Help needed with model aeroplane!!!

Rik

Posts: 3,679   +1
I know I know, it's nothing to do with computers, but i am building my first ever model plane and I could do with some advice or some links, whatever.

I'm building a "rubber engined" plane and hope to put an electric motor in it and make it radio controlled. I'm no novice to the r/c world as i used to race a 1/10 electric car and have 14 trophies for it.

The problem i have is that the plane kit is second hand and part built. I'm having trouble with the wing covering. Its supposed to be an iron on plastic but I've given it a try and it didn't stick too well and wrinkled up a bit.

Would i be better off borrowing my friends heat gun? Not sure if an iron is quite hot enough!!
 
rik said:
I know I know, it's nothing to do with computers, but i am building my first ever model plane and I could do with some advice or some links, whatever.

I'm building a "rubber engined" plane and hope to put an electric motor in it and make it radio controlled. I'm no novice to the r/c world as i used to race a 1/10 electric car and have 14 trophies for it.

The problem i have is that the plane kit is second hand and part built. I'm having trouble with the wing covering. Its supposed to be an iron on plastic but I've given it a try and it didn't stick too well and wrinkled up a bit.

Would i be better off borrowing my friends heat gun? Not sure if an iron is quite hot enough!!

Yah you really need two Irons (one large one and a detail/trim iron) and a heat gun to apply plastic covering properly. I prefer fabric covering but on a model that size fabric would be too heavy.Also plastic does tend to wrinkle with changes in temp and humidity.
 
Thanx for the info, i really apreciate your help. Being my first model its a bit of a learning curve.
 
I got no suggestions on the plane.

But you didn't perchance happen to have a Losi XX buggy? I have one, and haven't driven it in years, but part of the reason is the damn ball diff keeps comming loose if I drive it over rough terrain. I imagine if I could land it without a sudden change in wheel speed to ground speed I could slow the loosening process up a bit, but its still a pain. Any thoughts on keeping it from working loose?

I bought the XX many many years ago thinking that I'd finally have a decent buggy after driving lower end buggies and stadium trucks and I found out I drove less because its a pain in the *** to retighten the ball diff after it works loose.
 
I used to do 4wd touring car so i dont know the losi buggy exactly. But if it an adjustable ball diff (think it is from your description) then all you need to do is remove the centre adjusting screw (carefully) and either apply some thread lock very sparingly or wrap a bit of P.T.F.E. plumbers thread tape around it and refit it. The P.T.F.E tape is the better idea as its very unlikely to clog the other diff parts up.

Hope that helps!
 
Well I had considered thread lock..... I'm not concerned it would lock up any gears, just more concerned with locking it into a position I didn't like (too much or too little gear slip).

I see you are in the channel now, we'll discuss more there so I don't threadjack this any more.
 
I helped iron on the covering for a RC seaplane a while ago, as I remember I used a heatgun as well as the iron.

*Off specific topic warning*
I didn't know anyone else here was into RC, cool. I have an HPI Savage .21 and a few Traxxas electrics.
 
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