Willy Nillies Hummer 250 Balsa Build Along

[chris398mx]

Update..... I am really Bad at covering.... Took me 2 hours for 1/2 a wing and it doesn't Look very good.

Using a 30 year old iron.

Bottom

Top.

@Willy Nillies What is this part for?

 

[OliverW]

Update..... I am really Bad at covering.... Took me 2 hours for 1/2 a wing and it doesn't Look very good.

Using a 30 year old iron.
View attachment 162797

Bottom
View attachment 162794

Top.
View attachment 162795

@Willy Nillies What is this part for?
View attachment 162796

That part goes in front of the V-stab

 

[chris398mx]

That part goes in front of the V-stab

Thanks, That makes sense.

 

[rockyboy]

That covering job looks great from here! You got this!

 

[Try-n-glide]

You're getting it. I tried to experiment with temp settings on the iron. If you're using covering materials from Willy Nillies I found I could get it to tack down at relatively low settings, and if I tried to work with the iron too hot the covering was moving around too much from shrinkage.

 

[Willy Nillies]

Looks great! That's an awesome combo for great visibility and orientation. 😁

Sincerely,
Doug and Becky
WillyNillies.com

 

[chris398mx]

A little progress tonight.

Wrinkles before shrinking with a heat gun. Is this normal I should i be having better luck without so many wrinkles before shrinking.

Here is is after shrinking.

Whole wing complete top and bottom.

 

[rockyboy]

You're doing just fine on the covering I think. Practicing more on the "attachment phase" with a little lower heat will help you get it installed with fewer wrinkles, but as you found out the "shrinking phase" makes it all better anyway

 

[Willy Nillies]

Looks great! You are doing just fine! The only think I do different on wing panels is I only seal just the outside edges first with and iron, being not to concerned with small wrinkles in the middle. Then use heat gun to shrink out middle. Then once wrinkles are all out, I'll take iron and go over all the ribs and spars. That way I don't usually introduce any warps..... usually.

Sincerely,
Doug and Becky
WillyNillies.com

 

[chris398mx]

Looks great! You are doing just fine! The only think I do different on wing panels is I only seal just the outside edges first with and iron, being not to concerned with small wrinkles in the middle. Then use heat gun to shrink out middle. Then once wrinkles are all out, I'll take iron and go over all the ribs and spars. That way I don't usually introduce any warps..... usually.

Sincerely,
Doug and Becky
WillyNillies.com

Good to know, I will try that next time.

 

[chris398mx]

Covering update......
This is how i get the backing off the covering, I can never get it to pull off otherwise. masking tape stuck to both sides of the corner. When you pull it apart it separates the backing from the covering.

Covered the ailerons, and both the horizontal and vertical stabs.

Only the elevator and fuselage left. I don't know how anyone could build one of these planes in only a few hours. It is taking me forever.

 

[TooJung2Die]

Only the elevator and fuselage left. I don't know how anyone could build one of these planes in only a few hours. It is taking me forever.

I think you're right on schedule. It took me about three weeks to finish the Eaglet. To me that seemed too fast to complete a balsa airplane. I like to take my time and go slow while enjoying the project. A couple of months per airplane is about average. I like building as much as I like flying; probably more.

Your tip for pulling off the film backing is right on. They should put it in the instructions that come with covering film.

 

[chris398mx]

Hi Chris,

The wing center, trailing edge pieces..... only use one of them. I'll have to look at my cut files. One of them is supposed to be cut in half by the laser, so if the builder does use some dihedral, the pieces are already made for that scenario.

The wingtip braces look good, I wouldn't worry about the holes in the one. Their only purpose is to stop the tip rib from bowing in when the covering is shrunk.

RockyBoy is correct, elevator horn on bottom, push up.

We've been using mono-filament fishing line for hinges on our last several completions and love it. We've been using heavier gauge than most and haven't had any problems at all. 25 lb test seems to be the sweet spot to us. Very very easy to install.

Keep up the great work! As someone mentioned in another thread, not making any mistakes, instead they are happy little accidents.

Sincerely,
Doug and Becky
WillyNillies.com

How and where do you put the fishing line holes? What size holes? thin CA?

