RE: ThunderTiger Rare Bear
As promised here are the pics. Since these were taken earlier I replaced the receiver and rerouted some of the wiring. For some reason, although I did a direct Berg 7P swap the elevator was reversed. During the reprogram I reset some of the EXPO on elevator and rudder to make it a bit more behaved. Will have to check the ailerons and gear once the wings are on. On that note, right now waiting for the drill to recharge as I'm hogging out the front dowel blocks in the fuse. That should be the last item on the list before taking it out and firing it up again. You can see the extra bracing I added for the battery compartment in the last pic. Everything is now fuel-proofed with thinned epoxy.
Posted on: 9/10/2012 4:41 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11224267

RE: ThunderTiger Rare Bear
Sorry. For some reason it came out as a double post.
Posted on: 9/10/2012 2:21 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11224123

RE: ThunderTiger Rare Bear
flyingchef, nice looking bird and some radical speeds there. In fact, far faster than many have been able to achieve without tail failures. Did you mod anything there? It also looks like a single cockpit release. Along with some of the interior, would love to see some pics of that setup.
Posted on: 9/10/2012 2:19 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11224119

RE: ThunderTiger Rare Bear
Except for marking and drilling the blocks for the front wing dowels the fuse is done. Reverse to the build sequence I started at the front and worked aft, with the aforementioned replacement and reinforcement of the battery tray and firewall. The Saito 125 is mounted and ready to fire up again. The ply side plates were relatively intact and only needed cleaning up where the tank retainer ripped away. Not surprising when figuring at least 12 oz fuel kept moving when it hit on the roof. Next was the power distribution panel. Originally it was run from the side plates to some structure added behind the front cockpit opening bulkhead. Not the most elegant solution and also not the strongest. In place I ran ply from the side braces up to the bottom of that ring bulkhead, then added very lite ply facing to cover the joints and add strength. The new side plates then bonded to that facing. Much shorter structural elements that should be more than adequate. While at that I got at some other issues I had from day one. All that wiring just happened to impinge in the joiner tube area, always getting in the way when the tube was inserted. I rerouted a lot of it and then added a wood dowel across to keep everything clear of the tube opening. The only real concern was to avoid any stress on any of the wiring, especially if leading to a connection or plug. There is a LOT of wiring in there! Still some rerouting to do as both retract and aileron plugs are to the back of the wing now and I will be replacing the receiver. Even though it tests fine I never like to trust one that had a bonk. It will likely be relegated to a much lighter and less costly model. The cracks in the gelcoat were mostly cosmetic, but there was some signs of delamination in the glass. Most got a drop of thin CA and now have most of the flex removed. Cannot do anything about the looks at this point and will have to stay until I ever need to repaint. The tail held up remarkably well. No signs of any structural damage and the horizontal stabs feel as rigid as ever. Coming close to checking weight-and-balance again. Will be interesting to see if yanking the extra lead from the front of the battery compartment makes a difference. That was intended to only compensate for the lack of the cowl and would have been removed anyway. I did tilt the main gear forward a touch. It does make the wheels look a bit wonky in the wells, but still below the surface so doors should not be a problem. Really hoping that will stop that nasty tendency to try and nose over at the slightest opportunity. I'll have some pics tomorrow. I had to send my new camera back for warranty and the trusty Canon does not like low light as much. Not directly related, but primarily for this plane, I am collecting all the bits to fab a PVC assembly and carrying stand. It will have seat belt webbing as supports so the plane can be flipped to any attitude. Should make installation and removal of the wings and/or working on the fuse a lot easier. The sizing will be fine for the Harvard, as well. The foam holder I have been using to date came with the Seawind, a completely different shaped fuse, (amphibian) and although way off served yeoman service up to now.
Posted on: 9/9/2012 6:04 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11223157

RE: Welcome to Club SAITO !
Hobbsy, glad to hear you can flap both wings now.
Posted on: 9/6/2012 7:58 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11220244

RE: Club FOX!
Thanks. I'll keep running fuel through it and check how it behaves. I'll retain the lowest comp head on it for now.
Posted on: 9/5/2012 6:05 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11218875

RE: Club FOX!
Thanks. As you can tell from my earlier posts I found out about too much nitro on the first 60. The damage to the piston makes a lot more sense when referencing your point regarding timing. I likely would still have ended with a burnt piston, but higher RPM running a 2-blade prop may have delayed the progress. I should have added that I wondered if the 3-blade prevented me from getting into tune with the new muffler. I also want to ask if anyone has run the older gen Fox carb supplied by a Perry VP-30 pulse pump.
Posted on: 9/3/2012 5:46 AM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11215448

