Mini Maker Faire

sprzout

Knower of useless information
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So I've been asked to step in and assist with some RC builds/drone demos for our local Maker Faire happening next month, and I was thinking I'd put together some planes that could be either chuck gliders or even built into RC planes later.

The Maker Faire wants us to demonstrate some of these builds and help kids build the planes (I have no problem whatsoever with that), and potentially have the kids upgrade later to be able to fly them if they have an interest.

I'm trying to see if I can get our club president in on this, partially as a way to bring in new members (Any kid who can make a plane in 45 min., and then come and FLY it at the field later on? Bonus for membership!), and partially to get kids hooked on the new drug of RC flight. I know there's a lot of parents out there that see RC planes as expensive toys that are going to get wrecked in just a few minutes, but if they can completely rebuild the planes in an hour, using $1-$2 of foam? Wouldn't that be a great way to get kids interested? :)

My question, though, is - does anyone have any suggestions for small planes that can 1) be built quickly, and 2) be built out of 1 sheet of foamboard?
 

Gazoo

Well-known member
I think the idea of someone throwing a plane together from scratch in 45 min. and then flying is a pretty cool idea. There is the FT Flyer that would go together quickly. It flies OK. I don't think it would be a very good chuck glider though.

If you have a pro build and fly the plane in a short period of time, the Bloody Baron can be built and flown fast. If a pro flies it, it offers some very exciting moves.

I'm not sure if you meant that a kid would do the build/fly thing but the baron may be a little fast for that.
 

sprzout

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Where is this maker fair at?

It'll be in North County San Diego area; I'm trying to find out location specifically, but so far they haven't announced it yet because they're still trying to get approval.

And, unfortunately, we can't fly anything at this time; I think they've got some paranoid folks because of the word "drone", so we'll be doing a static display and build table for kids to build something and walk away with it - hence chuck gliders. The hosts want it to be a plane that they could add servos and a motor to later and have it fly; I'm thinking maybe some planes from the Mighty Mini line? I'll make up a template or two, trace them out onto the foamboard, and pre-cut it all so it's ready to go that day.
 

thenated0g

Drinker of coffee, Maker of things
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Cool. Well let us know when and where. Thats a long drive from Norcal, but you never know.
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
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Cool. Well let us know when and where. Thats a long drive from Norcal, but you never know.

So I got information today - the Mini Maker Faire will be held June 16th and 17th, 2018, at the Antiques Gas & Steam Engine Museum, in Vista, CA, which is located in North County San Diego, approx. 10 mi. inland from the 5 freeway in Oceanside.

More details are listed here:

https://northcounty.makerfaire.com/

I'll be there with my RC club, the Palomar RC Flyers, promoting the club activities, helping kids build chuck gliders, building a plane of my own, and (hopefully) flying something, if they'll permit it!
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
So I got information today - the Mini Maker Faire will be held June 16th and 17th, 2018, at the Antiques Gas & Steam Engine Museum, in Vista, CA, which is located in North County San Diego, approx. 10 mi. inland from the 5 freeway in Oceanside.

More details are listed here:

https://northcounty.makerfaire.com/

I'll be there with my RC club, the Palomar RC Flyers, promoting the club activities, helping kids build chuck gliders, building a plane of my own, and (hopefully) flying something, if they'll permit it!
Make and take a bungee launcher for the launching of the chuck gliders. Make them really get airborne and reduce the problem of poor launching by some of the builders. Use it at less than maximum tension of course or you might have trouble finding them again.:eek::LOL:

Have fun!
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
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Make and take a bungee launcher for the launching of the chuck gliders. Make them really get airborne and reduce the problem of poor launching by some of the builders. Use it at less than maximum tension of course or you might have trouble finding them again.:eek::LOL:

Have fun!

We'll see - I'm being told we MIGHT have an area for flight coming, but it's still in the air with the museum...Last year we flew in a big open field area, but they may not allow us to fly there this year because people in the homes behind the field were complaining about the noise of some of the FT planes (guys had some little 2400kv motors on some Bloody Barons and were making them SCREAM through the sky, sounding like a flying beehive).

I'm hoping that changes and we get to fly in a different area, as I'd LOVE to be able to get some people to see us build and maiden an FT plane or two while we're there, other than the chuck gliders!
 

thenated0g

Drinker of coffee, Maker of things
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i know at the big makerfairs they do not allow plane flying and any quad flying has to be in a fully enclosed net area.
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
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i know at the big makerfairs they do not allow plane flying and any quad flying has to be in a fully enclosed net area.

