Scratching the Baby

[buzzbomb]

Scratch Building the Baby Blender V2 Extended. (No actual babies will be scratched in the course of this thread. )

In trying to find a biplane the size of the Simple Scout, I came across the Baby Blender V2. The flight characteristics had many detractors for it being squirly and difficult to control.

@jpot1 wrote that he solved those issues by increasing the wing size and lengthening the fuselage. He even posted plans. I got excited just thinking about the possibilities and had to build one.

This thread will chronicle that journey and is intended both as a running venue for me to ask questions and address any build issues that may arise, and also as a possible resource for anyone else who would like to build this particular plane. It'll be old hat for anyone who's already scratch-built a plane or two, but if you haven't, it might be helpful.

The Journey begins with the plan found on page 1 post #11 of this thread.

 

[buzzbomb]

At 40"x44" jpot's modified plan is too large for the large format printers available to me relatively locally and when Adobe Acrobat Reader DC tiled it, it did so in a way that wasn't much better. Due to workspace limitations, I wanted to be able to work with a plan no larger than two 8 1/2 x 11 pages high by 3 pages wide. I also wanted the tile seems to not overlay a cut or score line, and I wanted the parts to individually cross as few tiles as possible.

@jpot1's plan:


Tiling within Adobe Acrobat Reader DC:


I opened his plan in InkScape and after a couple hours' of moving pieces around and going back and forth to Acrobat DC and seeing where the seams fell, I managed to split the plan into four separate pdf files, each one 2 sheets by three sheets.



The layout seems strange, but that's what it took to get the seams to fall where I wanted, when printed with Acrobat DC:

 

[buzzbomb]

The plans were then printed and assembled into four workable sheets.


Then the templates were cut from those sheets.

 

[buzzbomb]

I wanted to maximize the number of parts I was able to get from each DTFB sheet, so I went back into InkScape and moved the parts around a DTFB sized page.



I did that for each of the DTFB sheets.

I printed those pages as a reference, and laid out my template pieces on the DTFB, pinned them down and traced them out. Pictured is the fuselage with some parts. I will be using this method for the remainder of the templates.



I used pins to punch any score lines and simply used a ruler to connect the dots after the template was removed. Again, this process will be repeated for the rest of the template parts.

 

[buzzbomb]

I'm still working on tracing the templates, but I've run into a question. This is the first plane I've built where the turtle deck pieces are each larger than 8 1/2 x 11.



How does one transfer those templates, each longer than 11" onto cardstock to go on the plane?

 

[kdobson83]

I'm still working on tracing the templates, but I've run into a question. This is the first plane I've built where the turtle deck pieces are each larger than 8 1/2 x 11.

View attachment 131764

How does one transfer those templates, each longer than 11" onto cardstock to go on the plane?

Can I recommend not using cardstock and using the new FT build techniques and use foam board for the turtle deck?!
Just remove the inside paper and roll it on the desks edge and ta-da. You may have to cut them a tad wider and add a section you remove the foam too to glue down. In my case, the turtle deck was big enough that when I curved it to fit it had a little extra that extended pastwhere it would fit. I just squeezed it against the fuselage and I cut the line imprint left from the fuselage. I did this on my 125% spitfire and it's SOO much stronger! Just a suggestion.
If you don't like that idea, you can always just put the plans together for the turtle deck just like you did for the rest of the plane. Use tape instead of pins, then apply to your poster board. Tape to the poster board, and cut the lines, no need to trace or mark lines, cut your taped plan directly.
Anyway, good luck! I'll be following this thread with interest. I love bi-planes, currently adding ailerons to my FT Mini se5.

 

[jpot1]

I'm still working on tracing the templates, but I've run into a question. This is the first plane I've built where the turtle deck pieces are each larger than 8 1/2 x 11.

How does one transfer those templates, each longer than 11" onto cardstock to go on the plane?

I just taped two pieces of cardstock together. I put the tape on the inside and the seam is barely noticeable on the outside. But it would work well for the rear turtle deck to use foam like what @kdobson83 mentions.

