I can't BELIEVE I'm actually trying this!! Baby Blender SCRATCHBUILD! 😳

PoorManRC

Master member
Sounds like a perfect day. Go fly! As Bixler says: "Make some memories"...good or bad...whether she soars beautifully through the sky OR is the most epic foamboard airplane crash EVER!

Just make sure gets plenty of airspeed before taking off. Hand launch or gear?
Sadly, I no longer have the upper body movement to hand launch anything bigger than a little rubber band plane...
Always Gear. But by this point, I've done so many Taxi tests, I could almost chase my RC Crawler with the Blender!!! 😜 lol

Thanks guys! It means a lot to me.
 

AkimboGlueGuns

Biplane Guy
Mentor
Sadly, I no longer have the upper body movement to hand launch anything bigger than a little rubber band plane...
Always Gear. But by this point, I've done so many Taxi tests, I could almost chase my RC Crawler with the Blender!!! 😜 lol

Thanks guys! It means a lot to me.
You can always do the underhand launch. With the Baby Blender it's particularly easy since you can grab it from the front of the top wing, punch the throttle, and for the most part just let it go. The plane doesn't need much air speed to maintain flight, so you can just drop it and the plane will be above stall. It's a little bit squirely on the ground thanks to the short tail moment, but definitely not unmanageable as long as you're on top of the rudder.
 

PoorManRC

Master member
Well how did it go? What happened? Get any video?
Sorry.... I was upset about not getting Video. 😖
Yeah, she flew BEAUTIFULLY. Taxied smoothly, without a trace of ground looping. Floated off the ground, and pulled up nicely.

We WERE supposed to go again today....
But it was as rainy as it was yesterday! 😞😭😭
I can't WAIT to fly her again!

I'm really worried about something different.... I posted my first Video of 2020 on YouTube on Tuesday......
It's only had 11 views, and the only comment was MINE. 😞
Attack of COPPA! 😡😠😖😠
 

basslord1124

Master member
Sucks about the video but glad the plane flew great. It's always nice when you have a good experience...makes up for those bad ones. ;)

Don't worry about video views...they will come. Sometimes folks get busy...I know I need to watch it.
 

PoorManRC

Master member
Sucks about the video but glad the plane flew great. It's always nice when you have a good experience...makes up for those bad ones. ;)

Don't worry about video views...they will come. Sometimes folks get busy...I know I need to watch it.
The Weather has been BAD all week! 😖😞 We're still hoping for tomorrow...

The first Video in the Power Wagon Series I might just be calling a write off.... NOBODY has seen it. Sounds like a YouTube issue.
Just for giggles, I'll post both of them here...

Video One:

Video Two:
 

RustySocket

Active member
@PoorManRC I'm scratchbuilding my first FB plane and it's a baby blender too. I was just reading threads on it and came across yours and I wanted to say that it's helpful to see all the pictures of your build.

I too have some physical hurdles that make it difficult to cut all these parts out. I'm new to foam board building, but have been building conventional stick RC planes for many years. One technique I learned years ago, rather that to try tracing all the parts out onto the board or cutting through the plans, it to cut the plan leaving about a half inch around the part your working on and then tape it onto the foam board in a hinge type fashion in a couple of places. Then i make a couple of index marks with a pencil on each edge so that I can lift the plan up on the hinge to see under it but when I lay it back down see that it is in the same spot. Then I take a tack pin and I work my way around the part poking a hole through the plan into the board at the corners or the intersections and then just fold the plan back and use a straightedge and a pencil to connect the dots and draw the part right onto the board. When there are curves I just poke a hole on the line every .25" or so and then lift the plan up and just freehand it with a pencil. It's a little work and I don't know if I have described what I do very well but but maybe it's a technique that would be helpful for you too. For me I get a most of my enjoyment from the hobby simply building the planes as I'm not a great pilot.... it keeps my days busy and my mind focused on something positive.

TLDR; I don't tape the whole plan together. I just tape enough of it to get each part individual. I hinge the plan to the FB on one edge using tape . I use a tack pin to poke reference holes through the plan into the board. I then use a pencil and a straightedge to draw the part on the FB using the pinholes as reference points. Then I cut the part out with a razor knife and a straightedge as a guide.