RE: Club FOX!
Sorry to take so long, but mill problems and dealing with rebuilding Rare Bear had this one on the back burner. I finally fired up the new 60 this afternoon and after tweaking have some numbers to post. To be truthful I must add the caveat that since this is the first tankful this has not even started breaking in yet. However, I can list some differences found with the three modified heads. Graupner 11 X 7 three bladed prop, 15% nitro, 18% oil Single dome higher compression head peaked out at 8580 RPM Double domed head of slightly lower compression was 8780 Lowest compression straight dome surprised me by hitting 9240 RPM I went on a hunch and reinstalled head #1 and it peaked at 9200, so obviously even the short runs and cool downs were loosening it up. I did find the lowest compression head was also the least problematical, less sensitive to both LS and HS mixtures. I need to ask if break in at this lower RPM will be adequate or should I unload the motor with a standard 2-blade prop for now?
Posted on: 9/3/2012 5:38 AM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11214825

RE: ThunderTiger Rare Bear
Oh, boy, wings are finally complete! Put the finishing touches on this morning by mounting the last servo tray and tightening down the wire ties inside to retain the wiring. Along the way I made a few minor changes. The covering allowed me to fold over and bond to the ailerons, so there is a much better gap seal than before. Second was to trim the oil cooler inlets some more to make their installation into the wing less obviously an add on. While things were curing I started the work on the fuselage. Other than the gelcoat the most visible was around the battery compartment. I had to fab some new bits and pieces to fill in the area above the part of the compartment that fit within the fuse. In the last pic that is the odd shaped curved section. I also added a better block for the top center cowl screw. There were a few breaks in the side frames towards the aft end, likely from when the fuse flexed on impact. Nothing a few minutes and some lite play won't fix. The extra structures I added for the power distribution system were hardest hit and there will need to be rebuilding with the emphasis on better strength. I found one I did not expect at all and was there from the beginning. Due to the throttle cable routing the carb arm extended out beyond the mount. There was enough flex in the mount that the throttle setting could be compromised and/or erratic. I could have done bracing on the side beams to stiffen them up, but a simpler method was to replace it with a stiffer version. The Dave Brown mount was the ticket, except for the fact it was slightly too short to give me the distance from the prop flange to firewall. Out came a block of Delrin and a few minutes had a spacer fabricated. I had to hog out a channel to allow for the fuel line to reach from the tank to filter, but since this is not structural there should be no problem. I did slightly carve out the mount beam to add a bit of spacing to the muffler. Not anywhere near as bad as the original. With hands my size it was a bit of fun to reach in now to install the blind nuts. This is when you wish you had the 3-year old so common in advertising. Currently the spacer and mount are installed and waiting for the epoxy for the upper battery compartment case to cure. Pulling a lot out of the way for the mount installation gave me a better chance to have a boo at the structure and composite, but it also allowed some access to the area ahead of the wheel bays. Still, installing the ply doublers for the front dowels will be exceedingly difficult now. Cannot believe I passed the fact there was nothing but composite skin for the dowel to sit in during the build and admittedly is my own fault.
Posted on: 8/25/2012 11:04 AM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11205609

RE: ThunderTiger Rare Bear
Still slugging away. One wing is now reskinned and waiting for the filler to dry before final sanding and bonding on the tip. Second wing has the skin bonded to the aft false spar from root to tip, the first step in the process. Next is to glue the skin from the main spar aft and wait for it to cure. The reason for this is I can maintain a straight surface much easier and minimize sanding once its done. There is the inevitable bit on the rear bond and at the LE, but it contours out nice. Once both are done it will be waiting for the LHS to notify me the new roll of UltraCote is in. I plan to follow my normal procedure and do each panel top and bottom in a single sheet. Hate overlaps at the LE where they can debond. The root cooler inlet areas may prove to be the killer here.
Posted on: 8/14/2012 7:42 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11193822

RE: [Deleted]
N1EDM, the rear should be a 6902 [b]OPEN[/b] bearing, not rubber sealed or shielded. That way it will get lube and allow the space between the bearings to breath, (also lubing the cam and valvetrain). If the engine case vent is mounted below the cam then you need to equalize pressure to that area anyway. The front is listed as an R6-2RS, which is rubber sealed, but I recommend removing the inner seal to allow it also to get lube. The seals pop out easily with a straight pin under the outer edge. From my own experience shielded or sealed bearings are wider than non-sealed or shielded. If you opt for one not open you will find the crank does not fit correctly.
Posted on: 8/11/2012 7:20 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11189874