 

[kdobson83]

Oh, and don't use standard 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock. Go to Dollar tree or Walmart and get poster board. Basically the same thing as card stock but it's the same size as the foam boards we all know and love. You get 2 for $1 at Dollar Tree.

 

[buzzbomb]

Thank you both. I think for the purpose of this build, I'll mock up both methods and see which one I like better.

 

[buzzbomb]

I noticed that the other half of the bevel lines, though unnecessary, did not print on the elevator and rudder plan. I like to have it as a guide whether I iron or cut the bevel. I added the line by the simple expediency of laying the rudder template over the powerpod, marking where the other line would be and connecting the marks with a ruler. For the elevator I just measured up 1/2 centimeter on each end and again connected the marks with a ruler.



For larger pieces like the fuselage and wings, I use the same method to cut the score line as I use to mark it. I also use the same clamp and ruler guide when I am cutting out the pieces. Curves and smaller cuts are accomplished with a scalpel, which does surprisingly well.

 

[buzzbomb]

Mistakes happen. I had a minor setback which I traced all the way back to when I splitting up the original PDF. I had managed to misalign the slots for the powerpod, assemble and cut the plan, trace the plan, and cut out the fuselage. There was no help for it but to go all the way back to printing the tiles and reprint, assemble, cut out the template, trace onto the foamboard and recut another fuselage.

This is the error:



This is the corrected version:



All the parts are now correct, cut out and inventoried to make sure I didn't miss anything. Time to fire up the build video and warm up the glue gun!

 

[bracesport]

it is so cute - looking forward to this one!

 

[mayan]

I'm still working on tracing the templates, but I've run into a question. This is the first plane I've built where the turtle deck pieces are each larger than 8 1/2 x 11.

View attachment 131764

How does one transfer those templates, each longer than 11" onto cardstock to go on the plane?

I'd use poster board instead of card stock. Good luck Daniel will be folowing your progress here. Good luck .

 

[sundown57]

Winds died down today so I got to finally fly the baby blender. Great plane and fun to fly. Be sure to watch the very end. I hate giant fly swatters.

 

[buzzbomb]

Winds died down today so I got to finally fly the baby blender. Great plane and fun to fly. Be sure to watch the very end. I hate giant fly swatters.

That sucker flies good! "AAhhh! Where'd the fence come from?!"

 

[kilroy07]

Winds died down today so I got to finally fly the baby blender. Great plane and fun to fly. Be sure to watch the very end. I hate giant fly swatters.

GREAT flying man! Finally your getting through some batteries!

Here's what I add to my light weight builds...
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Vol...de-4fb4-bd8c-394b042b5796&transAbTest=ae803_5

Since you have a Flysky i6x, you can get one of these and have battery voltage displayed on the transmitter.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Fly...aa-4e3a-9382-0a8607bfd7f4&transAbTest=ae803_5

 

[Jimun]

Winds died down today so I got to finally fly the baby blender. Great plane and fun to fly. Be sure to watch the very end. I hate giant fly swatters.

Looking good. I think you were handling her pretty good and she seemed to hold up pretty good after those hard landings.

 

[PsyBorg]

Gratz on the success. Was great up to the end when you forgot Boogers advise. 😁

Hopefully some time this summer I can do the same and maybe get to fly my dynam Pitts thats been collecting dust for way too long.

 

[mayan]

Winds died down today so I got to finally fly the baby blender. Great plane and fun to fly. Be sure to watch the very end. I hate giant fly swatters.

Lol where did she come from ? Great flying, you handled her pretty well . Keep it up.

Gratz on the success. Was great up to the end when you forgot Boogers advise. 😁

Hopefully some time this summer I can do the same and maybe get to fly my dynam Pitts thats been collecting dust for way too long.

 

[bracesport]

@sundown57 - my worst nightmare - fences and power wires! Great flying, those twin wings look fun to fly!