4Charlie (My first balsa build)

[Zetoyoc]

I got the last little fiddly bits done, I think. sanding everything smooth, shaping the leading edge, drilling new holes for the control rods so they have a less curvey path, and making a better pilot than the oversized flat one it came with. Now I am stalling a bit before the covering and going to watch another instructional video on the subject first. At least if I mess it up I know it will come off and I can do it again. now like the thin ca that stuff is scary sometimes.

 

[The Hangar]

I got the last little fiddly bits done, I think. sanding everything smooth, shaping the leading edge, drilling new holes for the control rods so they have a less curvey path, and making a better pilot than the oversized flat one it came with. Now I am stalling a bit before the covering and going to watch another instructional video on the subject first. At least if I mess it up I know it will come off and I can do it again. now like the thin ca that stuff is scary sometimes.

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It looks really really good!

 

[Dazzy]

I got the last little fiddly bits done, I think. sanding everything smooth, shaping the leading edge, drilling new holes for the control rods so they have a less curvey path, and making a better pilot than the oversized flat one it came with. Now I am stalling a bit before the covering and going to watch another instructional video on the subject first. At least if I mess it up I know it will come off and I can do it again. now like the thin ca that stuff is scary sometimes.

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Thats looking superb Jesse, is that an orange rubber band holding the wing onto the fuselage?
Was that part of the kit?
Is it designed that way or is this your idea?
Fwiw Ive gone and reviewed more Aussie balsa models today and the cost is way out there, Imean bloody well expensive when compared to the designs from the usa. Im gunna bite the bullet and order from Stevens Aero as well.

 

[Zetoyoc]

It looks really really good!

Thanks. I am really enjoying this.

Thats looking superb Jesse, is that an orange rubber band holding the wing onto the fuselage?
Was that part of the kit?
Is it designed that way or is this your idea?
Fwiw Ive gone and reviewed more Aussie balsa models today and the cost is way out there, Imean bloody well expensive when compared to the designs from the usa. Im gunna bite the bullet and order from Stevens Aero as well.

The kit is designed with the rubber band mounting and did come with rubber bands. Just not the orange ones. I just had a box of bands at my desk and didnt bother opening the package that came with the kit. I did briefly consider converting the wing to a screw in type mount but decided to just bud it as designed this time.. mostly.

Let me know what kit you pick. There are a lot of good ones out there. I am already eyeing a next kit maybe a cessna 337 or a bigger aerobatic stick style. But I should finish this one first I guess

 

[Zetoyoc]

I started some of the covering. I think I'll wait on the rest and go get a heat gun. It is doable with the iron alone but I'd like to see if I can get it a bit better. Or at least quicker.

 

[Jackson T]

I started some of the covering. I think I'll wait on the rest and go get a heat gun. It is doable with the iron alone but I'd like to see if I can get it a bit better. Or at least quicker.
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Looking good! Covering always takes me ages, one of the 3 wing panels on my 4 metre glider took me literally 5 hours, with a heat gun! It wasn't even my first balsa build, it was my third!

 

[Zetoyoc]

ok. I had to laugh at myself. I took off the first bit to try again with the heat gun. It did come out better, though I am not sure if that was the heat gun or that I have had more practice now. The heat gun is faster, that is good and bad. Either way, as soon as I was satisfied with the result it occurred to me that I had planned to make the underside of the wing yellow, not blue. so ill have some food and decide if the bottom will now be blue or i am starting over again lol

 

[OliverW]

ok. I had to laugh at myself. I took off the first bit to try again with the heat gun. It did come out better, though I am not sure if that was the heat gun or that I have had more practice now. The heat gun is faster, that is good and bad. Either way, as soon as I was satisfied with the result it occurred to me that I had planned to make the underside of the wing yellow, not blue. so ill have some food and decide if the bottom will now be blue or i am starting over again lol

Check Balsaworkbench.com for your next project... I ordered from him and had amazing customer service and quality of the parts! There was no laser burn

 

[Zetoyoc]

The wing is done. about time too. i can only hold my breath concentrating for so long.

I decided the first panel was good enough and left it blue and moved on from there. I can tell now looking back that it was the first panel. but things did not go nearly as bad as I was expecting. In fact, I quite like the results of my first wing covering attempt. I am still a bit intimidated by the fuse. but I was pleased to find that the seam or overlaps did not stand out as much as I thought and in fact are quite hard to see. so ill be able to try smaller patches on the fuse and not really notice the seams much. maybe tomorrow my brain may be all done focusing.

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[OliverW]

The wing is done. about time too. i can only hold my breath concentrating for so long.

I decided the first panel was good enough and left it blue and moved on from there. I can tell now looking back that it was the first panel. but things did not go nearly as bad as I was expecting. In fact, I quite like the results of my first wing covering attempt. I am still a bit intimidated by the fuse. but I was pleased to find that the seam or overlaps did not stand out as much as I thought and in fact are quite hard to see. so ill be able to try smaller patches on the fuse and not really notice the seams much. maybe tomorrow my brain may be all done focusing.

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The fuse is much easier than the wing from my experience

 

[Zetoyoc]

The fuse is much easier than the wing from my experience

I hope you are right. I just keep picturing that curvy nose. but if the wing is the hardest part tomorrow will be a good day.

 

[TooJung2Die]

You're doing great. Every time I look at the first wing I covered after a 45 year hiatus I get the urge to strip it and do it over. But it flies great and you can't see little wrinkles from the ground.

 

[Zetoyoc]

I didn't take as many photos of the last covering session. I put my head down and got lost in the work. The fuse, for me, was more difficult. But I did learn some things that worked and a few more that didn't.
It is looking a bit more like a plane.

 

[OliverW]

I didn't take as many photos of the last covering session. I put my head down and got lost in the work. The fuse, for me, was more difficult. But I did learn some things that worked and a few more that didn't.
It is looking a bit more like a plane.
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She looks beautiful!

 

[Zetoyoc]

We have some stripes! this took more time than I thought. I also got done and put everything away before I realized I hadn't put anything on the rudder. I was going to continue the sunburst but I may come up with something else now that I have mounted the tail.

 

[Wildthing]

We have some stripes! this took more time than I thought. I also got done and put everything away before I realized I hadn't put anything on the rudder. I was going to continue the sunburst but I may come up with something else now that I have mounted the tail.

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That looks super

 

[The Hangar]

That looks super

Agreed!

 

["Corpse"]

We have some stripes! this took more time than I thought. I also got done and put everything away before I realized I hadn't put anything on the rudder. I was going to continue the sunburst but I may come up with something else now that I have mounted the tail.

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Loving it! that covering job rocks so much!

 

[Zetoyoc]

Thanks for the compliments. I am having fun and learning a lot. I found a few ways not to do stripes and there is a pretty significant wrinkle in one of them. Nobody will notice it unless looking but I had to beat down and chain up any ocd tendencies to not try to tear it off and try it again.

If I don't get distracted I may finish it today. Servos, linkages, motor Etc all the internals. Oh and I need to paint my pilot. Then the terrifying maiden flight lol

Hum this post needs a photo. Here is a shot as it stands. Looking pretty sharp if Indo say so myself.

 

[Turbojoe]

Beautiful Job! Are you SURE this is your first balsa build?

Joe