I'm on some pretty strong meds and tend to ramble and apologize it this isn't clear. Also, my wife is going to town to get me some more foam board and I'm going to start a Duster. I had enough on hand but I messed up the A fold B fold thing like you did and used my extra sheet to remake my fuselage... so your not alone there.
 

PoorManRC

Master member
@PoorManRC I'm scratchbuilding my first FB plane and it's a baby blender too. I was just reading threads on it and came across yours and I wanted to say that it's helpful to see all the pictures of your build.

I too have some physical hurdles that make it difficult to cut all these parts out. I'm new to foam board building, but have been building conventional stick RC planes for many years. One technique I learned years ago, rather that to try tracing all the parts out onto the board or cutting through the plans, it to cut the plan leaving about a half inch around the part your working on and then tape it onto the foam board in a hinge type fashion in a couple of places. Then i make a couple of index marks with a pencil on each edge so that I can lift the plan up on the hinge to see under it but when I lay it back down see that it is in the same spot. Then I take a tack pin and I work my way around the part poking a hole through the plan into the board at the corners or the intersections and then just fold the plan back and use a straightedge and a pencil to connect the dots and draw the part right onto the board. When there are curves I just poke a hole on the line every .25" or so and then lift the plan up and just freehand it with a pencil. It's a little work and I don't know if I have described what I do very well but but maybe it's a technique that would be helpful for you too. For me I get a most of my enjoyment from the hobby simply building the planes as I'm not a great pilot.... it keeps my days busy and my mind focused on something positive.

TLDR; I don't tape the whole plan together. I just tape enough of it to get each part individual. I hinge the plan to the FB on one edge using tape . I use a tack pin to poke reference holes through the plan into the board. I then use a pencil and a straightedge to draw the part on the FB using the pinholes as reference points. Then I cut the part out with a razor knife and a straightedge as a guide.

I'm on some pretty strong meds and tend to ramble and apologize it this isn't clear. Also, my wife is going to town to get me some more foam board and I'm going to start a Duster. I had enough on hand but I messed up the A fold B fold thing like you did and used my extra sheet to remake my fuselage... so your not alone there.
That's GREAT that you're able to enjoy the Hobby TOO!! 😎🙌🙌🙌🙌

A NOTE: the "mess up" of the B vs A Fold on this particular Fuse, was purely intentional!! 😜 I'm a fan of Wide Fuselages. 😉
It DID require some impromptu adjustments down the line that I forgot to account for.

I really like your idea for cutting the parts!! 👍👍 That I'll have to remember, and try on my next Build, the FT-22.
It does seem a little tamer on the rusty joints!

I too am on some serious narcotics for extreme pain. I try to limit them, because I hate being "numb and dumb". 😖 But at times there's just no choice....

That also limits my FLYING. Obviously I can't get behind the wheel all doped up!

Also like you, I'm definitely more of a Builder than a Flyer... But I LOVE the Flying part!! Used to fly the real thing. Sometimes THAT even makes it difficult... I'm used to controlling Yaw with my Feet - not my left hand!! 😳
I'm getting around that with creative mixing! Just added a little Rudder to the Ailerons, and Bob's your Uncle - as my dear friend from the Midlands of England says. 😉

I hope you noted that THIS Baby Blender ISN'T Stock...
The Fuse is over 2 inches longer, improving the Moment - and the Upper Wing is 3 inches longer, like many modern Bipes.

From my only Flight, so far, it's truly the best Flying Model I've ever handled!!

Even though I'm still relatively new to this, I've only built ONE Plane as Stock!! 😳
It's just Foam at the end of the day, and I'm having fun experimenting.
 

PoorManRC

Master member
It's a CONSPIRACY!!! 😜😡😠
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basslord1124

Master member
You all get snow? :eek:

Wow, weather is getting whackier and whackier. We've had 60 degree temps here the past few days. And if these 60 degree days weren't windy and rainy, I'd be trying to fly some. My Spitfire is begging to be flown and plowed into the ground like a lawn dart! lol. :D