Switchback Sport

[jaredstrees]

Nice! That's about how I pictured it. I planned on something similar, but this looks a bit easier.

Covering iron came in yesterday. Going to do some practice pieces on scrap and then on to the switchback!

Question though, how do you separate the solite from the film? Where I cut a piece out it has no overlap. I can't figure out hoe to separate it.

 

[Joker 53150]

Painters tape on both pieces at a corner, and they should pull apart. It’s easy once you get the hang of it.

 

[rockyboy]

Scotch tape - the gift wrap stuff - works great too. I can usually get 3 or 4 pieces pulled apart before needing to grab fresh pieces of tape.

 

[jaredstrees]

I tried scotch last night and no dice. I'll try the painters tape. If that doesn't work I have some tape that will. Just won't be able to use that corner cause that tape is not letting go of anything it touches!

 

[rockyboy]

Yeah, I usually have to toss that corner out too - but the tape doesn't need to stick onto much of the covering to do the trick

 

[Joker 53150]

Be sure the backing hasn’t already been removed. It’s super thin and on a few occasions I’ve tried removing the clear backing which was already removed!

 

[jaredstrees]

Not a bunch done last night. I did a dry fit and got to say I am starting to get excited! She is looking good!

I also started trying my hand at covering. I got to tell you, I hope separating these pieces get easier! I think I spent more time trying to get the covering ready for a piece than actually covering the piece. So all I managed to cover is the rudder before it got to late. Hope to have all the tail surfaces done this evening. If they all come out like the rudder I'll be happy!

 

[UCChris]

Looks good!

 

[Joker 53150]

Be careful shrinking covering over the wing surfaces or tail as even the lightweight covering can easily warp the parts. It’s easy enough to un warp it, though.

 

[jaredstrees]

I upped the heat slowly until the wrinkles disappeared. I didn't have any warping on the rudder, but will certainly be careful on these surfaces. I assume to unwarp if it happens you would just remove the covering.

For the fuse, is it best to try and do the top and side in one piece of solite? Then the bottom separate? Or break it up into smaller sections? I don't want a bunch of seams, but I also don't want a bunch of wrinkles from using to large a piece. Thanks!

 

[jaredstrees]

A little off topic, but let me say you balsa people stink! Now I'm getting addicted! With Father's Day coming up I know I'm going to be asked what I'd like (spoiled my wife rotten this year for Mother's Day). I've been looking around for my net kit. If anyone has any suggestions for a next level up than the switchback I'm all ears. I'm trying to avoid high wing models as there are a ton of them out there and not really my favorite style of plane. I do like warbirds, but trying to save those until I can really do them justice. Right now I'm considering the EVA Bibe from mountain models, but anything interesting would be cool as well. Thanks!

 

[rockyboy]

For the fuselage, I like to cover the bottom with a piece, and then the sides slightly overlapping the bottom, and then the top with a slight overlap of the sides. This way the seams are kept along the edges and mostly hidden with transparent covering - and almost entirely hidden with opaque covering.

The EVA is an excellent flyer and a very fun build - I did the EVA Sport two years back and loved it. Purchased an EVA Bipe kit that's in the future builds pile

There's also a new kit maker on the scene this month with a release that I'm interested in trying- might catch your eye too

http://oldschoolmodels.com/sr40.htm

 

[jaredstrees]

Yeah, you did that just as I was coming into flite test. Very cool build. Black fuse and tan wings, correct? The Eva bipe would certainly be a next level build. I was also looking at the sig smith mini plane. But that one may be even another level up. I’ll have to check out that old school models company. May have something cool.

 

[jaredstrees]

Ok, Good Monday everyone! Got the wing and tail feathers covered over the weekend. The wing was definitely more tricky than the tail surfaces, but I think it came out well. There are a few wrinkles, but not too bad and I think I can get most of the rest out. There is a spot on one of the ailerons where the covering stuck to itself between the ribs. I think I have a way to separate it without stripping the covering but I'm also open to suggestions.

I also worked on the canopy a bit. This was a bit more fiddly than I thought it was going to be, but after lots and lots of trimming and sanding I believe I have it sitting fairly flush. Hope to start covering the fuse tonight or tomorrow. Not to much more for final assembly. I hope to maiden by Father's Day weekend.

 

[Joker 53150]

If the covering stuck to itself and saw any heat it'll probably tear before ever letting loose. My dad had the same issue covering a MM wing and he decided to just leave it instead of trying to fix or re-do it.

 

[jaredstrees]

Sigh. That's what I was afraid of. I may leave it. It is just an aileron, so if it bugs me too much I'll recover it.

 

[jaredstrees]

Ok. Update today. I covered the fuse last night. I think it looks great. It is definitely different to cover a solid surface than the open wing design. It also seems that the larger the sheet of film the harder it is to work with. Not so much in actually attaching it to the airplane, but this stuff likes to stick to itself, so the larger pieces tend to fold over and cling while you're working. I think I was finally getting the hang of it, course now I'm done!

And of course I couldn't help but doing a little mock up:

I think she's looking great, especially for my first balsa model! I'm going to start on the final assembly today, then on to electronics!

 

[nhk750]

Looks great! When you build a larger plane and get to use Ultracote, you will really have fun as it's really easy to use compared to Solite.

 

[Try-n-glide]

Looks great. Nice build.

My only complaint about my MM Eva is that it is so light it only really flies well in <5mph winds. In the right conditions it looks like it is barely moving when cruising just above stall speed. I suspect the Switchback might be similar.....Don't get impatient for the maiden and fly it before conditions are right. Too much work into the plane to hurt it.

 

[jaredstrees]

Well the wife and kids were out of town yesterday so I made some great progress. The airframe is done. I have some small items to address but the only real thing left to do is install the electronics. I didn't think about it to hard last night, but this may be more of a challenge to get everything to fit neatly than I thought. There just isn't much space for the esc, battery and rx. I think I'm going to have to mount the esc over the motor in the cowl. I should have enough room. If I do, then the rest will be easy. If not, then I'll scratch my head over it. I'll make it work, just trickier than I hoped.

But she's standing on her own!

And here she is all together.

Aside from the electronics there is a small bit of detailing to do, such as blacking out the skewer where the rubber bands attach and getting that frustrating canopy to blend with the fuse better. I also plan on adding a pattern to the underside of the wing to help with orientation. Not sure what that pattern is yet, need to sleep on it I suppose. But all the servos are installed and control surfaces do what they are suppose to do so we are closer!