Mini Trainer is here. Can I build it? Can I fly it?

FDS

Elite member
That’s the beauty of Fb airframes, new parts are dead easy to make.
I use my steel rule to keep my bevel cuts straight, lay it 1/4” back from the edge and use a brand new blade.
Now you have lots of spare board it’s worth making a supply of several things-
  • Make a dozen spare power pods, get a supply of firewalls. My TT has eaten 28 power pods since November 2018.
  • Another tip- use the straight edge of the FB when you draw parts out, you get a “free” cut that way and if the factory edge is undamaged it’s nice and straight already. If you cluster parts together a bit it reduces waste and cutting time. You can use the frames of board the FT parts were on to trace new ones out really easily, keep them flat somewhere to make up more planes/spare parts easily.
  • Practice bevel cuts with your fancy cutter or any other method that you find comfy.
  • Make up a spare powered nose assembly, they can get pounded out in crashes.
This way you won’t lose time flying. Also check your motor screws are not fouling the coils inside the motor, I use pretty short screws with the FT firewall, if you have them too long they can jam or damage the motor windings.
Your build looks great! I too am enjoying your posts.
 

Arcfyre

Elite member
Really enjoying this thread so far! @The Double D you're doing great, keep up the good work.

You're working your way through airframe assembly right now, and you're making good progress.

Next major step will be installing the electronics and getting the servos set up.

I have significant experience with the DXe radio that you purchased. After you get your electrics installed, you may find that you need to reverse a servo direction to get the correct control inputs. If you didn't get the programming cable for that radio, it can be done manually, but it is a little finicky to learn. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Here's a page from the manual to get you started.
 

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Up early this morning. Wife and granddaughter are still sleeping so no youtube videos yet. Beside what I am doing I am not sure if there is a video to cover.

For cutting the foamboard I using a a green cutting pad from the fabric store that is used by quilters for cutting cloth. I have a straight edge that goes with the pad.

I laid out my foam board on the cutting pad and used the foam cutter to cut all straight lines.

Here is a learning point. I am using the dining room table as my hobby table and it has a light over the center of the table. At the end of the table I am working from the light coming from the right. Since i am left handed, i placed the straight edge to the right side of the line. The straight edge then casts a shadow on my cutting lines. In the future I will turn my foam so it is on the right side of the table, light coming from left so the straight edge doesn't shadow the cutting line. It doesn't matter that the cutting tool cast a shadow, as the tool butts up against the straight edge. I made all the long straight cuts with the tool. It is difficult with the cutter tool to see where the cutting line starts and ends, so I started my cut before and cut beyond. Before popping the pieces out of the foamboard, I used the excato knife to cut the radius'. Learning point, watch your light.

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To make break lines for the Elevator and rudder. I marked the new pieces using the old pieces for layout of the break line. Then with the exacto and straight edge, I cut only the top layer of paper. Then I "broke" it over the edge of the table like Josh shows in the video.

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With everything cut out, I dry fit to see how it went.

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my tail slot in the elevator is not as tight as in the kit tail so I will have to pay close attention when I glue up.

I have some soft foam sanding sponges. I went around the edges of my cuts and sanded of the frizzy's and rounded the radius's smooth to clean things up.

My feelings about the tool. It worked as advertised. But after using the excato knife I think I might prefer it. I get more square cuts with the tool, but the exacto knife cuts are more precisely located and less wasteful. I just have to work on square with the knife.

I am still a bit intimidated about the the 45 degree cuts.. I am going to do test cuts with some scrap and see what i can do. Remember, I am new to this foamboard building. What you might take for granted, I need to do wrong a couple of time to get it.
 

Arcfyre

Elite member
Great job rebuilding those parts!

Not to be a nag (that's my wife's job hahaha) but your dry fit has the elevator upside down again. The beveled side should be down, pretty side up. Not that it really matters.
 
Great job rebuilding those parts!

Not to be a nag (that's my wife's job hahaha) but your dry fit has the elevator upside down again. The beveled side should be down, pretty side up. Not that it really matters.
Yep, sure is but not glued up yet. fixed, thank you.

Been practicing bevel cuts, going to try the sandpaper trick, but first wife says I must run errands with her first. The only upside to that is she will buy me lunch.
 

Matthew Sanders

Elite member
When I was building my trainer (scratch build) I put my elevator on upside down as well. I know you did this a little while ago, so I don't know if this is of any help. All I did was cut my control horn slit on the other side, measuring the distance on either side. I know I'm only 16, and I've had very limited experience, but I hope it helps. Good luck, it'll look great once it's built! That's how mine looked, before the real crashing started! (But then again, I'm also a novice pilot)
 

Gazoo

Well-known member
I have recently been measuring 3/16" on the side of the bevel and using a blade to cut super light score. Then I peel the strip of paper off. This gives you a guide when cutting the bevel. If done right, it will give you a clean 45 degree bevel.