RE: ThunderTiger Rare Bear
Here's the latest installment. Over the course of the week I was able to do the final fit checks on the ribs and tube and bonded them in. Key was getting the angles correct with no loading on the tube to prevent easy wing joiner movement. All told I must have fit and removed the ribs and tubes at least 30 times! As it stands both wings now fit tight to the fuse, not the case with the stock installation. The shear webs to one bay outboard of the tubes were replaced with lite ply and the BVM C/F tapes are applied. The shorter rear tape is to distribute the load from the fastener bolt and along with tying the main ribs together will bond to the lower skins. I still have to reinforce the servo pocket on the remaining wing and do some cleanup, but they are nearly ready for reskinning. On that note, in the last pic you can see the wing root fixture that sets that at 0 degrees. I removed the tips to ease the skin process and the fixture for that end to set neg 2.5 degree incidence still has to be fabbed up. They both will be interchangeable so not so much work as what I had to do with the Harvard. As you can see I rerouted the gear lead to come out the same location as the aileron extension. Hated trying to reach them once the wings were installed and this will also simplify assembly as I won't be worried about pinching those leads in two different locations. Reluctant to do a failure test, but can feel pretty confident they are much, MUCH stronger than stock.
Posted on: 8/10/2012 4:24 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11188692

RE: [Deleted]
smkrcflyer, can you tell us if there were any dimensional differences between the original and new bearing? Was it the front or rear bearing? Orthobird, it sounds like the engine may be overheating. Check to make sure you have good airflow over the head and cylinder. One other thing to ask is if you refueled it before the second flight. If so one other place to look is in the fuel pickup. If it has a pinhole in the line or the clunk is not dropping to the lowest level you may be sucking air. Were you flying straight and level when the engine cuts out?
Posted on: 8/10/2012 3:31 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11188646

RE: Welcome to Club SAITO !
Great. Now "Toorn Offe De Booble Macheen".
Posted on: 8/9/2012 2:18 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11187324

RE: Welcome to Club SAITO !
Not to add to the conflict, but as for myself I never related castor to corrosion protection. IMO the fuel/oil mix are considered for run operation only and the more it is cleaned out at the end of a flying session the better. I understand the benefits of synthetic. My own use of a castor/synth mix is for protection against the chance for a lean run or overheat, the situation where a full synthetic will collapse. As more engines are mounted scale and cowled the opportunity for overheating are increased. I just like a little extra insurance and accept the mess. This is a personal preference only and one I have to admit is likely skewed from the fact castor was all that was available when I started in this hobby. It is not the oil that contributes to corrosion, but the nitro in the fuel that remains in the case at the end of a flying session. Due to that I imagine the nitro content will also have a direct affect on how quickly and how aggressively it will occur. Another problem will be any fuel remaining in the tank and feed lines as temp changes during transport and/or storage will cause the system to "Breathe" and can introduce fresh fuel to the motor. This means all your careful after run treatments can become moot. One other thing I have not read is the use of SS bearings will only prevent or reduce the corrosion there. ALL other ferrous surfaces will still be vulnerable, such as the crank, valvetrain, etc.
Posted on: 8/8/2012 2:14 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11185954

RE: Welcome to Club SAITO !
orthobird, nice sounding 125. I have a Slimline on mine and it sounds slightly different. What prop are you running? Only advice would be the vid position was directly in the danger zone. Regardless of the circumstances, you should never be ahead of the prop at anything above idle. If it went lean and stopped the prop would have come off in a big hurry, (I KNOW!!!). I try to prevent anyone, operators or spectators from being within that arc and I myself quickly move behind the prop once started.
Posted on: 8/6/2012 7:18 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11183598

RE: Skybolt hangar and clubhouse
Wow! Should be easy to tell right side up, (you decide which).
Posted on: 8/6/2012 7:12 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11183584

RE: Welcome to Club SAITO !
I'm also never against trying something new, which is why I'm such an avid reader and, as you can tell from my mods, a card carrying tinkerer. However, I can only point out what I know from personal experience, and the glycol method works great with NO damage to alloy, ferrous metals or, in most cases, gaskets or rubber seals. In fact, from my shop owning days I can also point out glycol was the ONLY liquid you could use as a temporary brake fluid in an emergency. If done outside in a covered container there should be no damage to the environment or critters. For reuse, once cooled I simply pour it back into the container through a regular paper coffee filter so none is discarded. Can't guess what gets flushed down the drain with some of the other compounds mentioned here. jimbrock, did you ever get your 91 fired back up? If a new glow plug did not work and you have good compression check you did not swallow a piece of crud into the fuel inlet, (to clean it out the easiest is to fully remove the HS needle and blow through the fuel line to the carb. Make sure you count the turns in first before removal to be sure once its reinstalled it returns close to the same setting). The only other thing I can think of to check would be the valves to ensure they are opening correctly.
Posted on: 8/6/2012 1:25 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11183150

