Gluing acetate window material to balsa wood

[tago]

I used a hobby/model plastic cement to glue acetate window material to balsa wood. It didn't hold and I'm wondering if I should've used wood glue...

If wood glue is the recommended glue - is there a product to remove the plastic cement from the balsa wood? Imagine it will sand off with effort, but hope there's an easier work around.

Also want to ask if I should glue the match stick I'll use to secure the rubber band at the back of the plane? Thinking it could be drilled out if the rubber band breaks or if I want to put in a different rubber band.

Would hate to see the match stick fall out when rubber tension is released so I'm leaning towards gluing it.

Thanks,
tago

[WIDDOG]

I don't know what is best but I use a hot glue gun to glue the windows. Mostly I wanted to comment on the rear motor peg. If you have a mechanic holder that is of course the best method. However, if you plan on using a winding stooge. If would recommend 1/8 inch aluminum tubing. I don't know the best way to keep the peg in place. What I do is wrap a small rubber band around the peg. Than I wrap the rubber band under the fuselage and the other side of the peg.

I will follow this thread and see what others think

[Chris A.]

Widdog presented the simple and easy method. I've also use it and it works fine. However I've also learned that the plan location for the rear motor mount is often too far back for proper balance unless you add a lot of weight to the front end. I now build by duplicating the mounting gusset plate and locating it to the next bay forward in the plans. Less power and winds on the rubber, but you get rid of a lot of wieght from exactly where you want to lose it, the rear end. I often modify the back fuselage, rudder and horizontal stablizer parts to make them as light as possible. If after building and mounting the motor and prop, I find the plane nose heavy, I move the peg and rubber to the back mount. The balance change is especially noticeable on radial engine models with stubby noses like the Zero. A tail heavy model flies poorly, if at all, no matter how much rubber power you have.

[Bill Gaylord]

I use BSI gap filling CA sparingly, only to tack the glass in place as necessary. You want some overlap of the glass onto the framing, or plan to paint a frame on the window edge to cover any exposed glue, as the CA tends to whiten it at times when it cures. If it does, if you can get in there with a q-tip and something like Testors enamel or airbrush thinner, it will clean it. I haven't had much of that problem, when I use a very small amount and then immediately touch it with CA activator on an exacto tip. Even the vapors from the activator will cure it nearly instantly, so you don't need much. Then Pacer canopy glue is used for the remainder of the perimeter.

Currently working on a 30mm EDF Comet, where the entire front windscreen was attached with gap filling CA. It was literally applied in microscopic amounts at the edge of the glass however, or it would have white flashed it and made a mess of it. You have to use it very sparingly.

[tago]

Thanks guys, I've got a hot glue gun so I'll try tacking it on with that next. If that doesn't work we'll go with the filler/ca.

I haven't built a plane in years and hope balancing the Piper Cherokee I'm working on won't be too difficult. Got my heart set on seeing it fly on rubber power.
It's been a great refresher kit (Guillows) and it was very inexpensive so I'm not expecting a lot.

B. Gaylord, that's a fine looking project - what's the plane in the background? Is your comet covered with a special skin? It looks too perfect to be tissue. Imagine you've painted it with acrylic, eh?

I really appreciate the help from you guys. Great resource!

Sincerely,
tago

[tago]

Hot glue worked great.

Forgot to mention I used the match stick to hold the rubber band at the farthest back former in the fuselage. Didn't have to glue it because the rubber band is tensioned even when it's unwound.

Can anyone say what to do if the rubber band breaks and needs replaced? Cut the tissue from nose to former for access?

[WIDDOG]

Does Guillow's still put that little booklet in with the kit? Anyway Don Ross's book really goes over how important the rubber motor is. I never use the kit supplied rubber or propeller. The model will fly for a very short while with kit rubber and prop. For longer flights Guillow's recommends rubber from the hobby store, rubber lube and stretch winding..

Everyone recommends a removable nose block. For the Guillow's model I would suggest a push rod method.

Maybe I will make a video about rubber motors someday. For now all I got is a video about stretch winding. https://youtu.be/M-KOZnsNV6g

[davidchoate]

Widdog. I know I'm jumpin the thred topic here. But I saw Your Comet EDF. I saw the linear servos. I have a Spektrum AR6335 2g Rx and some 3g analog (am not ready for digital.Yet). Anyways I am fitting controls in A Guillows Fairchild and was going to use the linear 2g servos to save every gram I can. I have yet to keep one of My own built Planes less than 1/16 scale light enough to be practical. But the fairchild has a chance. I know they are Eflite linear servos, but the little tiny white connectors do not plug into A 2g AR6335 Rx. Also. I have copied Your recipes and have some very small Hurc brushless motors, but I did not find a suitablr ESC. What Do You use? I gave up on "bricks as they are reliable for 1 or 2 flight attempts. Oh, And I have always used Canopy Glue, or a clear drying waterbased glue. I said this before that I cut the window patterns 1st and "train" them to shape as I am building the rest. I have went and bought different window sheets of various tints and thicknesses. And I will deviate from the Plan if necessary to make the shape adhere. That Thin GREAT PLANES trim tape in black around edges of windscreens can hide a discolored spot and even add to the appearance. As for the peg. I use either 1/8" aluminum or dwel, and never had a problem with "falling out". Never Had a Plane survive enough flights to wear out an FAI rubber motor. Its a pain in the *** to change a motor no matter, but If I'm gonna Fly it I will leave an open uncovered spot til I get the right peg spot I like.(learned from Mitch). Never could get the braiding thing perfected yet. I think Another tutorial with more Video links would help. Thanks Widdog and Mitch.

