Lightening Foam Board for Mini Arrow

kingstat

New member
I just finished cutting out new foam board for a mini arrow. I will be using all of the electronics from a recently destroyed tiny trainer that was using the power pack A. I weighed a sheet of the uncut foam board that I picked up at Hobby Lobby and it is ~250 grams, which is way heavier than the 112 grams of the flitetest stuff. This is especially concerning given the power pack A. I have started to remove the paper from the inside of the wings, but was wondering what areas I could remove paper from and which areas should be left alone. For example, should I remove the paper on the spars? Should I remove it from both all sides, the inside (within the C), or the outside?

On a related note, any good methods for peeling the paper. I have found that peeling very slowly does the best job at removing the paper and glue.
 

Arcfyre

Elite member
Honestly I wouldn't worry about it. The arrow is a remarkably powerful and efficient airframe. I doubled up the cargo pods on mine, making one on top and one on the bottom for more space. The bottom one is out of the heavy Elmer's board. I fly it with a 1500mah battery and a Mobius on board and it still floats like a dream. You'll be fine without going crazy removing paper. Just make sure you get the CG right.
 

kdobson83

Well-known member
I just finished cutting out new foam board for a mini arrow. I will be using all of the electronics from a recently destroyed tiny trainer that was using the power pack A. I weighed a sheet of the uncut foam board that I picked up at Hobby Lobby and it is ~250 grams, which is way heavier than the 112 grams of the flitetest stuff. This is especially concerning given the power pack A. I have started to remove the paper from the inside of the wings, but was wondering what areas I could remove paper from and which areas should be left alone. For example, should I remove the paper on the spars? Should I remove it from both all sides, the inside (within the C), or the outside?

On a related note, any good methods for peeling the paper. I have found that peeling very slowly does the best job at removing the paper and glue.
That all depends on what electronics your using. You specified Power pack A but we need prop/battery info too. I say this because I use 1806 motors on a few things with different props/batteries. All produce different thrust. I have a 6030 on 3s on my SE5 and its slow/scale. Same setup on my brothers tiny trainer and it flys just fine. Same motor and battery but moved to a 5x4x3 prop on my Arrow and it has unlimited vertical with decent speed. And if your using the new FT Radial 1806 on 3s battery it'll handle a 5x4x3 or a 6045 easily giving you plenty of thrust.
As far as removing paper, the more you remove the less rigid/strong it'll be. If you have to remove paper, I'd only remove it on the inside of the wings. Your spars will need it for strength. But keep in mind, if you remove too much, you can always strengthen it back up with some packing tape.
Anyway, sounds like it's time to find your nearest Dollar Tree and stock up on the good stuff. Lol
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
I just finished cutting out new foam board for a mini arrow. I will be using all of the electronics from a recently destroyed tiny trainer that was using the power pack A. I weighed a sheet of the uncut foam board that I picked up at Hobby Lobby and it is ~250 grams, which is way heavier than the 112 grams of the flitetest stuff. This is especially concerning given the power pack A. I have started to remove the paper from the inside of the wings, but was wondering what areas I could remove paper from and which areas should be left alone. For example, should I remove the paper on the spars? Should I remove it from both all sides, the inside (within the C), or the outside?

On a related note, any good methods for peeling the paper. I have found that peeling very slowly does the best job at removing the paper and glue.
As a rule it is best to remove paper from NON-Structural parts of the plane only!
This means that the fuselage can have the internal paper removed totally and depending on the model the outer paper can also be removed from the tail boom, (normally the minis only).
The tail and wing spars are best left alone, (DO NOT remove paper).
The wing can have paper removed from the OUTER half of its internal surface only. The wing tips carry far less weight BUT the inner, (root), portion of the wing requires its strength so it can carry the planes weight especially when subject to high "G" maneuvers.
Wing control surfaces should be left with paper on both sides!

If you can reduce the battery size and maintain balance it would be even better!

Just what works for me!

Have fun!
 

FoamyDM

Building Fool-Flying Noob
Moderator
@kingstat - The paper is half the weight of the DTFB. and it adds significant stiffness and shear strength parallel with the paper.
Keep the paper on the spars, and lose it on the insides of the plane wing. leave both sides on the control surfaces. and fins.

or What @Hai-Lee said

The Arrow is a Very robust beast of a plane. Add Strap tape to the bottom and top sheets and Packing tape or laminate elsewhere and you have a VERY durable plane. (ask me how I know.) honestly the power pod shows more abuse than the plane does. It has enough power and lift that unless you are soaring/gliding,
 

kingstat

New member
That all depends on what electronics your using. You specified Power pack A but we need prop/battery info too. I say this because I use 1806 motors on a few things with different props/batteries. All produce different thrust. I have a 6030 on 3s on my SE5 and its slow/scale. Same setup on my brothers tiny trainer and it flys just fine. Same motor and battery but moved to a 5x4x3 prop on my Arrow and it has unlimited vertical with decent speed. And if your using the new FT Radial 1806 on 3s battery it'll handle a 5x4x3 or a 6045 easily giving you plenty of thrust.
As far as removing paper, the more you remove the less rigid/strong it'll be. If you have to remove paper, I'd only remove it on the inside of the wings. Your spars will need it for strength. But keep in mind, if you remove too much, you can always strengthen it back up with some packing tape.
Anyway, sounds like it's time to find your nearest Dollar Tree and stock up on the good stuff. Lol

I'm running the 6x3 props that come with the Power Pack A and I'm using 850mAh 3S batteries. I have the 1806 motor, but it is not the new FT Radial

My plan, and what I had already started to do, was to remove the paper from the inside surfaces of the wings and fuselage only. I'll leave the spars, elevons, and wing tips alone.

Thanks everyone for the input.
 

kdobson83

Well-known member
I'm running the 6x3 props that come with the Power Pack A and I'm using 850mAh 3S batteries. I have the 1806 motor, but it is not the new FT Radial

My plan, and what I had already started to do, was to remove the paper from the inside surfaces of the wings and fuselage only. I'll leave the spars, elevons, and wing tips alone.

Thanks everyone for the input.
The old A pack motor is an emax motor. Very good motor. If your not happy with the 6030 prop I highly recommend stepping up to the 5x4x3 props. I've found it gives almost as much power as a 6045 but way less amp draw. About as much thrust as you can get out of the little motor with only about 12amps drawn.