RE: Why do people keep calling it TURBIN as in trashbin instead of BINE?
Just because the English invented the language doesn't mean they perfected it. Who cares how the Brits pronounce a word when us'ns Americans have worked so hard to make the language better! Hey, who even cares how they spell colour? If you're concerned about pronunciation of a word you must be one of those who claim "fish" is spelled GHOTI. Surely you've seen this, it's gh, pronounced as in tough, o, pronounced as in women and ti pronounced as in nation. I've got a word for you, Y'all. That's a pronoun they completely missed, third person plural. Who leaves that out of a language? Calm down folks, tongue planted very firmly in cheek! Seriously, turbine pronounced as "turbin" only means a silent E, common in many English words. But don't confuse the pronunciation of "turbin" with "turban". Turban is headwear, turbin is power. You must listen for the difference of the last vowel. If you mistake one for the other, you must be the one who doesn't understand English pronunciations. Again, all in jest folks. I "jest" couldn't help myself from replying. Dave
Posted on: 5/16/2013 7:21 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11513782

RE: MonoKote reds
I've also used them all. Nearly all my planes are red/white or red/cream. Red is just very visible to me. And yes, the Missile Red is the lightest, brightest red of the lot as well as being my personal favorite. When I have a roll of Missile Red next to a roll of True Red, it can be hard to tell them apart. But put them on an airplane and the difference is striking. Funny thing is that once I open a roll I know immediately I've got the wrong red. I've wondered if the cellophane wrap hinders matching of colors. Dave
Posted on: 9/10/2012 5:16 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11224309

RE: Am I the only one who flies pattern with no mixes in their plane ??
The guys who used to rag on me that I was cheating for using mixing now ask me to help them trim their planes. Once you fly a well trimmed plane, complete with good mixing, you'll never look at trimming an airplane the same. Sure, with enough work an airplane could be designed with no cross coupling. But why cut a wing in two to change the dihedral another degree or two when you can make the same change (and make it reversable!!!!) with a mixing change? What about if you change the CG and have to start over? As a pilot, your job is to set up an airplane and fly it correctly. If you can do it with sticks, cool. If you can do it with mixes, that's cool too. Just fly your airplane more precisely than the next guy. Or for me (I don't fly competition), more precisely than I did yesterday. Dave
Posted on: 9/9/2012 2:30 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "RC Pattern Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11223003

RE: Tank Slippers
I figured you guys had to have caught wind of this. I still want a pair! Dave
Posted on: 9/5/2012 2:58 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "RC Tanks"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11218662

Tank Slippers
I'm not a tanker and I'm sure you guys have seen this, but I figured I had to post it just in case. Someone's got a way cool Grammie. I want a pair! Dave
Posted on: 9/5/2012 1:52 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "RC Tanks"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11218591

RE: Fuel-Proofing Before Locating Engine Mount?
Personally, I make the engine decision before starting construction. The reason why is it is so much easier to drill the firewall and set the blind nuts before the fuselage is built. But if you have to set the blind nuts after the firewall is built in, it is easy to keep the fuel proofing epoxy resin from fouling the blind nuts, just fill them with vaseline. Then mix up your 20 minute finish cure epoxy and slather it all over, inside and out. No problems. Dave
Posted on: 8/29/2012 3:00 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11210685

RE: Skybolt hangar and clubhouse
Interesting, what kind of RPMs are you getting from the Surpass with the 14x9 three blade? I'm running a MA 15x7 three blader on my 20 year old Surpass and it feels pretty good at about 8k. I haven't really noticed much additional spinning after I release but it has been a while since I've done spins. And then again, one turn probably wouldn't bother me much as I used to fly a plane that would take 5 or more turns to come out of a flat spin! It'll be a couple of weeks before I'll be able to get back to the field. If nobody answers before then I'll try to do some spin testing to see just how quickly the rotation stops. Dave
Posted on: 8/27/2012 2:50 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11208120

RE: Stick Cutting Tech ?
A well fit joint with minimal glue will do two things. First and most importantly, it will be stronger. Secondly and also most importantly it will be lighter. Glue is heavier than balsa. Add all the joints in an airplane together and a plane with tight joints will be significantly lighter. Add other weight saving tactics and you've got real weight savings. Grams here and grams there equals ounces overall I've saved as much as 25% - 30% through the use of light balsa and tight joints. To quote a wise man, lightness is next to verticalness. Dave
Posted on: 8/26/2012 4:17 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11206830

