Lazy Bee 2020

rockyboy

Skill Collector
Mentor
I added in the rib cap pieces over the new supports here, sanded nice and smooth, and coated with Stix-it.
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And now that center covering piece that I cut too short fits nicely and has something to attach to!
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rockyboy

Skill Collector
Mentor
The center piece attached nicely
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The first wing tip... not so much. Part of the problem is this covering doesn't have a large shrinking capability, but the bigger problem is simply the way I went about applying it. Learn from my mistakes here people! :)

The complicating factor is the two piece graphic - that's held together with the same adhesive used to hold the covering to the frame. So I can't heat up the joint to help it stretch or conform to the curves without the two pieces separating. I plant to cut out the covering piece on that tip rib bay that's the ugliest and create a new yellow/white covering piece that's nice and flat to go in there. Better an extra seam or two than that rumpled mess... :(
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With the experience of knowing how the buckling problem was going to hit, I was able to do a considerably better job on the second wing tip.
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I still need to trim that wing tip, but I couldn't resist turning on the lights and seeing what she looks like - the orange effect is sort of neat :)

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The second row of lights was the right choice on the bottom of wing for sure.
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So I just need to trim that tip, replace the one panel of covering on the 1st wing tip, shrink out a couple little wrinkles, and put a plug on the wiring for the lights. Then it's back to the fuselage covering!
 

TooJung2Die

Master member
That's what I always wondered about making a seam in the covering over an open area; how can you heat shrink the film without the seam heating up and slipping? Shrinking temperature is always higher than tack temperature. Never could figure that out.
 

rockyboy

Skill Collector
Mentor
That's what I always wondered about making a seam in the covering over an open area; how can you heat shrink the film without the seam heating up and slipping? Shrinking temperature is always higher than tack temperature. Never could figure that out.

That is the trick for sure - if that seam area isn't already wrinkle free when it gets stuck down, there's not a good way to get it out. And don't grab for that heat gun to try and shrink the area at all - have to use an iron cranked up to shrinking temperature and be careful to not touch and loosen up the seam.
 

GliderFlyer

Elite member
A little off topic, but I have a question I thought you might be able to answer. Does slower curing epoxy have more strength or is it the same as quick-cure epoxy just slower?
 

rockyboy

Skill Collector
Mentor
So let's get that ugly part of the wingtip fixed. First, cut out the problem area along the rib lines
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Then make up a new piece of covering for the hole
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And that looks much better now! Not quite perfect, but certainly improved.
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Time to finish up the horizontal stabilizer
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And now with the lights :)
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Bottom view - the camera exaggerates the "dots of light" effect and turned green led's blue in this picture...?
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Next up is preparing the fuselage sides. With a folded over piece of covering I cut a pair of the white pieces using the paper template, and then used the same template to figure out the cut line for the yellow.
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And after a bead of Stix-it on the edges and a little heat, the side pieces are ready to apply.
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speedbirdted

Legendary member
Great color choice. The LEDs in the wing look especially nice. I wonder if the lifting stab works well enough to offset the extra weight from the LEDs added to it?
 

Bricks

Master member
Great color choice. The LEDs in the wing look especially nice. I wonder if the lifting stab works well enough to offset the extra weight from the LEDs added to it?


It should be fine may have just a touch more angle of attack but nothing you will notice. I put lights on my 32 inch 3D EPP foamies with them you do notice the extra weight and flight time but that is about it.
 

The Hangar

Fly harder!
Mentor
It should be fine may have just a touch more angle of attack but nothing you will notice. I put lights on my 32 inch 3D EPP foamies with them you do notice the extra weight and flight time but that is about it.
I added them to my multiplex funnycub and it's so worth it. Super fun flying in the evening, or even in the middle of the night. :)
 

rockyboy

Skill Collector
Mentor
She's starting to come together now! Rudder, control rods & horns installed.
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Rudder lights wired in!
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Now to glue on the plywood protectors at the landing gear box - these prevent the covering from getting torn up by the hardware moving up and down on landings.
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Check this out!
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Love the landing gear - it's just ridiculous :)
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Side mounted battery hatch... need to get to work on the inside next :)
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The punch list...

- Install ESC
- Add foam padding to top of fuselage for wing
- Black pinstriping?
- Add plug for wing lights to connect to main lighting harness
- Balance
- Final battery placement and hold down
- Radio programming and set control throws
- Go fly!
 

GliderFlyer

Elite member
She's starting to come together now! Rudder, control rods & horns installed.
View attachment 190622

Rudder lights wired in!
View attachment 190625

Now to glue on the plywood protectors at the landing gear box - these prevent the covering from getting torn up by the hardware moving up and down on landings.
View attachment 190623

Check this out!
View attachment 190624

Love the landing gear - it's just ridiculous :)
View attachment 190626

Side mounted battery hatch... need to get to work on the inside next :)
View attachment 190627

The punch list...

- Install ESC
- Add foam padding to top of fuselage for wing
- Black pinstriping?
- Add plug for wing lights to connect to main lighting harness
- Balance
- Final battery placement and hold down
- Radio programming and set control throws
- Go fly!
Windshield/windows?
 

rockyboy

Skill Collector
Mentor
So cute! you must have an awesome balsa fleet kicking around at your place!? :)

Thanks! I'm getting quite a few of them for sure! Will snap a picture of all the stuff hanging from the ceiling later today - links to all my projects are in my "Hangar" link in the signature.

Windshield/windows?

I'm really torn between cutting out and putting some mylar in there for windows and doing a vinyl cut set of eyes there (like from the Planes or Cars movies).

That one pic of the fuselage where you can see all the lightening holes thru the covering made me start thinking and singing "Yellow Submarine" for some reason.

:LOL: exactly! Now I'm wondering if I should do red pinstriping instead of black, especially on the portholes....