[RCSE] EPP U-2 Spyplane update
Hello all interested parties, I have posted additional photos of the U-2 spyplane from out in the field. They can be found athttp://members.aol.com/Rpvi4/u2.html They include: 1) Rich Loud's U-2, shown flying in New York state, with a link to his recent U-2 kit review in R/C Soaring Digest (please support this fine soaring resource) 2) Tom Nagel's U-2, shown flying high over Ohio. Check 'em out. They're great photos !!! Rick Powers RPV Industries EPP Foam Source RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[RCSE] Working with EPP Foam: HINTS
Hi All, I thought I'd share the various hints and tips that I've learned about working with EPP foam First, things that don't work well: 1) Electric drills: They tend to tear rather than making clean holes. Use a soldering iron or gun for small holes. 2) Electric routers- I personally haven't used them. I remember reading that Mark Mech has used a dremel tool with success for creating servo bays. For a clean surface finish, say on a wing, use a hot wire as described below. The recent post about from Purdue about the CNC router results suggests that the finished surface there was a mess, so I would avoid that method. It sounds like they had results like #1 above. Things that do work well: 1) Serrated Kitchen Steak Knifes- These are great for rough shaping the corners of foamie fuselages. The job can be finished in just a minute or two with great resuts. Tom Nagel recently reported using an "electric knife" (two counter-moving blades) with good results. Handy for Turkey, too! 2) Sandpaper/Sanding Block- This technique works well. Start with 60 grit to rough shape the foam, then move to 80 grit, then 120 grit to finish. You'll find that after using the fine grit you will have a decent finish, especially of you are following with 3M-77 and strapping tape. To further smooth a sanded finish, Tom Nagel tried using aluminum foil over his monokote iron with some success. Again, for the most smooth finish, use a how wire. 3) Hot Wire- I use several size bows (36", 18", 4") to cut wing cores, fuselage blanks, or small detail parts. I string 0.022" SS Fishing Leader (Cabela's) between two sprung 1/4" music wire arms with great success. With EPP foam use the lowest power setting that still cuts through the foam. EPP foam of 1.9 density will require slightly more current than the 1.3 density foam, and the new 0.9 stuff uses even less current. Low current will accomplish two things 1) Less re-melt plastic that is easier to deal with and remove, and 2) Less toxic smoke from burning liquid propylene on the wire (Always use lots of ventalation! Open windows and blow several fans). Cut at a nice slow rate, and let the wire move at it's own rate, with the assist of a slight amount of weight on a lever arm. EPP foam cut this way has a glossy, re-sealed surface that is quite smooth. If others folks have handy hints, feel free to add to what I've said above. You can see more about this topic at: http://members.aol.com/Rpvi/home.html Ok, back to the shop to complete a production run of F-21 Predator wing cores. Rick Powers RPV Industries Palo Alto, CA [EMAIL PROTECTED] RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[RCSE] New SF Bay Area Wind Streaklines Map
Hello, For all you SF Bay area slopers (and other interested parties), take a look at the new "Streaklines" wind map by the USGS. VERY COOL ! (and useful) http://sfports.wr.usgs.gov/wind/streaklines.shtml (Notice how Pacifica gets the best NW winds.) Rick Powers RPV Industries RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[RCSE] Tom Broeski, please e-mail me
Tom, I lost your e-mail address. I need 2 Hitech HS81MG servos. How much including shipping? Rick Powers RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[RCSE] What a Day! (Rippin' in SF, CA)
Hello all, Just wanted to report on today's flying. Windspeed: 35 solid gusting to 50+ mph. From the NW. Location: Bluffs that overlook the Pacific Ocean from 1200 feet, straight up. It is between Fort Funston and Pacifica, just south of downtown San Francisco, positioned to face the NW. With these extreme conditions, the wind sensing tape strip (tied to a stick at the edge of the cliff face) acutally blows UP. We are talking extreme updrafts here. Airplanes: Myself, I had one of Mickey Crawley's hollow molded "Velocity" ships (an exquisitely executed designtail cone and all), 64" span V-tail jammer, that I had fitted with THREE POUNDS of lead.much over FAI safety limits.the lead ingots were purchased from the back of a guy's car's trunk$3 per pound.good deal! (I stocked-up). The Flying: Well, launch out into this rising column of air (think of a reverse waterfall...) and up it goes. Acheiving 1000+ feet in just a few moments, peel off right and dive down, down, down, and at maximum velocity, pull out (gently!) and SCREAM across the cliff face, just a few feet from you (the operator), then ZOOM back up to 1200 feet. Maximum speeds? Didn't have a radar gun, but I know fast when I see (feel) it. We judge speed by the sound created. Something between a howling banshee and a GE jet turbine engine best describes the sound. After repeating "Frequently and Often" until all adrenaline is totaly expended, the landing seems a great relief. Oh, landing? Try a from the wave-top height downwind run, the UP the cliff for 1200 feet, timed perfectly to turn and stall upwind into the nice inviting ice-plant back. Don't even think about the penalties for failure. (Personal or Property Injury the nearby houses.) I survived the day, and just wanted to share, that I have never before flown that much lead so fast for so long at such a high speed. Screaming! Rippin' is the word! The best to everyone. Rick Powers RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[RCSE] [RSCE] Re: EPP shipping
Thanks for the mention Bob, Just a minor correction to your note regarding shipping EPP: We at RPV Industires use 4 cardboard corner protectors to keep the corners intact, then use packing tape along all the edges to keep them intact. In two years of shipping EPP we have never had a damage complaint. (Maybe because the package is the packing! :-) Thanks to everyone who has ordered EPP foam from us! Rick Powers RPV Industries http://members.aol.com/Rpvi/home.html In a message dated 99-10-29 14:58:49 EDT, you write: << RPV Industries in California has competitive prices on EPP and has a method of shipping that is cheaper than other sources. They ship using the US Post Service for only $5 to $7. To save money they do not use any wrapping paper but instead just leave the raw EPP foam exposed with the address labele taped directly on. There is a slight risk in doing this of getting abbrasions in the EPP surface but this is not normally a problem. >> RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[RCSE] [RSCE] Re: EPP shipping
Thanks for the mention Bob, Just a minor Correction to your note regarding shipping EPP: We at RPV use 4 cardboard corner protectors to keep the corners intact, then use packing tape along all the edges to keep them intact. In two years of shipping EPP I have never had a damage complaint. (Maybe because the package is the packing! :-) Rick Powers RPV Industries http://member.aol.com/Rpvi/EPP.html In a message dated 99-10-29 14:58:49 EDT, you write: << RPV Industries in California has competitive prices on EPP and has a method of shipping that is cheaper than other sources. They ship using the US Post Service for only $5 to $7. To save money they do not use any wrapping paper but instead just leave the raw EPP foam exposed with the address labeled taped directly on. There is a slight risk in doing this of getting abbrasions in the EPP surface but this is not normally a problem. >> RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
