RE: looking for a Twin Otter kit
I don't think it is out yet, but check in with this guy. http://www.mraerodesign.com/DHC6/DHC6.html Or take any DHC-3 kit and bash it.
Posted on: 6/28/2007 9:02 AM by Author "simark" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=6045285

RE: Surface radio receiver compatibility
Ok, thanks gents. I am very familiar with the FM shifts pos and neg with the aircraft equipment, but wasn't sure about the AM stuff. If I decide to get anymore involved with surface RC, I get a 2.4 gig system and receivers, but for now I just have this Big Swamp Buggy airboat that I would like to get going.
Posted on: 6/28/2007 8:58 AM by Author "simark" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=6045267

Surface radio receiver compatibility
I have a Futaba 2ch AM surface radio that I would like to use for a couple of boats. Can I use anyone's receiver, Hitec, Airtronics, etc. Is there a problem with pos or neg shift similar to the 72 mHz airplane radios? Are they all interchangeable? Thanks.
Posted on: 6/27/2007 9:15 AM by Author "simark" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=6040659

RE: "Aging" Brass
Phoney antque dealers used to dump newish brass stuff into cow manure and piss. This aged and tarnished the brass like nothing else and yuppies bought it up like crazy. If your in the city, this technique may be difficult.
Posted on: 6/24/2007 10:38 PM by Author "simark" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=6029858

RE: Are Guillow's kits any good for practice?
I'm not sure that Guillow kits have really discouraged many from continuing this hobby. Anyone who has been at this game for longer than about 10 years did it with die mashed kits, often with die cutting no better than Guillows efforts. It just built character. I don't wish to go back to those days, but it sure taught me a lot about building and fitting parts together. I guess building a stick and tissue planes is a good traing ground for scratch building. If you never venture outside of modern laser cut kits or ARF's than you may elect to skip that step.
Posted on: 5/27/2007 10:13 PM by Author "simark" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5909777

RE: Source for a good Pilot Figure
I went to a dollar store and searched around the toy sections. Lots of plastic figures that can be had really cheap. The one I bought was almost exactly 1/12th scale but there were other sizes too.
Posted on: 3/27/2007 12:43 PM by Author "simark" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5624557

RE: Gearbox Help
BgCatfish1 Ok thanks. I'm just getting into this electric stuff and am bewildered with the methodology that is used to properly select a power system for a plane. I've got down the battery technology, esc, Becs etc. but the choice of motor/ motor configuration seems to be a crap shoot, compounded by lack of a common motor size naming convention. If you ever do find out the secret, please let me know.
Posted on: 3/14/2007 9:22 AM by Author "simark" in the forum "Brushed/Brushless motors, speed controls, gear drives"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5559354

RE: Gearbox Help
I would also like to know how to choose a gearbox and why I should. Care to share what you found out?
Posted on: 3/12/2007 8:18 AM by Author "simark" in the forum "Brushed/Brushless motors, speed controls, gear drives"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5548805

RE: Are Guillow's kits any good for practice?
Ahh, there is something to getting back to rubber FF models once in a while. Makes you feel like a kid again. I built my first stick kit when I was 10. Got it for my birthday. It was a Comet Curtiss Jenny rubber powered kit. Very ambitious for a 10 year old, but I managed to complete it and it flew a few times. In my books back then, a flight more than 10 feet and a landing not requiring major repairs qualified as a success. Skip ahead about 30 years, I saw an old dusty Comet Curtiss Jenny kit in a hobby shop. I had to have it. I didn't build it and it slowly worked it's way to the back of the closet. But every once in a while I take it out to look at it. Millions of 1/16 sticks, horrible diecutting, balsa wood from the worst examples of the species and a small bundle of tissue paper. My wife can't understand why I wanted a rubberband airplane when I fly gas RC planes every weekend. One day, I'm gonna build it with my boy, and then she'll know.
Posted on: 2/20/2007 11:08 AM by Author "simark" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5446755

RE: keycreator 6
Like any CAD system of this size, bigger is better. However, depending on your files, any computer faster than 2.0 GHz would be OK. Stuff as much RAM into it as you can afford and yhen put in more. Also a good graphics card would be nice, but I use the card that came with the computer and find it OK, but sometimes the regen is a little slow. My largest file size runs to a little over 250M so a fast hard drive is good, preferably SATA. If your just starting out with a CAD system, and you work for a company where you think there may be more than one or two CAD drivers, I would suggest thinking about how you manage your CAD files, your CAD document file management, and part numbering system. XP SP2 is minimum.
Posted on: 1/12/2007 10:02 AM by Author "simark" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5253077

