How do you cut a true elliptical wing from foam?
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (2)
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Center,
ON, CANADA
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How do you cut a true elliptical wing from foam?
How do you cut a true elliptical wing from foam without additional cutting and sanding to shape. I heard of a technique that involves bending the foam but I have not been able to locate any details.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Norman
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Norman
#2
My Feedback: (31)
How do you cut a true elliptical wing from foam?
Contact Tekoa at http://tekoa.com/. They have foam cutting equipment and a video which shows the method of cutting elliptical wings as you describe. Works real good... And is easy...
#3
Senior Member
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: CamborneCornwall, UNITED KINGDOM
Posts: 6,136
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How do you cut a true elliptical wing from foam?
a way i saw on a small speed 400 plane was to cut a wing on normal way with straight leading egdes, but in two parts, so each wing was 4 pannels, the LE was then diffrent thicknesses to make the elipitcal shape. worked well
#4
Senior Member
My Feedback: (60)
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Tinley Park,
IL
Posts: 350
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How do you cut a true elliptical wing from foam?
Hi,
I was wondering how to cut wings for a Ziroli P47. I know Yellow has foam wings on the Cap10, Spitfire, and P-47.
I saw the post about 4 panels, is that from the leading edge to the trailing edge on the plan view?
I have cut P-51, Ju-87, and AT-6 wings and stabs.
I still do not get the elliptical wing.
Thanks for listening.
John
Chicago
I was wondering how to cut wings for a Ziroli P47. I know Yellow has foam wings on the Cap10, Spitfire, and P-47.
I saw the post about 4 panels, is that from the leading edge to the trailing edge on the plan view?
I have cut P-51, Ju-87, and AT-6 wings and stabs.
I still do not get the elliptical wing.
Thanks for listening.
John
Chicago
#5
Senior Member
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: CamborneCornwall, UNITED KINGDOM
Posts: 6,136
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How do you cut a true elliptical wing from foam?
i just happen to have the plan handy and took a pic for you, i've highlighted the two pannels to make it clearer.
you can see the 3 section templates below, the first one and second make the first blue panel, then the second again and third make the second pannel, you stick those together to make one block, then add the LE and TE and cut to shape to get the elliptical shape. you can see my spitfire at http://www.rcflyers.fsnet.co.uk/planes4.htm
its a bit of a cheat, but that spit flew so well, and i think that 3 degrees of washout on the tips helped alot.
you can see the 3 section templates below, the first one and second make the first blue panel, then the second again and third make the second pannel, you stick those together to make one block, then add the LE and TE and cut to shape to get the elliptical shape. you can see my spitfire at http://www.rcflyers.fsnet.co.uk/planes4.htm
its a bit of a cheat, but that spit flew so well, and i think that 3 degrees of washout on the tips helped alot.
#7
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Minneapolis,
MN
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: How do you cut a true elliptical wing from foam?
Michael,
the video, that I have form tekoa at the end shows cutting the elliptical wing tip for a P-47 type wing.
Roger from tekoa answers there that "It could be more scientific, but I learnt it empirically. Look into my trash bin behind my house, it is full of foam !"
That does not help too much !
There are calculations, that you can use to arrive at the correct bent of the foam blank, to achieve correct parabolic thinning, but I still have no idea how to get the correct elliptical planform, and I do not have that much foam as Roger Chastain !
Petr
the video, that I have form tekoa at the end shows cutting the elliptical wing tip for a P-47 type wing.
Roger from tekoa answers there that "It could be more scientific, but I learnt it empirically. Look into my trash bin behind my house, it is full of foam !"
That does not help too much !
There are calculations, that you can use to arrive at the correct bent of the foam blank, to achieve correct parabolic thinning, but I still have no idea how to get the correct elliptical planform, and I do not have that much foam as Roger Chastain !
Petr
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Toronto,
ON, CANADA
Posts: 144
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: How do you cut a true elliptical wing from foam?
Stay away from that Tekoa video if you want to learn how to cut a Spitfire or any other type of elipical wing, the demo for cutting the eliptical wing is right at the end and from a really bad editing job all it shows is that this guy bends the foam up makes a cut then bends it down to make a cut, it looks cool but thats it!! They don't tell you anything about how to reproduce it in a larger scale. I have that video and have almost everthing Tekoa makes they are great products but they don't tell you how to cut a spit wing in foam. I suggest The panel method is probably the best without a custom jig and the fewest headachs. I bought a Hacker Spitfire last year and it has a fully sheeted foam wing I was told the foam is cut in the factory on a custom jig. They have a website www.hacker.cz or .com can't remember right now.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Kingston,
ON, CANADA
Posts: 4,925
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes
on
5 Posts
RE: How do you cut a true elliptical wing from foam?
The Yellow Cap 10 is done with the bent core method as you can see the wire cutlines on the outer core that the sheeted wings came in. After I snapped it into the ground It took me and a bit of foam before I got it right making another one. Hardest part is getting the core proped up at the proper height. Once you find that you can crank them out like donuts. So it's all trial and error.