RE: Stick Cutting Tech ?
Bandsaw, scrollsaw, X-acto, no difference. You're just getting it cut close to what you need but a little long. It's all in the accuracy of the sanding. Dave
Posted on: 8/26/2012 3:24 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11206780

RE: Skybolt hangar and clubhouse
Hey, I forgot to post this but last weekend I got my Skybolt back in the air! Again, here's a video of this plane from back in January when I was still first getting used to her http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZyICYRhJFI&feature=youtu.be . On July 4th, I had an engine out condition right at the bottom of a spin and couldn't make it back to the runway. The plane went down in deep grass, was thrown back up into the air, flipped on it's back in a bit of a cartwheel and came in tail first, inverted. A luckier man hasn't been born, the fuse was intact, the wings were both intact, the cabanes and wing struts were still solid. Is this a strong airplane or what? All that happened was that I crushed the rudder and had some damage in the tail fin and fuselage/fin fairings. Oh yeah, the heavy duty TNT landing gear was slightly tweaked too. I found that the wrist pin had seized in the connecting rod of this 20 year old OS 1.20 E Surpass. I guess I can pardon the old gal for finally having a bad day! The engine was completely disassembled, cleaned, polished, all new bearings installed, wrist pin and connecting rod cleaned and polished and it runs like a new engine. The surprising thing was how little wear or deposits were found inside this old gal. I cut the old rudder away from the Dubro Hinge Points, leaving the hinges intact. I broke the remaining balsa off the hinge points then used a wire brush on the Dremel to clean the Hinge Points down to the plastic. I found the tail post was snapped, the left side rudder to fuse fairing glue joint was broken and the right side fuse fairing had multiple fractures. Opening the tail post fracture, I injected some medium viscosity CA and seated everything back in place. Then I wicked thin CA back into the left fin/fairing joint. The right side fairing was my big worry but after lifting the pushed in portion of the fairing back in line and wicking in more thin CA, a little filler was all it took to make things look good. Best of all, everything felt solid and I didn't even need to add a ply spline in the tailpost as I had been planning. To be honest, the only visible difference is that the "Super Skybolt" graphic on the tail is now black instead of red as it was in the video. When my buddy Mike at GlowPlugBoy RC cut the graphics for me he accidentally made a set in black before making the red that I had requested. I filed these away in case of just such a circumstance. He offered to make me another set in red after the rebuild but, come on Mike, I've got these. Hey, thanks Mike for giving me your rejects!!! Folks, if you need graphics, contact Glowplugboy! http://gcbmrc.com/index.htm Mike is cool for lots of things, estates, specialized glow fuel, graphics and all around great guy! So I get it all together and last weekend I fly my baby again. Oh, she's as sweet as ever! Listen closely to the video posted above and at 2:12, after a double snap you'll hear me shout "Sweet!". At 2:22 you'll hear me shout "It's so sweet man!" All this while I had no idea that I was being filmed. This video was taken before I was really in touch with this plane. When I watch it now, compared to how I fly it now, it seems stiff and, well I was still leaning the plane. But she turned out to be quite a sweetie. Yep, she's as sweet as ever! Dave
Posted on: 8/26/2012 3:09 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11206771

RE: OS 1.08 Nitro engine
I ran my OS 1.08 on nothing but Cool Power 15%. Killer engine! Never a problem with the fuel or the engine. What are the "experts" recommending to you as the right fuel? Dave
Posted on: 8/26/2012 2:01 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11206695

RE: Stick Cutting Tech ?
[quote]ORIGINAL: SunDevilPilot I cut most stuff on a bandsaw then fine tune the cut, made long, with a disc sander. Perfect joints using that method.  SunDevilPilot [/quote] SunDevil's got it right, cut long, sand to fit. Miter boxes are great when you need exactly 90 degrees or exactly 45 degrees. But in built up structures how often does that happen? And what about exact length? Smaller members I cut a little long with an X-acto and sand to fit. Larger stuff I cut a little long with the bandsaw and sand to fit. The important thing is that one little word, "[i]Fit[/i]"! Having things fit increases the bond strength and reduces the glue weight. Build light, Grasshopper! Dave
Posted on: 8/26/2012 1:53 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11206683