[davidchoate]

Widdog. What Props for rubber do You use? Even other brand kits Got Guillows props. And Peck Poly are hard to acquire.

[davidchoate]

When I do change a rubber motor I use a length of thin solder wire ,as it is slightly rigid,but not pointy,to fish from nose to tailhole (area under peg).Once its secured to the band. I get the peg through loop, and then pull it to the nose. Attach cowl or block, and hook on the prop then release the solder wire.

[WIDDOG]

Well thanks David. As far a RC conversions go the only thing I know about them are from what i read about them from yours and Bill G's posts. I have tried and failed miserably at converting a Guillow's kit. I do know how to fly 4 ch Foamies but never had any success with conversions.

As far as rubber power goes I too have learned a lot from Mitch and a lot of other members on this furom. I like the 900 series kits a lot. I would like to see more 900 type kits available.

In this particular situation I think the model was built without a removable nose block. The small booklet that I don't know if they still come with the kit or not anymore. Has details how to put the rubber motor in a kit without a removable nose block.

BTW that little booklet has a lot of great information in it. Of course I recommend the Don Ross book. IMHO this is a tough hobby. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Anyway, The video's ... When I was a kid we would have loved to have had that technology. Only thing we had where magazines with still pictures. So for now they are not really up to snuff so to speak. I hope that by practicing maybe I'll get better. I do receive feedback and that really helps.

[davidchoate]

I had a friend make a video of Me Flying. I have no inkling of even how to begin to post it on here. I got on My UTUBE, but do not know how to post the link to it.I'm not totally helpless with technology either, just (like most Guillows Stuff) This forum gets one design, and never upgraded. I am beginning to find benefits in their 100yr. old plans though. As opposed to CAD. Which is not really a PLAN. As You cannot build The Things with The Plan alone anymore. Very few offer an optional Parts Sheet. The ones in AMA magazine are the only new plans I have found that do not require You buy The short kit at least. You underestimate Yourself WID. You are more help than You realize.

[davidchoate]

I found a picture of My little Bird Dog. An example of a Plan deviation that People liked.

[davidchoate]

Oh,and it was also a rare sucessful Flying Rubber Plane I Built. I am currently building a 40" WS 3 ch. Dumas one.

[Bill Gaylord]

B. Gaylord, that's a fine looking project - what's the plane in the background? Is your comet covered with a special skin? It looks too perfect to be tissue. Imagine you've painted it with acrylic, eh?

That's a Sterling Citabria covered with white Coverite Microlite and paited with Wal Mart enamel can bombs. The nose area was sheeted and sculpted for scale appearance. Under 12oz AUW and should be a good flyer. The kit is an excellent kit to build. Worth buying one on Ebay, as they still can be found now and then. The acrylic sprays do work well, in that they don't relax the Microlite covering. Occasionally I have to heat and reshrink some areas with a high power hair dryer after painting, although they generally tighten up after drying.

Widdog. I know I'm jumpin the thred topic here. But I saw Your Comet EDF. I saw the linear servos. I have a Spektrum AR6335 2g Rx and some 3g analog (am not ready for digital.Yet). Anyways I am fitting controls in A Guillows Fairchild and was going to use the linear 2g servos to save every gram I can. I have yet to keep one of My own built Planes less than 1/16 scale light enough to be practical. But the fairchild has a chance. I know they are Eflite linear servos, but the little tiny white connectors do not plug into A 2g AR6335 Rx. Also. I have copied Your recipes and have some very small Hurc brushless motors, but I did not find a suitablr ESC. What Do You use? I gave up on "bricks as they are reliable for 1 or 2 flight attempts. Oh, And I have always used Canopy Glue, or a clear drying waterbased glue. I said this before that I cut the window patterns 1st and "train" them to shape as I am building the rest. I have went and bought different window sheets of various tints and thicknesses. And I will deviate from the Plan if necessary to make the shape adhere. That Thin GREAT PLANES trim tape in black around edges of windscreens can hide a discolored spot and even add to the appearance. As for the peg. I use either 1/8" aluminum or dwel, and never had a problem with "falling out". Never Had a Plane survive enough flights to wear out an FAI rubber motor. Its a pain in the *** to change a motor no matter, but If I'm gonna Fly it I will leave an open uncovered spot til I get the right peg spot I like.(learned from Mitch). Never could get the braiding thing perfected yet. I think Another tutorial with more Video links would help. Thanks Widdog and Mitch.

Yeah the HORizon micro gear and linear servos have not proven reliable and robust enough to make me happy. I have them in the Comet as I have no choice, but anything that could handle more weight would get standard gear. Got one of 2 servos that was bad out of the package (goes to one end and stops) but fortunately had a spare. One of the micro connectors was also not making pin contact, so I had to solder yet another onto the harness, which again fortunately I had. Too small to be reliable, where a micro JST connector is only a hair heavier, and much more robust.

The Guillows Fairchild has the brick gear, only because I wanted a real floater. Normally a 10gm outrunner and 6A ESC, such as the popular "Pentium" found under various names works well, along with 2.5-3gm servos. The little Stuka and Rumpler have bricks and micro linears also, due to the small size and weight requirements. I have a Guillows LC Cub ready to be built, where it will get standard, no hassle gear. I butched my first build of it which was also one of my first builds. I can say that I eventually got it flying reasonably well with rud/elev control at around a whopping 9oz! I would expect it model to be a lovely 4ch flyer at 5oz, given the generous wing area/chord, as well as stab area.