Baby Blender - Scratch Build

Canuk

Junior Member
What fun this build is!
Got my first ever foamy built last night.
Where is the balance point?


blender.jpg
 

Slaine

Junior Member
babyblender.jpg

I made more progress since this one was taken. I have removed the swappable fuse, It was way too hard to access anything with it in the way. I made a new firewall, and installed the landing gear. Glued in all the servo's and set up the pushrods. It seems like it will fly.

As far as painting goes, are you removing the paper from the foamboard first? Whenever I sprayed it with the paper on it, it would get wet and wrinkle.
 

jetpackninja

More combat please...
Mentor
Hello Josh or Chad-
The CG measurement did not make it onto the plans. Can you add it?
Also, what are the recommended throws (control surface movement)


Todd K- It looks like 2.5 in back from a careful watch of the video, but they may have left it out on purpose to allow for an adjustment after a few test flights...
 

steveo

Member
Has anyone tried decorating the dollar tree foam with sharpie markers? If so did it work better than paint?
I thought this might be a better way to color the plane if it doesn't cause damage to the paper?

Oh yeah, one other question, I do not see them setting the motor/motor mount to an angle, it looks like the motor is just point straight out. Will this affect the flight characteristics? or did I simply miss it in the video (that is probably the case)?

This will be my first home scratch build plane can't wait to get started.
Thanks!
 
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Todd K

Junior Member
Flight update

What a blast!

A am running a Grayson Hobby GH2212-10 with a 9x6 prop and a 20 amp speed control. Plenty of power and no problems with torque roll with a straight mount.

I did not build this plane with a swappable fuselage. My plane also wanted to nose up even when going slower. Even with a 2200mah 3cell pushed to the nose. I had to trim it up a lot. I shortened the push rods on my Ailerons to give the wings a bit of downward push. Maybe this will help?

I also did not have a great landing strip so I kept flopping on my nose which weakens the wing and supports.

SUGGESTION:

Double up the wing support and add some barbeque sticks. It is solid now! The motor can handle any extra weight for sure. See picture below. Also added clear packing tape on leading edge of wings and on the bottom front nose. When you go nose over you will beat up the nose.

photo.jpg
 
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steveo

Member
Todd K, that looks fantastic!
Thanks for the helpfull tips.

One big question, how did you paint it? It looks great!
Thanks
 

Todd K

Junior Member
I used Krylon craft paint. Light coats. Don't hold it to close. The white was just masked with Frog tape. Don't press it down too hard or it will rip up some of the paper.
 

Slaine

Junior Member
What a blast!

A am running a Grayson Hobby GH2212-10 with a 9x6 prop and a 20 amp speed control. Plenty of power and no problems with torque roll with a straight mount.

I did not build this plane with a swappable fuselage. My plane also wanted to nose up even when going slower. Even with a 2200mah 3cell pushed to the nose. I had to trim it up a lot. I shortened the push rods on my Ailerons to give the wings a bit of downward push. Maybe this will help?

I also did not have a great landing strip so I kept flopping on my nose which weakens the wing and supports.

SUGGESTION:

Double up the wing support and add some barbeque sticks. It is solid now! The motor can handle any extra weight for sure. See picture below. Also added clear packing tape on leading edge of wings and on the bottom front nose. When you go nose over you will beat up the nose.

View attachment 6114

Thanks for the advice, I was also thinking of using BBQ skewers as well.

Also the issue you are having with the nose up would be worse if your prop was pitching downwards. So the prop being straight should be fine normally. I'm going to try and fly mine tomorrow and see what happens.
 

natjohnw

Junior Member
image_1350684138249112 (1).jpg

Just finished painting the plane.. We used sticky notes to mask since they make finer lines and come off easier than tape. And, you can cut out stencils!
 

Slaine

Junior Member
So I flew today and it worked. I used a 1300mah up to the nose. I built a little platform up front covering the ESC. It wants to climb with a straight facing motor, there was no torque roll. Using a 400 size motor and a 9x6 prop, 30amp ESC. With the 1300mah battery I flew and landed about 4 times. My problem was my landing gear.
WP_000663.jpg

you can see the length of the landing gear is long. It bent and would not take off from the ground after the 3rd landing. I had to hand toss it for the 4th takeoff.

As a result I landed on my prop and skidded...
WP_000665.jpg

So I brought it home and made shorter and stronger landing gear.
WP_000675.jpg

Then I finished the edges with painters tape. :)

WP_000672.jpg

The plane will fly upward when applied power, it's got a lot of lift. Also with the 2nd cockpit cutout, it gives even more lift pulling the tail back. It did barrel rolls and loops. I didn't try a knife edge but it looks like it can do it. When you get it up there and lower throtlle it will level out. Keep it there it will start to now fly slow, this is when I felt comfortable with it and did laps around the park, checked my trim and was able to play with the plane more. I would rate this a sucess. Thanks Josh sqaured and the rest of the team for the inspirado.
 

Slaine

Junior Member
Thanks for the tips guys.
I appreciate it.

I managed to get the 2 wings made, I'm hoping to start cutting out the other parts this weekend if I have time.

One thing I noticed about the awesome wings, (which I'm going to make over and over again in different sizes), is that if it has rubber-bands pulling it onto the fuselage it will bow the wing. Next time I make the wing I'm putting in a carbon rod to stabelize the wing under the pressure of the bands.
 

Novocain

Junior Member
I got mine finished last night. First build I have ever done. Now I am just waiting on the servos and motor to come in the mail so I can go out and fly it! IMG_0715[1].JPG IMG_0714[1].JPG
 

Slaine

Junior Member
My co-pilot had a great idea. He thought it would be great to add a strip of LED lights inside the wing before you fold it together. Use two different colors to tell the difference between up and down. Then use two single LED's to shine onto the sides and rudder like spotlights. Think about landscape lighting on a house.
 

constantmotion

Junior Member
I second the wing braces, needing more strength. I covered my plane in colored packing tape and failed to cover then. I think I will add a second one with a skewer.

After my maiden I ended up moving from the center single aileron servo and using two on top of the bottom wing since I decided to take my landing gear off.

I am using a Grayson 2212-10 with and 9x6 prop. Good power but not too much.

I also have to trim in a lot of right rudder to get the plane to fly straight. How can that be corrected. Vertical stab looks pretty dang square to the nose.

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