Blackie

What part of the ARF assembly gives you the most agony? I have to say that the surface horns, I always have a major pain in getting the holes lined up, more so on those black tripod three holed horns.

Blackie

hookedonrc

Always having to:
1. reinforce the firewall.
2. reinforce the landing gear platform
3. replace the hardware parts where needed.
4. reinforce the servo tray.
5. check all of the glue joints.
6. check the landing gear bolts.

Now I understand these are items we all do, even in building our kit planes, but you would think that in an ARF these would be elemental to building a good plane. They are not something that, as a builder, I might think is a good idea, these should be required on every plane ARF, or Kit.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Blackie, I started drilling the holes just a bit oversized for the control horns a few years ago. Works so much better and saves so many headaches. I have yet to have a problem with them in doing that, but the screws are so much easier to line up. Give it a try.

LSP972

My Feedback: (13)

Agreed, Blackie.

What I've begun doing is installing ONE screw/bolt at a time. IOW, attach the horn and the backer in one corner, then go to the opposite corner with the pin vise and line the hole up as you drill.

Much easier to keep everything straight and aligned that way.

Steve

AJF--2

My Feedback: (119)

Engine mounting and throttle servo installiation. If you got short stubby fingers it is a bear to reach inside the fuse. (PS- I am refering to gas engines)

IronCross

Cutting out cowlings. I get the plane done to the point only the cowling is left and then it always seems to sit there for 3 or 4 days until I get the whatever to do the cowling. Next worst thing is the steering linkage on the nose gears. Have to admit though WM is really making that easy for me. On my last plane WM Super Sport then nose gear even had a notch already cut in it for the steering arm. Every thing fell into place perfectly. Still had to cut the cowling though.

GalenB

My Feedback: (18)

I use this method too and it works great! I have since upgraded from a pin vise to these nifty little drills from Hobbico...

http://www.hobbico.com/tools/hcar0699.html

rockmon

I don't know why but I hate doing the plumbing in the tank, and then there's that gluing the wing together, and oh yah, then you have to glue in the tail feathers and line everything up, but the worst part is sticking in all the electrics because then you have to hook all that crud up to the doggone control surfaces so you have to glue them on, make all the push-rods and hook all that stuff together, and then you have to put the darn engine on and get that thing running right. But then you get to go fly weeehaw! Did I leave anything out??

Steve Campbell2

Galen,

I have the old Ace set of drills, with the hardwood handles (I'll post a pic tonight if I think about it).

But I like the flexibility of the pin vise; more different bit selection.

What I've got actually is a welder's tip cleaner; a pin vise with storage in the body for a whole bunch of different size bits.

Steve

Borzak

My Feedback: (2)

Get yourself a small C clamp that opens to about 3-4" inches.

Tack a T-pin on each flat surface of the clamp so that they line up. Use epoxy, jbweld or whatever.

That way you can BARELY tack a control horn down on the rudder for instance. Take the C clamp and start clamping it down till the pin goes in the surface, keep going till the pins meet.

Take it off and rip off the control horn and make your screw hole. Will line up 2-4 hole horns easily and takes just seconds once you get going.

IronCross

Heck with all that. Sounds like a lot of work. I use the Dubro "posts". Drill one hole stick the bolt through the two bases
and hole and tighten with a nut. It's a whole lot easier.

Borzak

My Feedback: (2)

/shrug I can mount a horn in under a minute that way.

Plus I use the same jig when you want to line up holes on opposite sides of something that have a gap in between them and don't have a 6" long 3/16" drill bit.

jneesy

buy a world models on my mustang the control horns were actually useable, the control horn holes are already drilled , they even cut away the covering where you have to epoxy . by far the easiest arf ive ever assembled .by the way they also give you a clear cowl as a template to cut your painted one.

Blackie

Jneesy, the plane I am working with, is a world models but no pre-drilled holes.

Super Sports Senior.

Blackie

jneesy

my 46 size mustang was the easiest plane i ever assembledbut it is the only world models plane ive put together.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Geez, next these ARF guys are going to complain about having to open the box!

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

You want someone to come out to fly it for you, too?

Blackie

Hell why not, but if I let you fly it then your going to have to also put it together fly then clean and tare down as well.

I never said I didn't want to build the plane all I was doing was asking a question. :surprised

Blackie

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Just bustin'yer chops Blackie

Blackie

Oh I know Minn, I guess you had to get even some time. I still liked the idea of having my plane assembled and torn down at the field though hell I'll even let you open the box for me.

Blackie

Volfy

My Feedback: (23)

About horn mounting holes, try this next time:

1. Drill one hole. Install the horn, one screw, and backer plate in place and snug 'em up.

2. Now drill a second hole about half way through the topside.

3. Then drill it from the bottom side. Unless you've got the horn and backer plate installed completely cockeyed, the drill bit should find the hole previously drilled from the top and be guided through to the top.

4. Install the second screw.

5. Repeat for additional holes, if any.

It works best when you use hand drills like these from Hobbico - go nice and slow. I got them as Super Saver Club freebies.


And yes, this method works for both kits and ARFs.

Volfy

My Feedback: (23)

As for ARF building woes, hmmm... I really hate not being able to resist the temptation to bash the ARF. Even something as well-built as the Super Sport Senior did not escape without succumbing to the knife.

Blackie, FYI, I cut open the outer bays on one wing panel of the SSS because a couple of ribs were crushed. Found out why they crush so easily - WM hollowed out the ribs pretty much down to nothing, presumably to save weight. Anyway, the ribs were easily fixed, but then I saw that the outer 4 bays do not have shear webs. It's a fairly common practice and is probably okay strength-wise, BUTTTT... what da heck, since I had the covering open, I just had to add the shear webs.

Boy I hope the rest of the plane don't trigger any more of these "builder's embellishment" episodes. I really want to fly this thing BAD!

big max 1935

My Feedback: (9)

ARF's are not built they are assembled , big difference. MAX H.

LSP972

My Feedback: (13)

Here's that welder's doodad; I use those tiny bits quite a lot.

And that Ace drill set was one of the first "tools" I purchased when I began the hobby in 1986. I've replaced the smaller bits a couple of times, but the larger ones are still original; and work fine.

I even had to put a finish on that wood...

Steve

Live Wire

Kama kazi Kama Kazi , Does that mean one way, self distruct. You fly it or junk it .plane set for 2 years not flown comming apart just setting there!!!!!!!!!!