Small Models
Tim Wescott
Moth, with a 17-1/2" wingspan.
The kit is intended for rubber power, so everything is light. I haven't
decided whether I want to build it as a rubber powered free flight and be
happy with 45 second flights, if I want to put my old Telco CO2 motor in
it (assuming it still works) and be happy with a slightly underpowered
plane, or if I want to go mini-RC.
I'm assuming that if I go RC I want to use one of the actuator-based
radios, but I know from experience that the oh-so-disappointing "Piloto"
isn't going to be a good donor plane. for a system, so I'll actually have
to (horrors!) -- spend money.
I know that there are radios out there that'll work with this, but I
don't know what's the best combination to use.
So has anyone here done this? What's the cool combination? Does one go
with servos, or actuators, for this size plane? Any gotchas that I
should know? What weight should I be aiming for, when I'm converting a
17-1/2" wingspan rubber-powered biplane to RC?
Danke.
Martin X. Moleski, SJ
>As a result of a Parenting Saga* ...
I can't answer any of your technical questions.
But did you mean to tell the story with a footnote?
If so, you seem to have forgotten.
Inquiring minds want to know ...
Marty
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ecregger
"Tim Wescott" <t...@seemywebsite.com> wrote in message
news:0ZCdnd-Z77_rgajW...@web-ster.com...
Geez, I haven't heard of anyone contemplating the use of actuators in many a
year.
I would think that with all of the super micro R/C servos in abundance, that
that would be the logical way to go. I'm not up to date on electric
propulsion and micro servos, but I could swear that I saw Hobby King selling
some 3 gram servos for about $3.00 a piece on their site just this week. Try
www.hobbyking.com. They should be right there on the front page.
The problem with a model that small is its susceptibility to the wind, I
would imagine.
Ed Cregger
--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ne...@netfront.net ---
Tim Wescott
> On Fri, 25 Dec 2009 14:11:34 -0600, Tim Wescott <t...@seemywebsite.com>
> wrote in <0ZCdnd-Z77_rgajW...@web-ster.com>:
>
>>As a result of a Parenting Saga* ...
>
> I can't answer any of your technical questions.
>
> But did you mean to tell the story with a footnote? If so, you seem to
> have forgotten.
>
> Inquiring minds want to know ...
>
> Marty
Yea, I forgot that part.
#2 son, 11, lives and breaths video games. I don't. Playing a video
game (or, for that matter, watching TV), generally makes me think of
things I could be building with the time that I'm wasting. I can
generally stand playing one for a few minutes, then it gets to be less
enjoyable than digging ditches (lots less: when you dig a ditch, you can
look back and see progress; with video games...).
So two years ago the kid bought me a game for the Nintendo DS, which I
never touched. This year I find out that he's headed for Game Crazy to
get me a gift. He had already tried to get a pedometer accessory for the
DS for my wife, so I knew what was coming. I headed that one off, and he
was reasonably cheerful about it in a "grownups are weird" sort of way.
I ask my wife to intervene (Please no video games. Please no DS games.
Please no DS-based gizmos. Please no video game accessories, etc.) She
has the discussion with him (how often does dad play video games?
Compare and contrast this with how often dad is in his shop building
planes! Note that Dad mentioned that he'd never bring himself to buy one
of these nifty laser-cut kits, but he drools over them regularly, etc.)
I don't know how high the general tone of the conversation was, but I do
know that I ended up with a model kit, and not some bit of electronic kit
that I'll never use. And I made sure that knows that I like it. So
hopefully he's one step closer to understanding that you don't get a gift
for someone so you can use it (which he was doing at 8), you don't get a
gift for someone because once you force them to use it they'll like it
(which is probably payback for all the broccoli), no, you get a gift for
someone because you've observed they're behavior and you know _they'll_
like it.
I suppose I should make a point to build it soon, come to think of it, so
he can see it done and I can thank him again. Hmm. There's a slot
coming up that was going to get filled with a Martian Invader from
Mechanix Illustrated, but I guess parenting comes first...
So, that's the story. Not much amazement, just the homey avoidance of
getting a game that I'd chew glass to avoid playing.
#1 son got me a very nice set of slippers, which I'm known to like, as my
last set was just about disintegrating on my feet. Not to say that at 11
he wouldn't have thought it perfectly reasonable to get me video games,
too, then insist that I play them.