We're trying to see if we can get around that; the area where we're at is 5+ mi. from any airports, we would be flying in an open field area, with spotters, and we'd establish a flight line, just like if you were flying at say, an RC field. We were able to do it last year, but the guys who organized it (not Maker Faire, but the drone pilots who invited me) did a poor job of setting up for safety, and it was something that irked me. You fly a drone, you're flying an aerial blender, and if someone comes up and distracts you while flying, it could slice them up pretty good if you were to crash near them.

We'll see what happens; Maker Faire wants us to fly, but it's kind of up to the venue at this point whether they'll let us or not. If not, we'll do static displays, and I'll probably still fly my Inductrix Pro and give people some ride-alongs with that. If that thing goes down or smacks into someone, it doesn't do much damage. We'll see what happens. Worst case scenario, we just build some chuck gliders, and that's it!
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
Shame this is on the left coast. sounds like a fun time and a great way to introduce kids to RC flight by someone who will teach all aspects and not just the cool parts. It is also on my Bday so I would hopefully be busy and probably nursing a hangover on the second day.
 

sprzout

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Shame this is on the left coast. sounds like a fun time and a great way to introduce kids to RC flight by someone who will teach all aspects and not just the cool parts. It is also on my Bday so I would hopefully be busy and probably nursing a hangover on the second day.

It really is fun, and the venue is a great place too. Even if you don't get to build stuff, there's all these old cool steam powered tractors, GIGANTIC diesel generators (and when I say GIGANTIC, I mean that there's one that is literally big enough to be the size of a locomotive; it apparently used to run the generator for power back in the 40's out on...Catalina island? San Clemente Island? One of the islands off the coast of California), and other old farm equipment that they use, in addition to a miniature railroad museum and antique watch display.
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
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If you are still looking for a small one sheet trainer the mini scouts great.

Thanks! I'll probably be building some of those this weekend; I've got a few spare sheets and I can use that to practice. I'll probably also figure out maybe some poster board or plastic sheet that I can use to make some templates with so I can knock out a bunch of them. :)
 

VancleVector

New member
It really is fun, and the venue is a great place too. Even if you don't get to build stuff, there's all these old cool steam powered tractors, GIGANTIC diesel generators (and when I say GIGANTIC, I mean that there's one that is literally big enough to be the size of a locomotive; it apparently used to run the generator for power back in the 40's out on...Catalina island? San Clemente Island? One of the islands off the coast of California), and other old farm equipment that they use, in addition to a miniature railroad museum and antique watch display.



I purchased a Propane Generator from Central Maine Diesel a few years ago.

20 HP Honda engine, Italian generator head.
Paid about $2300 plus shipping via Paradise Freight which was a few hundred.
I see the price is just a bit higher now... But the one I want most is yuchai genset which i saw from a website.

Recently it blew a capacitor. Central Maine sent me 2 for the price of one even though it is out of warranty. $39 total for two.

I looked at generators on island but a similar Honda at Quality electric was close to $6000 and it wasn't even a 13750kw. More like 8 or 9000kw if I remember right.....

They have many generators at great prices but this is the one I settled for.

Quiet, no smell, propane lasts forever........
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
I purchased a Propane Generator from Central Maine Diesel a few years ago.

20 HP Honda engine, Italian generator head.
Paid about $2300 plus shipping via Paradise Freight which was a few hundred.
I see the price is just a bit higher now... But the one I want most is yuchai genset which i saw from a website.

Recently it blew a capacitor. Central Maine sent me 2 for the price of one even though it is out of warranty. $39 total for two.

I looked at generators on island but a similar Honda at Quality electric was close to $6000 and it wasn't even a 13750kw. More like 8 or 9000kw if I remember right.....

They have many generators at great prices but this is the one I settled for.

Quiet, no smell, propane lasts forever........

Well, the diesel generators that they have at the Antique Steam Engine Museum are on display and are actually literal antiques. These are generators that were meant to power the electric lights in the mines that they had out there, back in the early 20th century. We're talking about a 90-100 year old diesel engine that is the size of an RV, powering all of those lights. The museum fires it up for display, so that you can see it running, and the guys who volunteer there keep it running, repair it, mill parts for it, feed it oil and fuel - I haven't a clue what the cost is, just something neat to see on display there. :)