RE: Racers v. Bashers (the vehicles not the drivers)
Here's a view from an outsider. I'm an airplane guy, I don't run RC cars other than with my kid. I've got nothing against RC cars, I just love to fly. In particular I love to fly pattern planes. Old pattern planes, new pattern planes, these things are made for precision and competition. But I've never competed, not even once. I've competed in several other hobbies. I flew rockets as a kid and again as an adult with my kid. When the guys pushed us into competition I lost interest. I can see what they enjoyed about it but it just didn't do it for me. I also used to fly stunt kites. My buddies pushed me into competition because I was good at it. Again I lost interest in the hobby. I understand the competition mindset but it's not my mindset. I've flown airplanes for 45 years now. Everything from free flight gliders to control line to pattern to scale. And in spite of the fact that I don't compete, there's nothing I enjoy flying more than a competition pattern airplane. They are made for a specific task, that task is to fly precision maneuvers. I know that the competition pattern airplanes fly better than the sport planes. I know that I enjoy flying precision maneuvers as demanded in pattern competition and that I would be capable of a respectable showing in any pattern contest. But I also know that I just don't enjoy the other aspects of competition, so I won't compromise my enjoyment of this hobby by putting myself into that arena. I have the highest of respect for people with that discipline, but it's just not me. Just because I don't compete doesn't mean that I fly willy nilly. I fly with purpose and precision. I expect the most from my equipment. And I'm always striving to fly better, trim my plane better and tweak that last bit of precision out of my equipment. So my outsiders view is that, I find the same thing that Yakfish was saying is true in the airplane field. My competition airplanes are the only things that I truly enjoy flying. They are as reliable as the day is long. My most flown airplane of all time currently has well in excess of 1300 flights on it (add a few more flights today) and over 120 gallons of glow fuel burned. This calculates to somewhere around 10,000 miles flown. Granted, airplanes don't take the abuse that your equipment takes but I've had sport planes that have fallen apart with much less abuse than this one has seen. It's only a very entry level version of the current, highly specialized pattern planes. If I had the money to blow, I'd be flying a very expensive, top end, competition pattern plane as a sport "basher" airplane. Competition equipment is competitive for a reason. It is just that good! Dave
Posted on: 8/26/2012 1:43 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "RC Car General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11206673

RE: Got my wings, what now?
I have been flying models since the 60's and flying R/C since 1977. To this day, I still practice landings. As the old saying goes, takeoffs are optional, landings are mandatory. I am an advanced pattern and scale flyer and there's nothing that I enjoy more or find more beneficial than flying an entire flight of touch and goes every morning when I hit the field. It aquaints me with the conditions of the day as well as keeping me brushed up on what I consider to be the most important skill in all of flying, getting the plane back on the ground in one piece. Practice in no wind, practice with head wind, practice with quarter cross wind, practice with full cross wind. Practice using rudder to correct your landings. Of course, start out practicing them in little to no wind. But as you gain proficiency, push yourself with quartering and cross winds. The other thing to practice is basic aerobatics. Work on loops and rolls. Try to get the loops round rather than just going around. Notice that you have to ease off on the elevator at the top or the loop will be taller than wide? Learn to rudder into the wind when there is a cross wind in order to hold your line in the loops. Work on rolls, notice how you need a little down elevator as you go through inverted. Practice inverted flight, then inverted turns. Practice snap rolls. When you're comfortable with these, the next thing that helped me was to get the plane up high and just slam the sticks over all kinds of ways. Observe what the plane does and learn the results. But most importantly, it taught me how to recover from unknown attitudes. Again, do this with plenty attitude! Practice, practice, practice! Don't expect it all to come at once. Just because you've "got your wings" doesn't mean you know it all, and I'm sure you realize that. Asking the question shows that you realize that. Just go out, practice the basics, practice what you've been taught and while high enough, expand your envelope. But most of all, enjoy flying. Welcome aboard! Dave
Posted on: 8/25/2012 4:15 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11205864

