guess cheers mike Edited October 10, 2021 by MikeQ 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted October 10, 2021 Share Posted October 10, 2021 Very nice Mike. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Chantler Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 looks great. Bit of colour on the tips definitely helps. Had mine up last week - still my choice to take up if the wind is a bit iffy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.