R-42 Twin Beast

[srislash]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]124720[/ATTACH]

Here's what mine looks like.

Sorry Oscar, I thought I posted last week here. It does look good but I do really like doing my own custom looks. And I was unable to find a spare hatch online anywhere, it was considered. I also am finding a hard time getting up thru the mountains to see Andy where I could also most likely get one.

Sooo, I came up with this hairbrained idea(I actually had help from the GF here). I used Press and Seal Saran and then paper mache to go over my Fantasm hatch to make the mould. This took a couple of try's as if you have too much glue in the paper as it dries it warps. But I got it:



Then laid a brushing of epoxy on the inside of the Saran and laid down some cloth. The Saran stayed with the form.



I did not want to do too much cloth(layers) as I only epoxied the canopy and not the join area( I didn't want to mess this up). This will leave me a bit of flexibility in bonding it to the ply. But it turned out OK



My under ply supports have been boiled and are drying/forming as I type

[Fella1340]

Looks great Shawn. I love the pretty cloth accent inside the mold. Looks like the woman's touch worked out well for you. Nice and simple, i like that! (you made it look easy anyway)
I

[Chrisg81983]

Coming out really good shawn....love the paper mache idea as well. I can't wait to see the final result of the hatch.

[srislash]

Coming out really good shawn....love the paper mache idea as well. I can't wait to see the final result of the hatch.

Thanks Chris and Jeff, she suggested this and I thought, heck, sounds cheap and easy for a 'one off'. And it is always good to learn new things. I am eager to get some time off soon and get cranking on this.

Jeff, I got both long and short struts to work here on my own. Not sure about rudder yet.

[Ken_NJ]

she suggested this and I thought, heck, sounds cheap and easy for a 'one off'. And it is always good to learn new things.

Nice to have someone around to help out with ideas like that. Cheap, easy and quick! I'll have to keep this one in mind. Nice!

[srislash]

So the hatch stringers/supports came out nice. I cut my two ply pieces(did I mention the small adventure finding 1/32' ply locally?) fit them and then made my capsule template and cut a hole in the ply to stick it through.

Recognize the tape measure Jeff?

I figured it best to insert through the inside of the opening so I could put more cloth on it. Then when reality struck, HOW WAS I TO GET THIS ALL TOGETHER AND FOLLOW THE SHAPE OF THE HULL?
I decided to make a JIG/FORM



So now I can build the hatch how I like nicely on the underside and keep topside nice



Hoping to set some of this up in the morning. It is still going to be a bit tedious, wood is not really 'my thing'.

[Ken_NJ]

Ahhhh, I love working with wood! Coming along well Shawn!

[olwarbirds]

Wow Shawn, nice brother. I hadnt been in for awhile...nice idea with the hatch, will have to remember that one for making my Drag Hydro hatch.... DJ

[srislash]

Wow Shawn, nice brother. I hadnt been in for awhile...nice idea with the hatch, will have to remember that one for making my Drag Hydro hatch.... DJ

You CAN do anything with F/G if you have the time and patience. Glad I finally acquired the latter.

Ahhhh, I love working with wood! Coming along well Shawn!

Thanks Ken, how is paint coming?

[Ken_NJ]

White is done, pinholes are gone. Will be masking the sides and spraying the black this weekend, temps permitting. Have my masking & decals from Callie so I'm ready for the next phase.

LOL, not much to show, I painted a white boat white.

[srislash]

Glad you got them pesky pinholes taken care of

[jcald2000]

Next time you make a hatch use the convex side of the curve you cut out and cut the plywood 1" longer on each end. Pin the ends down and glass the curve then flip it over and glass the other side, the curve will glassed in, then cut you opening and the curve will stay.
You are going to need about 4 layers of glass on that thin plywood to keep it from caving in when you go upside down at 60+ mph.

[srislash]

Next time you make a hatch use the convex side of the curve you cut out and cut the plywood 1" longer on each end. Pin the ends down and glass the curve then flip it over and glass the other side, the curve will glassed in, then cut you opening and the curve will stay.
You are going to need about 4 layers of glass on that thin plywood to keep it from caving in when you go upside down at 60+ mph.

Geez, that sounds kinda simple too, DOH. Oh well, next time. Thank you mr. Cald.
This is going to have ribs and then the second ply. There will be some glass in there as well. Hoping it will be good.

[Fella1340]

Looking great Shawn. Lots of unique things I'm learning here.

[srislash]

Speaking of unique things, I am big on the push/pull rudder setup as of late. I just feel it looks and feels more precise. Sooo, I decided to modify my Speedmaster setup. One of the gas guys dumped a handful of strut/rudder parts on me so a little experiment with spare parts was in order. I am like many and have limited tools but with good thought and planning can pull off some 'mini' great things. So instead of milling material off the aluminum rudder pivot I used my Tablesaw (Jeff is cringing :-).) and inserted a piece of CF. Jeff(fella1340) had sent me a box of goodies awhile back and it continues to supply me with little surprises like the GOOD quality CF that made my arms here.



I tapped in a 3mm grub screw to double 'lock' the arm into the pivot.
This is the servo I found at the LHS. 277oz.in. and WP. A bit pricey but I have to throw a little $$ his way now and again