Vance Howard
http://www.microflight.com/ Is the plantraco equipment too small?
--
To reply by email: vhoward1122 at gmail dot com
Martin X. Moleski, SJ
> ... Yea, I forgot that part.
Thanks for filling in the blanks!
>#2 son, 11, lives and breaths video games. I don't. Playing a video
>game (or, for that matter, watching TV), generally makes me think of
>things I could be building with the time that I'm wasting. ...
I've spent hours and hours this last week playing a Wii fishing
game with my best RC friend.
It's keeping him away from building. Me, I keep myself
away from that by force of habit nowadays (one of my
New Year's wishes is to clean up my workshop and
reverse course on that score).
But I hope to go "fishing" over at Dan's tomorrow anyway. :-O
> ... I don't know how high the general tone of the conversation was, but I do
>know that I ended up with a model kit, and not some bit of electronic kit
>that I'll never use. And I made sure that he knows that I like it.
Great!
> ... So, that's the story. Not much amazement, just the homey avoidance of
>getting a game that I'd chew glass to avoid playing.
Merry Christmas!
MJKolodziej
"Vance Howard" <it...@example.invalid> wrote in message
news:hh3a8j$e4q$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
I was considering this for a similar project. I have a boston pup(PP) that
may take it.
They do have teeninetsy motors too.
mk
PCPhill
exceptions, but they're mostly used for micro RC these days, under 10"
profile planes) Considering both wings, you'll have a decent total wing
area. You'll probably want something in the range of 5-7G servos and a
10-15G brushless outrunner, or an equivalent geared inrunner. Do a search
on the RCGroups forums. Most of the Dumas kits have been converted to RC
PCPhill
Tim Wescott
>>>> So has anyone here done this? What's the cool combination? Does one
>>>> go with servos, or actuators, for this size plane? Any gotchas that
>>>> I should know? What weight should I be aiming for, when I'm
>>>> converting a 17-1/2" wingspan rubber-powered biplane to RC?
>>>>
>>>> Danke.
>>>
>>> http://www.microflight.com/ Is the plantraco equipment too small?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> To reply by email: vhoward1122 at gmail dot com
>>>
>>>
>> I was considering this for a similar project. I have a boston pup(PP)
>> that may take it.
>>
>> They do have teeninetsy motors too.
>> mk
>>
>>
> That's WAY bigger than anything that uses actuators. (I'm sure there are
> exceptions, but they're mostly used for micro RC these days, under 10"
> profile planes) Considering both wings, you'll have a decent total wing
> area. You'll probably want something in the range of 5-7G servos and a
> 10-15G brushless outrunner, or an equivalent geared inrunner. Do a
> search on the RCGroups forums. Most of the Dumas kits have been
> converted to RC
>
> PCPhill
>
Thanks -- the actuator-based stuff did look too small.
I'm still trying to decide if I want to put RC in it at all -- I'd have
an easier time of it except that my one CO2 motor is a bit small for the
plane.
Martin X. Moleski, SJ
>I'm still trying to decide if I want to put RC in it at all -- I'd have
>an easier time of it except that my one CO2 motor is a bit small for the
>plane.
I vote for RC.
Of course, you may have to fly it indoors or in super-calm
conditions ... ;o)
ecregger
"PCPhill" <p...@beadbimbo.com> wrote in message
news:4b375be7$1...@news.bnb-lp.com...
It is funny how the meaning of common words drift over time. Anyone remember
the Ace Hobbies pulse proportional actuators? That's what I was talking
about.
ecregger
"Martin X. Moleski, SJ" <mol...@canisius.edu> wrote in message
news:jpmdneihEfcGZKrW...@supernews.com...
> On Sun, 27 Dec 2009 13:01:02 -0600, Tim Wescott <t...@seemywebsite.com>
> wrote in <xaudnWPLO9NzM6rW...@web-ster.com>:
>
>>I'm still trying to decide if I want to put RC in it at all -- I'd have
>>an easier time of it except that my one CO2 motor is a bit small for the
>>plane.
>
> I vote for RC.
>
> Of course, you may have to fly it indoors or in super-calm
> conditions ... ;o)
>
> Marty
Yep, be sure the HVAC system is off that day. It can generate some devasting
wind shear.