RE: keycreator 6
I am a Mechanical Project Engineer. I have used Cadkey/ Keycreator since 1993, version 6. I also use Solidedge and VX Modeler. I perfer the Keycreator because it is argueably the most flexible CAD software to create a design or product. I can design in 2D, 3D, surfaces or solids and move between them easily. Whichever mode is the most appropriate. It has a very robust translator engine, so I can take in or output almost anything our customers or suppliers are using including Catia. I can take in almost any file including a parametric file and edit or add to it WITHOUT constraints, and then output it again in the native format it came in. However it does not keep a history table. As with any midsize CAD package, it will take training. This is not a package that you can download and start creating planes with in one or two nights. "Creator provides a fully featured, yet unconstrained modeling environment that is essential for design engineers who need maximum creative freedom. Its ability to move seamlessly between 2D and 3D, ultra-fast solid modeling and automatic layout mode enables designer engineers to design they way they think - selecting the tools that work best for them and then quickly moving towards tighter modeling specifications. With KeyCreator there is nothing standing between designers and their experience and creativity. The solution fits their ideas, process and skills - eliminating the gap between vision and execution. This is the goal of Creation Engineering. In fact, many of today's most successful manufacturers use KeyCreator at the initial design stages to support the creative process and accelerate this critical stage of the new product development cycle. In addition, KeyCreator is widely recognized as having the shortest learning curve and the easiest, most intuitive transition for designers moving from 2D to 3D modeling environments." Recommended!!!
Posted on: 1/11/2007 8:18 AM by Author "simark" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5247087

RE: keycreator 6
Hello I use Kubotek KeyCreator ver 6.0.1 Let me know what your question is, and I'll try to help.
Posted on: 1/10/2007 10:09 AM by Author "simark" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5241949

RE: 3d Laser Scanning
Scanning the model is the easy part. Coverting the point cloud data to a usable solid model with smooth surfaces is the expensive part.
Posted on: 1/5/2007 9:08 AM by Author "simark" in the forum "Scratch Building, Aircraft Design, 3D/CAD"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5213893

RE: Band Saw or Scroll Saw
[quote]ORIGINAL: Rodney If you get a band saw, steer away from the three wheel units. They are much more difficult to keep in alignment and harder on blades (frequent breakage) than the two wheel bandsaws are. ... [/quote] I have a three wheel unit ("C" frame) and yes they are harder to align at first but like every other tool in a well maintained shop, there is always a setup and calibration before the tool can be or should be used. The advantage of the C frame is that it offers a 16" throat clearance, something you won't get in a two wheel model without spending a wack of money. This is largely irrelevant in modelling but can be very useful in furniture building. If one becomes available and you do think you need the throat clearance, get a model with larger wheels. "C" frames are hard on thicker blades because the wheels are smaller diameter, but the larger models are OK. I have the 16" Delta and never had many problems, mainly because I did take the time to set it up. They use to come up used quite often, but now are harder to get. If you think that you may resaw wood once in a while, then I recommend a larger two wheel job. The resaw blades a quite large and you will need the resaw attachments. As far as I know, they are only available for two wheel models. I use a small shop belt sander a lot in both modelling and woodworking. Another thing that should be near the top of your list is a good dust collecting system and air filters. As for a scroll saw, in the last 6 years, mine has been used maybe twice.
Posted on: 1/2/2007 4:09 PM by Author "simark" in the forum "Scratch Building, Aircraft Design, 3D/CAD"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5198284

RE: Black Widow enough power for a simple series?
SGC OK thanks. For a moment there, I thought you ½A guys were losing it. BTW, SGC it must have been around 5:00 am when you replied. Now I KNOW you've lost it!
Posted on: 12/12/2006 2:35 PM by Author "simark" in the forum ""1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5107268

RE: Black Widow enough power for a simple series?
[quote]ORIGINAL: combatpigg ... Make sure your launches are thrown level and with a little bit of "mustard" on them. [/quote] Uhmmm.. ah... could you let me know what this "mustard" bit is all about?
Posted on: 12/12/2006 1:04 PM by Author "simark" in the forum ""1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5107025

RE: Are Guillow's kits any good for practice?
Yep, I started with the stick and tissue kits about 35 years ago. With the diecuts, most of the parts had to be reconstructed before they could be assembled onto the actual model. A royal pain but that beat an old Comet kit I built which was diecut only half way through the wood. And that beat a old British kit that came with the shapes of the pieces printed onto the wood. I still remember some of the printing being rather vague... These kits will certainly give you good experience in cutting, sanding, swearing, skills that will serve you well when you start building some of the better "builder's kits", models that assume that you have mastered some advanced building skills, skills that don't come by gluing together ARF's. You'll know when you've bought one of these builder's kits when you open the box and you're staring at a pile of lumber. Good luck with the Guillows- ask questions anytime. It's always a pleasure to help out new builders.
Posted on: 12/11/2006 8:48 AM by Author "simark" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5101655