 

[Willy Nillies]

How and where do you put the fishing line holes? What size holes? thin CA?

25lb test line, on elevator and ailerons 4 pieces, 1/2" from outboard edge, then equally spaced in between. On rudder, 3 pieces, 1/2" from each end and one in the middle.

If using 50lb test I use 3 and 3 and 2....

Align surfaces and mark with a pencil. Use a T pin or equivalent to make hole. once all slid in place use thin CA WITH A CAPILLARY tube and put the tiniest amount you can on each line/hinge. It wicks in very very quickly and good! .

Sincerely,
Doug and Becky
WillyNillies.com

 

[Keno]

25lb test line, on elevator and ailerons 4 pieces, 1/2" from outboard edge, then equally spaced in between. On rudder, 3 pieces, 1/2" from each end and one in the middle.

If using 50lb test I use 3 and 3 and 2....

Align surfaces and mark with a pencil. Use a T pin or equivalent to make hole. once all slid in place use thin CA WITH A CAPILLARY tube and put the tiniest amount you can on each line/hinge. It wicks in very very quickly and good! .

Sincerely,
Doug and Becky
WillyNillies.com

Thanks for bringing these back, enjoyed them, fun to build and fly. Put a great running TD .049 on the nose and go like GLH. Tks

 

[chris398mx]

I finished it!!!

Here are some updates
I used the fishing line hinges recommended by Doug!
I drilled the holes by hand. Start the drill at the top of the aileron, then tilt it so that it goes down at an angle into the meat of the balsa.
I tried to use a pin like Doug suggested, but it seamed like it wanted to split the balsa.

It is hard to tell from the pic, but the drill is angled down.

Inserted 1/2 the fishing line and put a drop of glue into the hole. You can see that the hole starts at the top of the wing. Again I angled the hole down toward the center of the trailing edge for strength.

Look close but you can see the fishing line with a small gap between the aileron and the TE of the wing.

 

[chris398mx]

Finished pics.....

Bottom of the wing with the checkers for orientation while flying.

All up weight with 2S 650 battery ready to fly: 208 grams.

Using an Emax 1806.

@Willy Nillies Where is the balance point? I am sure you have mentioned it several times, but I might have trouble finding it. Secondly, my 3S battery is too tall to fit in the plane with the hatch closed. Do you carry a 3S that will fit in the plane? Will it fly OK on 2S?

Thanks Doug for a great kit and learning experience. NOW.... on to a maiden and to order some more Willy Nillies kits? Which one next???

 

[chris398mx]

@Willy Nillies
Just wanted to throw out an Idea. I ended up gluing the horizontal stabilizer on slightly crooked. Do you think you could add 2 tabs to the fuselage sides and 2 slots to the stab to make alignment a no brainer? Maybe there is a reason I am not thinking of on why you didn't. Not a big deal but it would have helped me get mine a little more straight.

 

[speedbirdted]

@Willy Nillies
Just wanted to throw out an Idea. I ended up gluing the horizontal stabilizer on slightly crooked. Do you think you could add 2 tabs to the fuselage sides and 2 slots to the stab to make alignment a no brainer? Maybe there is a reason I am not thinking of on why you didn't. Not a big deal but it would have helped me get mine a little more straight.
View attachment 163880

I actually had the same thought when I was building my Eaglet but since I didn't have any problems getting the stabilizer aligned properly I didn't feel the need to complain about it. Perhaps the reason no such tabs exist is because the width of the fuselage sides at the rear can actually vary a little between builds - some people like to sand off the insides of the fuse sides to create a narrower join between the two halves at the rear, while some don't.

 

[OliverW]

I actually had the same thought when I was building my Eaglet but since I didn't have any problems getting the stabilizer aligned properly I didn't feel the need to complain about it. Perhaps the reason no such tabs exist is because the width of the fuselage sides at the rear can actually vary a little between builds - some people like to sand off the insides of the fuse sides to create a narrower join between the two halves at the rear, while some don't.

I found on both my GLH and super sport that if you push the leading edge of the horizontal stab (the flat spot on the front) against the fuse and make sure that it doesn't stick out on either side and I s all the way forward, it comes out super square