RE: Windex method real or not
I've tried the Windex method but had marginal results. I've been using MonoKote for about 35 years now and I guess I've figured out how to do things with an iron. I've found that I have better results ironing than I did with Windex. Like you, I found that I could peel the Windex applied pieces if I really tried. I expect my planes to last for years so I don't want the trim coming off in a year or two. And honestly, I can get better results with an iron. I know folks who swear by Windex and their planes look fine. But none of them have held up to the estimated 1400 flights I've put on my Epsilon in 4 years of flying and still haven't had a single seam lift. Besides, my Epsilon looks [i]Awesome[/i]! Well, actually at the moment it's undergoing a partial recovering, this old MonoKote has seen so much sun that it's brittle and hard to patch. Plus, after better than 4 years of daily flying, the plane was in need of a few repairs. So my best advice is to find a technique that works for you. All ironed does work but can take years to develop the technique. Windex works too and is probably easier, even if it's not my choice. But do listen to the folks who advise sealing the edges after Windex, be it iron, acetone or MonoKote Trim Solvent. That may have been my error with the Windex, That's the weak spot. If the edges are sealed it's not likely to peel up. Dave
Posted on: 8/22/2012 6:38 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11202736

RE: Desafio II center of gravity - Help!
Hey Bill, I don't have a Desafio II but I do have a Desafio S kit (that I got for an absolute [i]STEAL[/i] on a popular auction site!) I don't know the relationship between the two but I can tell you what I know about the S version. The wing chord at the root is 16 3/8". The plans show the CG as 8 3/4" forward of the TE of the wing. If your wing is the same chord, that is probably a good start. This is supposed to be an awesome aircraft! I think the S model took third in World in '94 or so. What kind of engine do you have in yours? I've got a Thunder Tiger Pro 1.20 RE lined up for my S model. I have the plans and instructions for the S model. Give me a holler if there's anything I can help you with. And most of all, please let us know how flying this plane goes. I'm hungry for info on this plane! Dave
Posted on: 8/20/2012 5:35 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Classic RC Pattern Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11200191

RE: lost my horizontal stab
The fact that it happened after a dive indicates that speed was up and flutter is a real possibility. G forces or lift forces breaking a surface are rare. Hinge gap is rarely the cause when it comes to flutter. If it was flutter, the more likely culprit was flex in a pushrod or slop in the controls. If there was any play in the connection, that can be a source of flutter, if you could move the surface against the control rod (pushrod flex), that can be a source of flutter. I lost a Goldberg Extra 300 to elevator flutter and I'm sure it was due to flex in the recommended pushrod setup. I didn't like the setup when I built it but thought "They've got to know more about this than I do." It was the last time I trusted a manufacturer's recommendations if I disagreed. Bottom line is, make sure your control set up has as little play as possible and is stiff, stiff, stiff, stiff!!! If it's not stiff it ain't worth a f***! Dave
Posted on: 8/19/2012 2:45 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11198921

RE: What do you use to clean your monokote?
Personally I see no need. For years I used various glass or kitchen cleaner sprays. These days I just wipe them down with a paper towel and that's good enough for me. The important thing is that they don't get my hands slimy when I pick them up or that they don't drip in my car or on my carpet. I find that a simple wipe down is enough to fulfill these requirements. Now, if I want to do some MonoKote work or such, then I'll use a cleaner. Dave
Posted on: 8/17/2012 4:14 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11197244

RE: Grammar
[quote]ORIGINAL: erik valdez [size=4]Let's eat Grandpa! Let's eat, Grandpa! Grammar saves lives![/size] [/quote] HAHAHAHA! Funniest thing I've read all day!
Posted on: 8/16/2012 6:18 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "The Clubhouse"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11196296

RE: Grammar
[quote]ORIGINAL: acerc Is it just me? Or is the lack of grammar as well as proper spelling becoming rampant. Even in the add's here on RCU there are misspelled word's as well as the improper use of grammar. Here is an example, [/quote] You misspelled "ads". Add is an arithmetic function. Ad is an advertisment. You were saying?
Posted on: 8/14/2012 6:13 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "The Clubhouse"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11193696

RE: fuel proof spray paints?
Jester, very good test methodology. Thanks for the info, I'll file that one away! Dave
Posted on: 8/14/2012 4:04 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11193562

RE: screamin demon question
When I need to put covering over glass, I use a very thin coat of Balsarite Film. Make sure it's the one for film and not for fabric, it's much thinner. The covering will stick now! Dave
Posted on: 8/13/2012 5:21 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Extreme Speed Prop Planes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11192262

