The XPB Stage 1 underway.

[bexrbetter]

So after all my mucking around with testing weights with melted lead in my tubes, I went out and bought a bar of round brass and sized it up accordingly, with a thread at one end and made my Aileron link.

 

 

What I have done is made a long lever arm from the Aileron pivot and simply used the weight as part of my link to apply weight to the lever arm, killing 2 birds with one stone.

 

 

Also good news is the Ailerons are easily adjustable for both reflex and roll trim, and other stuff.

 

 

[Litespeed]

Sounds good.

 

But you need lube when giving a Nun a squirrel or use a muffle.

 

 

[Marty_d]

Sounds good.But you need lube when giving a Nun a squirrel or use a muffle.

Was that English??

 

 

[Litespeed]

Catholic actually . At school we called em penguins.

 

I will just go back to my box.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

I decided it's about time I did the rudder.

 

Couldn't have been easier and it was a great feeling of starting completely from scratch to finished product feeling I have my processes completely under control now.

 

 

 

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Chipping away a bit more today, rudder is basically fully operational now sans operating cables, and later some nice upper and lower covers.

 

 

 

 

 

[Marty_d]

Chipping away a bit more today, rudder is basically fully operational now sans operating cables, and later some nice upper and lower covers.[ATTACH=full]50469[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=full]50468[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=full]50470[/ATTACH]

This may be a stupid question (you'll confirm that if it is, I guess...) but for a rudder which only pivots in one plane, why are you using what looks like spherical bearing rod ends?

 

 

[PA.]

This may be a stupid question (you'll confirm that if it is, I guess...) but for a rudder which only pivots in one plane, why are you using what looks like spherical bearing rod ends?

They make it very easy to adjust it and in case there is any flex in the tail. The real question should be is, how do you climb up the crossed ladders?

 

 

[bexrbetter]

This may be a stupid question (you'll confirm that if it is, I guess...) but for a rudder which only pivots in one plane, why are you using what looks like spherical bearing rod ends?

Yes, there is only one rudder per plane.

 

Because they cost a dollar each.

 

Put them in on a 10 degree angle and they will still be fine, and can weld the pivot pins in any old angle somewhat resembling 90 degrees and they will also be fine i.e., self aligning.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

The real question should be is, how do you climb up the crossed ladders?

Talk to them nicely and they soon mellow.

 

 

[geoffreywh]

The Fin looks a little small?

 

 

[bexrbetter]

The Fin looks a little small?

It's taller to compensate.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Rudder tested for mounting and clearances etc, all good.

 

 

 

 

 

[Marty_d]

Looking good!

 

 

[bexrbetter]

The 'Simple Stick' is working very nicely as ugly as the prototype currently is.

 

Should call it the 'ugly stick', though that may remind some here of what they were raised with.

 

 

 

[Marty_d]

Should call it the 'ugly stick', though that may remind some here of what they were raised with.

Oi!!

 

Actually "Das Ugly Stik" was a popular R/C model in the 80's/90's. Basically a square section fuselage with fully symmetrical airfoil shoulder wing and rounded Fokker Triplane-style rudder.

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

Oi!!Actually "Das Ugly Stik" was a popular R/C model in the 80's/90's. Basically a square section fuselage with fully symmetrical airfoil shoulder wing and rounded Fokker Triplane-style rudder.

Even older than that - I flew an Ugly Stick in UK Nationals in 1974 ... ugly as, but had nice neutral handling, had to have contrasting colour top and bottom to have any idea which way was 'up'

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

I still have a ugly stik...best ever throw around model you can fly

 

 

[Litespeed]

Ugly Stik is also the name of a very popular rudder bar extension for sailing and a name of fishing rods.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

I was refering to some of your guy's looks, obviously having been beaten with the ugly stick.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl1pjKe8_ag

 

 

[geoffreywh]

That'll work

 

 

[bexrbetter]

That'll work

No need, they are already ugly.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Having gotten the ailerons to a point I'm happy with, tomorrow I going to tighten everything up with the control system and actually start looking at skinning the wings.

 

Last week I did laser a bit of sheetmetal to make sure the 2D computer measurements match real life, they didn't and it was a real head spin for an hour or so until I realized what was going on. All good now.

 

And just for kicks, then there was a difference between the left and right aileron's angles that had me going until I remembered after 15 mins of remeasuring everything twice I actually mounted the control stick 15mm to the right of aircraft center! Ahhhh!

 

Might actually look something like a plane by next week.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

As I said, starting the skinning process, all pre-matched hole.

 

 

D-nose skins tomorrow.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Milestone reached today, the first permanent wing skin starting to be attached ...