speedbirdted
Legendary member
Fuselage covering is done with the exception of the underside (because I need some way to put the gear on...) Unfortunately I couldn't get the curvature exactly right on the stripe on both sides. This is the better side Now that it's done I'm going to stick the tail feathers on soon after I hinge all the control surfaces. I'm thinking of using fishing like on this instead of CA hinges but we'll see what's easier to do...
Now it's time to build some wheels. I wanted some WWI style wheels since that's what most Pietenpols have but sadly Williams Bros smallest wheels are 1 7/8" which is kind of useless. So I guess I have to do this the hard way...
These are the four halves, to make two wheels. I cut them from the lightest 3/16 balsa sheet I had.
Then mounted them to some dowels to put them in the poor man's wood lathe known as a drill press to turn them true and sand to shape. This creates craploads of sawdust, so keep a shop vac close by. At this stage I only round the edges and add the rough conical shape with 100 grit.
At this point I removed the dowel with acetone, added the aluminum tube axle and secured it with epoxy thinned with alcohol. Then I can mount it to my Dremel and use 600 to 1000 grit paper to really get it smooth and symmetrical. This is test fitting the O-ring tire. I'll secure it probably with canopy glue one I get some since CA would leave it all ugly and white. After this stage I further increased the angle of the cone shape to thin the outer edge of the wheel more so it doesn't stick out as much from the tire.
And here is a completed wheel, sans tire glued, next to a wheel in between being shaped with the drill press and finished with the Dremel. I just covered it with the same monokote I used on the fuselage, though I did consider painting it instead.
Tomorrow comes the fun part. Building some landing gear. Then it's maiden time!
Now it's time to build some wheels. I wanted some WWI style wheels since that's what most Pietenpols have but sadly Williams Bros smallest wheels are 1 7/8" which is kind of useless. So I guess I have to do this the hard way...
These are the four halves, to make two wheels. I cut them from the lightest 3/16 balsa sheet I had.
Then mounted them to some dowels to put them in the poor man's wood lathe known as a drill press to turn them true and sand to shape. This creates craploads of sawdust, so keep a shop vac close by. At this stage I only round the edges and add the rough conical shape with 100 grit.
At this point I removed the dowel with acetone, added the aluminum tube axle and secured it with epoxy thinned with alcohol. Then I can mount it to my Dremel and use 600 to 1000 grit paper to really get it smooth and symmetrical. This is test fitting the O-ring tire. I'll secure it probably with canopy glue one I get some since CA would leave it all ugly and white. After this stage I further increased the angle of the cone shape to thin the outer edge of the wheel more so it doesn't stick out as much from the tire.
And here is a completed wheel, sans tire glued, next to a wheel in between being shaped with the drill press and finished with the Dremel. I just covered it with the same monokote I used on the fuselage, though I did consider painting it instead.
Tomorrow comes the fun part. Building some landing gear. Then it's maiden time!