RE: Is there a radio that does not lose signal?
[quote]ORIGINAL: 1320Fastback 72's been very reliable here. I do have 2.4 also but always reach for the 72 when I want to go out a few miles FPV. [/quote] Not to hijack the thread but as a field safety officer I feel I must speak up. Going "out a few miles FPV" would be strictly against the AMA safety rules on FPV flying as the plane must be kept in visual range. Please review the rules here http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/550.pdf Dave
Posted on: 8/12/2012 8:07 AM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11190327

RE: Phoenix 8 Landing Gear
Tony, The plans show the length of the main struts from bottom of wing to axle to be 4 3/8". Distance from flat on front of wing to main gear strut at bottom surface of wing is 7 3/32".
Posted on: 8/9/2012 12:31 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Classic RC Pattern Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11187202

RE: Want to purchase Joe Bridi Mamma Mia Plans...
Oh wow, looked what popped up today, the Mamma Mia! Oh, no wonder! Hey Mike, enjoyed the morning. Bummer that the weather closed in right as things started to get interesting. Man, am I ready for our next flying session! Dave
Posted on: 8/5/2012 1:42 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Classic RC Pattern Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11181896

RE: WING ANHEDRAL
Rock, That sounds interesting. What do you mean that it "tried to resist" the turn? Resist the roll or the pull? Should still roll. Should still pull. I would thing that it should only affect yaw - roll coupling and add a slight tendency to drop a lowered wing. How much anhedral did you add? If you were looking to test the the effects of anhedral I'd guess it was more than the few degrees that matadco accidently added. Like I said, fly it and see how it feels. It's probably fine. Sticks aren't too particular and many have been flown with [i]much [/i]bigger problems. Dave
Posted on: 8/5/2012 12:51 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Aerodynamics"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11181834

RE: WING ANHEDRAL
Dihedral/anhedral has several effects. Dihedral does make a plane somewhat self correcting. In a plane with dihedral, if the plane is banked slightly to where one wing is level, all the lift from that wing is in the vertical direction. The lift vector from the other wing, being at an angle, generates some side force (turning the plane) and reduced up force. Since the level wing has a larger vertical component to it's lift vector, this picks the low wing back up. A plane with anhedral will have the opposite effect. When the plane is in a bank, the anhedral will tend to increase the bank. Another thing that dihedral/anhedral does is it affects yaw - roll coupling. If you fly a plane with lots of dihedral and apply left rudder, in addition to yawing left, the plane will roll left. In a plane with inadequate dihedral, when you apply left rudder, in addition to yawing left, the plane will roll right. In some planes a positive yaw - roll coupling is desired. In a well designed aerobatic airplane, the designer strives to get exactly the dihedral that produces no yaw - roll coupling. How much anhedral will make your stick have bad habits? Like everything else in airplane design, that depends. The best thing to do is to fly it and see how it feels. Dave
Posted on: 8/5/2012 10:27 AM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Aerodynamics"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11181673

RE: Elevator Trim Issues
When you say that you recovered it right away and took off again, this was all in one day? I can't help but imagine that if you landed with no covering on the bottom of the elevator that the wood in the elevator probably got wet. Putting covering right back on without letting it dry completely would have steamed the water up and probably caused the wood to move (warp). Even letting it dry for a few days, wet wood will have a tendency to move. That could be the cause of the trim changes. Dave
Posted on: 8/4/2012 4:28 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11181016

RE: First attempt at robart hinges FAILED, now what??
If the hinge was clean then no glue stuck to it. There was insufficient glue in the hole. When installing hinge points with epoxy, first I work vaseline into the knuckles being careful not to get it anywhere else. Clean up any mistakes with alcohol. Once I get the epoxy in the holes of one surface, I also apply a light coat of epoxy to the hinge point. The reason for doing this is to "pre-wet" the surface. This way the epoxy has a better chance of spreading more, even to areas where the glue coverage was thin. A couple of weeks ago removed a rudder installed this way. After cutting the hinge out of the surface, there was glue and wood firmly affixed all the way up to the knuckle, no plastic was left bare! Dave
Posted on: 8/3/2012 12:34 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11179808

RE: First attempt at robart hinges FAILED, now what??
What did the hinges that pulled out look like? Did the glue mostly pull clean off, leaving just a little or no glue on the hinge? Or are the hinges completely covered in glue and pieces of wood? Dave
Posted on: 8/2/2012 3:44 PM by Author "dbacque" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11178953