Life of the Simple Scout...

Grifflyer

WWII fanatic
Hell yea I'll do up a Mustang for a first master series build. Thx for the invite.

My apprehension in building the floats is I don't have access to the water resistant FB, just the regular DTFB, any tips on water proofing? From what I have seen anyone who is using floats on the Scout, it looks like the floats from the Cub fit directly over to the Scout. It would be awesome for the snow in the winter too.

Do you still have the Scout now or is it retired?
You can waterproof regular foam by putting a couple coats of minwax on it or covering the foam in packing tape.
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
You can waterproof regular foam by putting a couple coats of minwax on it or covering the foam in packing tape.
I looked on the FT build plans page and they don't have free plans for the floats, do you know where I could find some plans to build from?
 

chris398mx

Master member
I am all scratch build man. I like looking at the plans, formulating any changes I want to make. Especially being on this forum like I said these guys are pulling off way cooler planes and the support of ideas from other who have possibly made similar changes or mods. I get the feeling the SBK's limit your choices on the mod side of things. Don't get me wrong, FT designs are great planes, and I have built over a dozen of them, 3 of them twice. What I would like to do is get a case of the FT FB and do some water planes like the Sea Duck. I gotta try a multi prop at some point. Most of my experience in the air now is in the Minis but I need to get confident enough to cruise with the standard size units.

I would like to put floats on the Scout as well, seen others do it with great success. I have flown in a lot of single and twin engine planes with my grandfather when I was a kid so I am completely infected with the aviation bug. Been in a handful of float planes and helis as well. Any chance I get i would rather be in the air. This hobby is the next best thing

If you have 2 A-pack motors the mini guinea flys awsome. pretty close to the larger planes and has a lot of power off a 3s 850mah battery.
 

kilroy07

Legendary member
My apprehension in building the floats is I don't have access to the water resistant FB, just the regular DTFB, any tips on water proofing?
I've tried a couple ways, none I really liked.
I would say for a aircraft that is already built, minwax... I've had limited success with it (it does seem to yellow a bit though.)
I have a couple blank sheets I was going to try and see if the cut with the laser okay but then I remembered hearing maybe hotglue does not sticks to the minwaxed sheets... So I might try using the foaming gorilla glue for those builds... (hey, maybe I'll use those for the floats!!) (y)

I tried using colored packing tape on my seaduck build... it's neither pretty, or waterproof... But I have thought about recycling it for the motors, so I might give her a baptism and fly her till she falls apart. :LOL:

Flite Test WP foamboard is all around the best option for seaplanes I think (been my experience anyway...)


Yes, the Scout is still alive (I think I've got that Gryo figured out now, so you'll see them on other builds (one for my son first.))
Now that you've got me thinking about floats I might update her and take her the same day I drown the sea duck.
I need to waterproof the esc and such first though!
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
If you have 2 A-pack motors the mini guinea flys awsome. pretty close to the larger planes and has a lot of power off a 3s 850mah battery.
I was looking at doin the mini twin props as well. Wish the F Pack had a twin I was thinking. Then looking at the price of the C Pack twin at only $30 more... :unsure: Which direction should I go...
I've tried a couple ways, none I really liked.
I would say for a aircraft that is already built, minwax... I've had limited success with it (it does seem to yellow a bit though.)
I have a couple blank sheets I was going to try and see if the cut with the laser okay but then I remembered hearing maybe hotglue does not sticks to the minwaxed sheets... So I might try using the foaming gorilla glue for those builds... (hey, maybe I'll use those for the floats!!) (y)

I tried using colored packing tape on my seaduck build... it's neither pretty, or waterproof... But I have thought about recycling it for the motors, so I might give her a baptism and fly her till she falls apart. :LOL:

Flite Test WP foamboard is all around the best option for seaplanes I think (been my experience anyway...)


Yes, the Scout is still alive (I think I've got that Gryo figured out now, so you'll see them on other builds (one for my son first.))
Now that you've got me thinking about floats I might update her and take her the same day I drown the sea duck.
I need to waterproof the esc and such first though!
What if it wasn't the FB used on the floats at all, how much heavier would the floats be if you used the pink or blue construction foam in the same dimensions as the FB built floats. Advantage, fully waterproof. Disadvantage, solid construction would make them heavier not just for the water but for flight as well... Thoughts
 

Grifflyer

WWII fanatic
...I tried using colored packing tape on my seaduck build... it's neither pretty, or waterproof...

Did you overlap the tape at all? Could water have leaked in through the joints and folds? I've waterproofed parts with tape and haven't had any problems. I always made sure I used plenty of glue on the folds and went over each fold with another piece of tape.
 

The Hangar

Fly harder!
Mentor
I was looking at doin the mini twin props as well. Wish the F Pack had a twin I was thinking. Then looking at the price of the C Pack twin at only $30 more... :unsure: Which direction should I go...

What if it wasn't the FB used on the floats at all, how much heavier would the floats be if you used the pink or blue construction foam in the same dimensions as the FB built floats. Advantage, fully waterproof. Disadvantage, solid construction would make them heavier not just for the water but for flight as well... Thoughts
I’d go with the c-pack twin. You can use the electronics in any other swappable standard plane, and the full size planes will fly slower and easier. Also, solid floats would work well. Overall it is hard to waterproof dtfb completely, and so pink or blue foam I think would be an awesome choice!
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
I’d go with the c-pack twin. You can use the electronics in any other swappable standard plane, and the full size planes will fly slower and easier. Also, solid floats would work well. Overall it is hard to waterproof dtfb completely, and so pink or blue foam I think would be an awesome choice!
That's what I was thinking, as much as I like the minis, and since I recently lost my F Pack, I would like to replace it to fly single engine. But if I am going to make the jump to twin... HAHA why not go big rite.

As for the floats I have a whack load of 1/2 thick construction foam in the garage... I could laminate layers on top of each other and hollow out the center layers to lighten it up, shape the outside to a more pontoon profile, then minwax and paint, seal it off. To the lake we go... Sound about rite?
 

Grifflyer

WWII fanatic
That's what I was thinking, as much as I like the minis, and since I recently lost my F Pack, I would like to replace it to fly single engine. But if I am going to make the jump to twin... HAHA why not go big rite.

As for the floats I have a whack load of 1/2 thick construction foam in the garage... I could laminate layers on top of each other and hollow out the center layers to lighten it up, shape the outside to a more pontoon profile, then minwax and paint, seal it off. To the lake we go... Sound about rite?
Yep, you could even take the side view of the simple cub floats to get a good shape.
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
Yep, you could even take the side view of the simple cub floats to get a good shape.
EXACTLY
Sounds great! Flying of the water is tons of fun!
@BATTLEAXE - the four-sided fold has a join in the middle of one of the flat faces - usually the bottom - I also run a bead down each fold to really make is solid - here is a link to an article I made when I was just getting started - nube tube
It's a great article man. I see what you were talking about with the fold, and I just learned what "crow" is. Thx. How did she fly and do you still have it?
 

bracesport

Legendary member
@BATTLEAXE - the nube tube has long been decommissioned to recycle the parts - these days most of the gear is in my Pheonix hybrid which is ready to fly when the weather is favourable!
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
Update...
Had the opportunity to maiden the Scout today. It was a little windy but I took the chance anyway. Here is some video

Did lose it in the end and took a hit. No real damage other then some pride but a successful flight all said and done. Took it home and charged the batteries and took it out when the wind calmed down. Did some sustained inverted flight and 3 easy landings. No crashes. Altogether a good flight day.