I don't have any pics or vids of it. Works slick tho.
 

FDS

Elite member
The above, combined with using a steel rule to keep the blade tracking straight, could be the killer app for bevel cuts?
 
Well I am glad I wasn't the first to go upside down on this. Fixes were simple, I made them hard.

I appreciate all the feed back and encouragement.

I am going slow on this it's pretty obvious. I was out in my shop yesterday and was taking the garbage out and found another way to do the bevel. Hanging out of the can was a broken sanding belt for my 6 inch belt sander. It was a fairly new belt when it broke.

I cut a piece of belt off and hot glued it to a piece of scrap plywood. Sanded in the bevel. Worked a charm. Also found out the tip Josh gives about taping the hinge if you cut through with the razor knife also works if you sand through :)


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I am about to get back to building. Family chores and commitments are out of the way. Later this morning I will finish the tail and fuselage build and perhaps start on wings. Our household is a retiree's household. In our household you are allowed to sleep as late as you wish and go to bed as late as you wish. So while i get up a 6AM, my wife sleeps to 9AM or later. During the summer when Granddaughter is out of school and stays withuse, she is allowed to follow that practice. So until they wake up I can't turn on the Tini-Trainer build video.

Before that there is a nagging question I have for those of you who have previously built a tiny trainer.

Did you use the medium length screws or short screws to mount your motor?
 

basslord1124

Master member
I always use the short screws. I basically mount the motor directly to the firewall. I don't use the X mount that usually comes with the motor (unless I need it to mark screw holes).
 
After much trial and error, and the granddaughter giving up in frustration, we got the short screws in the motor mount.

I sure wish Flite Test included that long handled allen wrench they use in the power pod assembly video in the power pack A kit.

I will order one of them when ai order the electronics for the Granddaughters plane.
 

earthquake

Member
I use a steel rule to cut my 45°'s now after bushwhacking the first few, I use a dulled tip razor blade [a couple of strokes on a sharping stone to take the point off] so it wont cut all the way through, I lay the rule just past the cut for the hinge and hold the blade at about a 45° angle and cut to the bottom of the hinge cut and the piece usually falls out. practice on some scrap FB.
I built my TT from scratch, It is not perfect but I think it will fly I tossed it across my room and it flew straight and level. I have the motor on it now and I am waiting for my radio so I can try to fly it.
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Casey
I am trying to find some OD # 64 rubber bands.
 

earthquake

Member
After much trial and error, and the granddaughter giving up in frustration, we got the short screws in the motor mount.

I sure wish Flite Test included that long handled allen wrench they use in the power pod assembly video in the power pack A kit.

I will order one of them when ai order the electronics for the Granddaughters plane.

They include some Philips head screws in the PP-A kit that you can use with the screw driver they include, that what I used.

Casey
 

Matthew Sanders

Elite member
After much trial and error, and the granddaughter giving up in frustration, we got the short screws in the motor mount.

I sure wish Flite Test included that long handled allen wrench they use in the power pod assembly video in the power pack A kit.

I will order one of them when ai order the electronics for the Granddaughters plane.

I agree. The only reason I was able to screw in my motor was because I had purchased the C pack for a diy Cessna plane (which crashed due to the fact I was using foam board firewalls) and it was included with that. Also, I don't know what you watch your Build videos on, but you could try to use headphones. When my family was sleeping in on weekends, I used headphones to build my tiny trainer. Best of luck on the rest of your Build, it's very rewarding, especially if you've built a lot of things
 

Matthew Sanders

Elite member
I use a steel rule to cut my 45°'s now after bushwhacking the first few, I use a dulled tip razor blade [a couple of strokes on a sharping stone to take the point off] so it wont cut all the way through, I lay the rule just past the cut for the hinge and hold the blade at about a 45° angle and cut to the bottom of the hinge cut and the piece usually falls out. practice on some scrap FB.
I built my TT from scratch, It is not perfect but I think it will fly I tossed it across my room and it flew straight and level. I have the motor on it now and I am waiting for my radio so I can try to fly it. View attachment 133433

Casey
I am trying to find some OD # 64 rubber bands.
Wow, @earthquake amazing paint job! My scratch build is still plain white. I was going to paint it red, keep some white, and blue but it hasn't gotten that far yet. Yours looks absolutely fantastic!
 
Casey if there were Phillips head screws i have not seen them yet. Looks like i wrote this yesterday and didn't post it. I did find some phillips screw in the servo boxes.

I wish Flite Test included that long handle Allen socket driver in their Power pack A