Testing the Waters (again)

[Inq]

First timer here and thought it'd be a great forum to join for when I run into trouble. I grew up in pilot's household and loved flying in and trying to fly model planes. I never graduated from control-line, Cox level planes because of expense of electronics back then. In my first career job, I got into RC planes more for the design and building than the actual flying... mainly because I kept crashing.

Retiring about six years ago, I have time and have more discretionary cash. Besides its way cheaper now! Years ago I got a 3D printer and it came with the 3DLabPrint Spitfire (my favorite plane). So... I had to buy all the paraphernalia to print and build it and promptly crashed it on the first flight. Mainly because I tried to fly it on my property and once up found it was way too small especially since the Spitfire was the fastest plane I'd ever flown and my property is mostly heavily treed. Not one of my brightest moments. I didn't go any further due to living in the mountains and the places to fly seem too heavily regulated. No... just going out into a deserted ball field and flying an airplane like when growing up.

Then... a buddy was up over for a fire-pit evening and mentioned flying RC planes. This stuck me odd as he's more of the hard-riding-drinking-Harley biker... that you'd never want to meet in a deserted alley. The next morning (yesterday) I got on the 3DLabPrint website and found they had added a timid, docile, trainer - A sweet little Piper J-3 Cub. The best part... the plans were free. So for the umpteenth time, I'm printing another plane and hope to have my buddy help me (not) crash this one.

I'd like to get good enough to fly the other planes I have, but can't fly now...

• Spitfire
• P-38
• Ta-152A and C
• Albatross

... and I'd like to take a stab at CADing up some others I'd like to build...

• U-2
• Sabre
• Horton 229

VBR,
Inq

 

[Mr NCT]

Welcome! I'm more of a foam boarder but there are plenty of 3D airplane printers here to get you questions answered.

 

[quorneng]

Welcome.
Crashing is part of the process of learning to fly any RC plane so don't worry about it.
This does raise the question of the 'crash resistance' of printed planes, no matter how gentle their flight characteristics may be.
Foam structures can be much better in this respect so perhaps it might be worth acquiring, dare I say it, a simple 'trainer' ready to fly foam job to learn the basic RC flying skills. At least then you know it will fly and probably a bit slower too. Any crashes will be down to your skill.
Just a thought.

 

[Inq]

Welcome.
Crashing is part of the process of learning to fly any RC plane so don't worry about it.
This does raise the question of the 'crash resistance' of printed planes, no matter how gentle their flight characteristics may be.
Foam structures can be much better in this respect so perhaps it might be worth acquiring, dare I say it, a simple 'trainer' ready to fly foam job to learn the basic RC flying skills. At least then you know it will fly and probably a bit slower too. Any crashes will be down to your skill.
Just a thought.

In the ole days, it was all balsa stick and dope. Thought how much easier when I graduated to shrink-wrap. I must have skipped the foam-core era and coming back to it here late... thought pressing a button on the computer feels like cheating. Getting rivet and panel seams... sure makes it harder when it crashes! I'm now reading the threads on this foam phenomenon. Saw someone say $1 a sheet... Google it and got $1.25 for 20x30 boards at Dollar Tree. Is this what you all are talking about making these planes out of? I think you're right... less painful to crumple cardboard.

 

[Inq]

I'm a little lost around on the forum... is there like a Wiki section that would teach me more about this foam board?

 

[Tench745]

In the ole days, it was all balsa stick and dope. Thought how much easier when I graduated to shrink-wrap. I must have skipped the foam-core era and coming back to it here late... thought pressing a button on the computer feels like cheating. Getting rivet and panel seams... sure makes it harder when it crashes! I'm now reading the threads on this foam phenomenon. Saw someone say $1 a sheet... Google it and got $1.25 for 20x30 boards at Dollar Tree. Is this what you all are talking about making these planes out of? I think you're right... less painful to crumple cardboard.

This is indeed what we are making these planes out of. It seems you came to this forum in a round-about way. Seems you missed the YouTube pipeline that brought most of us here.
I'm not aware of a foamboard wiki, but watching some of the Flite Test videos may be a good place to start and get a feel for who they are and what we, the community, do with foam. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6IuSFWz4kttstQluULH2Yc1UW4drIn2g

 

[Inq]

This is indeed what we are making these planes out of. It seems you came to this forum in a round-about way. Seems you missed the YouTube pipeline that brought most of us here.
I'm not aware of a foamboard wiki, but watching some of the Flite Test videos may be a good place to start and get a feel for who they are and what we, the community, do with foam. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6IuSFWz4kttstQluULH2Yc1UW4drIn2g

My Internet bandwidth (<100 kb/sec) doesn't permit YouTube. It often times out just getting to the forum. At least I can read... after a minute to load the text page. But... next time I'm in town, I look at your link. Thanks.

 

[Tench745]

My Internet bandwidth (<100 kb/sec) doesn't permit YouTube. It often times out just getting to the forum. At least I can read... after a minute to load the text page. But... next time I'm in town, I look at your link. Thanks.

Ah, I hear you. Us forum community members are all to happy to answer whatever questions we can.

 

[luvmy40]

In the ole days, it was all balsa stick and dope. Thought how much easier when I graduated to shrink-wrap. I must have skipped the foam-core era and coming back to it here late... thought pressing a button on the computer feels like cheating. Getting rivet and panel seams... sure makes it harder when it crashes! I'm now reading the threads on this foam phenomenon. Saw someone say $1 a sheet... Google it and got $1.25 for 20x30 boards at Dollar Tree. Is this what you all are talking about making these planes out of? I think you're right... less painful to crumple cardboard.

Dollar General still charges $1.00 USD, when they have it in stock. Dollar tree usually has white or black and sometimes other colors at $1.25 ea. Last time I went to Dollar Tree they had a full box of white unopened so I snagged it.