RE: Sea Fury Colour
I thought you Sea Fury guys might be interested in this document. It may clear up the difference between the RN and RCN paint colours schemes of the Sea Fury. Seems a difference betwen the interpretation of the colour "Sky" resulted in the two different colours.
Posted on: 12/8/2006 8:21 AM by Author "simark" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5089971

RE: Hawker seafury question
I found this site pretty good for photos of the Sea Fury. http://www1.airliners.net/search/photo.search?aircraft_genericsearch=Hawker%20Sea%20Fury&distinct_entry=true Sorry if everyone already knows about it.
Posted on: 12/7/2006 4:25 PM by Author "simark" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5087472

RE: How Do You Make a Shinny Spring Look OLD?
I'm not sure how the spring steel will react, but I once saw a TV program where an antique dealer was tring to make a new steel something look old. He put it in cow waste (liquid or solid- I can't remember) and the acid "aged" the steel. Your mileage may vary.
Posted on: 10/11/2006 12:05 AM by Author "simark" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4852817

RE: more CAD help
Try here: http://www.freecadapps.com/ Good luck. If you still have problems, send me the file, I'll resize it and send it back to you.
Posted on: 9/20/2006 12:42 PM by Author "simark" in the forum "Scratch Building, Aircraft Design, 3D/CAD"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4771430

RE: Westland Lysander
Campy Glad you were able to visit the museum and took lots of pictures. Sounds like you've got your work cut out! Please post photos of your plane as you go along. Did you take a ride in one of the Harvards?
Posted on: 6/12/2006 10:07 AM by Author "simark" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4381128

RE: Westland Lysander
I hope you enjoy your trip to TO. There is also an aircraft museum at Downsview Airport in Toronto you may be interested in. www.torontoaerospacemuseum.com Also, at the end of June is the Canadian Aviation Expo, more of the full scale stuff, but usually there's a few RC displays. http://www.canadianaviationexpo.com/ Have fun and please spend lots of money. (pretty blatant, eh?)
Posted on: 5/30/2006 8:23 AM by Author "simark" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4331129

RE: Westland Lysander
Campy Toronto is only a 9 hour drive for you. When you get to the detail part, come up and see the Warplane museum here (Hamilton). There's a Lysander being restored. Should be able to get more detail pictures that you'll know what to do with. And speak to some of the volunteers there. I believe, some may be former Lysander pilots. Good luck with your plane- it's just not my cup of tea.
Posted on: 5/27/2006 11:27 PM by Author "simark" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4323683

RE: Westland Lysander
I don't know, maybe it's me but I always put the Lysander near the top of the "worst looking airplanes" list. That usually put it near the bottom of the "planes to build" list. I have a uncle who flew them here in Canada during WWII as a target tug for traing training, and he thinks they are "handsome". Am I missing something?
Posted on: 5/16/2006 1:21 PM by Author "simark" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4284401

GUNZE SANGYO Aqueous paints
Has anyone ever used these paints on a model? They have a remarkable selection of colours and can be sprayed through an airbrush with water/windex thinning- clean up. I think that they are acrylic paints. Would I be able to spray Lustrecoat over it? Thanks
Posted on: 5/3/2006 10:47 AM by Author "simark" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4235736

RE: Henry Haffky Plans
I believe this kit is a reissue of an old Jeep kit. I'm not sure but you could contact them and find out if it is what you are looking for. They might sell the plans separately. http://www.soy.on.ca/jeep.html
Posted on: 5/1/2006 12:50 PM by Author "simark" in the forum "Scratch Building, Aircraft Design, 3D/CAD"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4227691

RE: Critter Air Brush
Campy Thanks for the note. I already have this airbrush, I bought it spur of the moment at a wook working show. I don't intend to do detail work, just two colours. Apparently people on the website say it's pretty good. Maybe I'll experiment on my patio chairs.
Posted on: 4/25/2006 11:23 AM by Author "simark" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4204345

RE: Forstner Bits On Balsa?
Same here. I wasted a stack of ribs trying to drill out the aileron servo wire holes. You have to really clamp the ribs between two plywood sheets and then drill. I used it successfully to bung lightening holes in the fuselage slab sides though. Big 1.5" forstner with saw tooth sides. Worked like a charm. Don't feed too fast.
Posted on: 4/25/2006 10:20 AM by Author "simark" in the forum "Scratch Building, Aircraft Design, 3D/CAD"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4204104

Critter Air Brush
Hello Gents; I posted this question yesterday, but it got dumped when RCU got trashed. I am about to paint my Sea Fury with latex. I have a siphon airbrush made by a company called Critter. Has anyone every used it and what were your comments? http://www.crittersprayproducts.com/ Thanks all.
Posted on: 4/25/2006 10:13 AM by Author "simark" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4204075