Custom Fuel Tank
09-20-2010, 11:37 AM
#1
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (2)
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Doral,
FL
Posts: 276
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Custom Fuel Tank
I need to make a custom fuel tank for my current project, an 3.5M MDM Fox with a Wren 44 turbine. Any links or ideas on how to make one? Thanks.
09-20-2010, 12:43 PM
#4
My Feedback: (2)
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Naples, FL
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Custom Fuel Tank
Redline, Here are a few photos of a Smoke tank I made for the Large Viper Jet.
First carve plug from Foam. Glass it. Make it very smooth. Build a parting board from Formica. This should be at he 1/2 way mark of the tank. Get a close fit and fill the remainder with clay. Spray Tooling Gel coat. Add a few layers of Glass mat. After this dries Remove from Parting board Clean up all clay. I add a few layers of 1/4 inch tape to the out side for the 2nd half so that I get a recess in this half for the other to slid into when gluing the half's together. Repeat the Gel coat and glass mat on side 2. Once cured cut around the out side to leave a lip between 3/4 and 1 inch. Pop the 2 halves apart and you have a mod of your tank. I lay up the tanks with 1 layer of 3oz cloth and 2 layers of 6oz. I forget to mention Release Agent. I spray PVA on all parts before I lay anything on them.
This will make you a mold to make more than one tank. If you are just going to make one. Carve foam Plug, Glass the outside with a few layers of cloth with EPOXY not Polyester resin as that will eat the foam. After cured Cut hole for your stopper and pour Gas into the tank and melt the foam out.
This is a Quick Guide. If I can be any more help feel free to contact me.
First carve plug from Foam. Glass it. Make it very smooth. Build a parting board from Formica. This should be at he 1/2 way mark of the tank. Get a close fit and fill the remainder with clay. Spray Tooling Gel coat. Add a few layers of Glass mat. After this dries Remove from Parting board Clean up all clay. I add a few layers of 1/4 inch tape to the out side for the 2nd half so that I get a recess in this half for the other to slid into when gluing the half's together. Repeat the Gel coat and glass mat on side 2. Once cured cut around the out side to leave a lip between 3/4 and 1 inch. Pop the 2 halves apart and you have a mod of your tank. I lay up the tanks with 1 layer of 3oz cloth and 2 layers of 6oz. I forget to mention Release Agent. I spray PVA on all parts before I lay anything on them.
This will make you a mold to make more than one tank. If you are just going to make one. Carve foam Plug, Glass the outside with a few layers of cloth with EPOXY not Polyester resin as that will eat the foam. After cured Cut hole for your stopper and pour Gas into the tank and melt the foam out.
This is a Quick Guide. If I can be any more help feel free to contact me.
09-20-2010, 01:17 PM
#5
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Saint Gratien, FRANCE, METROPOLITAN
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Custom Fuel Tank
Hello,
please go to this one that looks fine for you :
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_13.../tm.htm#132463
Regards
please go to this one that looks fine for you :
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_13.../tm.htm#132463
Regards
09-20-2010, 01:21 PM
#6
My Feedback: (1)
RE: Custom Fuel Tank
This is the thread that I did years ago.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_13.../tm.htm#132470
Oops, looks like the previous post beat me to it.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_13.../tm.htm#132470
Oops, looks like the previous post beat me to it.
09-20-2010, 01:30 PM
#7
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (2)
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Doral,
FL
Posts: 276
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Custom Fuel Tank
Thanks for the hints. I'll be making just one. What type of foam should I use? Jeff, the Fox is made by Reichard. I'll post photos of the Fox later on tonight.
09-20-2010, 02:20 PM
#8
My Feedback: (1)
RE: Custom Fuel Tank
ORIGINAL: Redline7000
Thanks for the hints. I'll be making just one. What type of foam should I use? Jeff, the Fox is made by Reichard. I'll post photos of the Fox later on tonight.
Thanks for the hints. I'll be making just one. What type of foam should I use? Jeff, the Fox is made by Reichard. I'll post photos of the Fox later on tonight.
Just make sure to get it as smooth as possible (no folds or dents in the iron on covering), and make sure the mold has enough draft (no undercuts) in it for you to get the part off of it after it is cured. Wax the mold 5 or 6 times with mold release wax and then apply a thin coat of PVA before laying up the part.
I have used this process to make a number of different custom tanks with great results.
09-21-2010, 01:36 PM
#9
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (2)
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Doral,
FL
Posts: 276
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Custom Fuel Tank
Jeff,
This is the Reichard MDM Fox that I'm fitting a Wren 44 onto. The mount is made of birch ply and everything should be self explanatory with the enclosed photos.
This is the Reichard MDM Fox that I'm fitting a Wren 44 onto. The mount is made of birch ply and everything should be self explanatory with the enclosed photos.
09-21-2010, 08:31 PM
#11
My Feedback: (9)
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Akron,
OH
Posts: 234
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Custom Fuel Tank
Nice!
i've been toying with ordering the 4 meter Airworld Fox for a Simjet 1200. I saw a Glider video with a Fox and a P60 or 70 as I remember. Flew Great. He did use a Bifurcated exaust (Looked like a Heli Pipe to me) on it though.
Keep posting, maybe I'll get inspired and order one
Jeff
i've been toying with ordering the 4 meter Airworld Fox for a Simjet 1200. I saw a Glider video with a Fox and a P60 or 70 as I remember. Flew Great. He did use a Bifurcated exaust (Looked like a Heli Pipe to me) on it though.
Keep posting, maybe I'll get inspired and order one
Jeff
09-22-2010, 10:19 AM
#12
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (2)
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Doral,
FL
Posts: 276
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Custom Fuel Tank
I saw the same Paul Naton video and was hooked. Eric Myers flew the Fox. I had a bifurcated pipe made by Tam, but was put off by the looks. Instead, I made a shield for the horizontal tail out of litho plate covered with a heat resistant film I bought at Pegasus Auto Racing Supplies. Not quite sure if it'll take the heat. If not, I'll substitute for stainless steel in .003 thickness.