RE: Club FOX!
Done cooking. Unfortunately the red paint on the 35 head started to come off and I just pulled a Homer and erased one of the pics. DOH!. Here are the two. One on left is the 29 and the right is a 35. The 35 has a removable sleeve with 3 of the screws long enough to reach through to the case. This brings up a question I do not know has been answered before; Why did Fox have such a penchant for philips screws? I would think as with all my other motors a better and more consistent tightening could be achieved with allan head cap screws. I use them for all critical fastener apps.
Posted on: 8/5/2012 5:18 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11182167

RE: Welcome to Club SAITO !
rcflyboy, the crock pot and glycol will do an amazing job if left long enough.
Posted on: 8/5/2012 11:34 AM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11181747

RE: Welcome to Club SAITO !
Ah, castor oil. For that "Get Up and Go" feeling. Treehanger, that build up is considerable and the worst I've seen in a long time. You must have been putting out enough smoke to hide the Normandy landings! All that does lead towards the suspicion either a sticking valve or some of that getting between the valve face and seat. Drop it in a crock pot of glycol and it would come clean in a few hours. As for starting, I find mine sans choke need a slightly open throttle to start, (still below 1/4). Once fired off and warmed for a few seconds it can be brought back down.
Posted on: 8/5/2012 4:24 AM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11181426

RE: ThunderTiger Rare Bear
I finally had the chance to complete the ribs. Most of the time was taken with accurately measuring for the tube fit and as you can see from the one wing installation I think I have it right. There are also aligned holes in all the ribs to feed the gear and aileron extensions or fit a guide tube if I want. I also added enough with the doubler to prevent the joiner from busting through if pushed too hard when the wings are installed. This was a constant problem with the original soft balsa rib and doubler. There is a lot more skin to remove and fine tuning all the ribs and edges before fabbing new skins. Still have not firmed up the decision, but the area ahead of the wheel pockets will likely remain. The conformal curves were a pain to shape and bond on and with the additional structure I do not believe there will be any compromise. I also have to decide if the current bond for the ribs to the spars will be adequate or if additional structure will need to be added. The shear webs alone may be enough. On that note the lower spar will get C/F tape before the skin is installed. As with the Harvard I want to ensure proper washout is maintained when the skins are applied and that will require fabbing fixtures or figuring out some method to fasten each to my Adjusto-Jig.
Posted on: 8/4/2012 12:11 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11180821

RE: Welcome to Club SAITO !
Man, I [b]SO[/b] like the sound of that one. Compared to the norm it more resembles a real aircraft motor than a chainsaw on steroids.
Posted on: 8/3/2012 8:17 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11180306

RE: Club FOX!
I just received a box of engines today and there were a pair of Fox stunt engines in there. I believe one may be the 35. I was planning to bake them in the crock pot and post pics this weekend.
Posted on: 8/3/2012 8:13 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11180300

RE: Welcome to Club SAITO !
Thanks. How do I add that to the bottom area of my posts?
Posted on: 8/1/2012 10:26 AM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11177322

RE: Welcome to Club SAITO !
Not familiar with Aerosave, so have no recommendations there. If in doubt a local auto supply house should have a small bottle of engine assembly oil. We used it for years to prelube metal/metal contact faces, such as crank bearings and cam lobes. Personally I use my own mix for an after-run oil that is a 50/50 ratio of ATF, (automatic transmission fluid) and air tool oil. Recently I also added a metal conditioner that is much thicker and helps retention, but the straight 50/50 mix has worked for me for over 25 years in after-run, long term storage and assembly.
Posted on: 7/31/2012 8:03 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11176696

RE: Welcome to Club SAITO !
Don't forget to lube everything before assembly. I use air tool oil, (identical to turbine oil) but castor, Mystery or any other good quality assembly oil should work if it has good adhesion. This means it protects the parts well and stays where you need it till replaced with the lube from the fuel. Try to avoid spinning a fully assembled motor till it has running time since you can wipe the oil from the cylinder wall or squeeze it from between metal/metal contact points. As with any motor, the first few seconds and minutes of running in make a HUGE difference.
Posted on: 7/31/2012 6:25 AM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11175739

RE: Welcome to Club SAITO !
There are several instructions on assembly that are a big help. Here's one with pics: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_9510073/anchors_9515164/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#9515164
Posted on: 7/30/2012 8:04 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11175375

RE: Welcome to Club SAITO !
If you want to send me the crank I can have a go at straightening it. If it works out you would have a spare.
Posted on: 7/30/2012 7:53 PM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11175358

RE: Welcome to Club SAITO !
Actually, with the right tools straightening a bent crank is not that difficult. I have done it many times, but have access to those tools at work. that is why I recommended a machine shop. The key is to have accurate V-blocks for the crank to ride on indicate the ends and then a way to apply the correct amount of force in the proper location to bend it back. Every time I have had to do it the crank was bent outside the much larger crank boss that rides within the bearings and that narrower portion can be relatively flexible.
Posted on: 7/30/2012 9:18 AM by Author "Cougar429" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11174516