Bug HLG

Hi Dan..et al, I've been lurking on the list for a while. When you posted your comments about using the 1/8" carbon tube, I was skeptical to the max. I have just recently finished a modescomprehensivesive survey of available carbon shafts, and how they might be used on our DLG's. I have an outlet fairly nearby that has most brands. Below are some of my findings and comments. All weights are for ~32.5 inch long shafts. 1. Avia Sport G-Force- ~12.5 gr. This is a tapered shaft. The large end has a slight bell (for about 2.25&#accommodatecomodate joining another shaft to it. The surface is rippled from the spiral winding at layup time. It can be sanded smooth for better aerodynamics and to be a bit lighter. It's a very grave health hazard to sand this stuff, so take appropriate precautions. The shaft is fairly stiff. Certainly much more so than 1/8 tubing. The cost around here is about $15. 2. Avia G-Sport- Skinny. ~8 gr. REALLY light and strong. Most of the above applies here. Not quite as stiff as above, but still quite so. Could be a great contest shaft. I have an idea or two on how to stiffen it much more with only a gram or so of weight penalty. More on that after I have had time to experiment. I think the large (or even a cut from the middle somewhere) end would be perfectly appropriate for most micros. Price about the same as above. 3. Sky Shark-5P 'White tip'. ~15gr. This is my favorite for the following reasons. It is 1/4"-untapered, which means that one shaft could be used for 2 planes, most of the time. It's quite a bit stiffer than either of the above. It's surface has already been ground smooth. Even though it's a little heavier than the above, a 12" boom only comes in at about 5.5 gr., Less than 1/2 the weight of std. 1/4" carbon tube, and nearly as stiff. One of the best features is that it only costs about $8/shaft! 4. I weighed and flexed MANY different Beamon arrow shafts. I didn't feel that ANY were appropriate for us. I did find some other VERY interesting, inexpensive shafts that I bought but have not been able to find out the mfgr yet. I also bought some larger, longer shafts. If anybody is interested, I can give more detail on them offline. I also have a couple of Appogee and Bubble Dancer booms from Tail-Boom. They are truly works of art, but to large and heavy and expensive for micros. By the way, my current micro should come out (all up including radio, battery, etc) at about 2.5 oz. I've designed the wing to be strong enough to handle a full pedal, zoomie, winch launch. It shouldn't have a problem with DL, either. I have plans to make it a full 4 servo ship in the near future--with little to no weight penalty! All standard balsa-carbon construction. I just don't like the foam crud. I did get bagged last night, though!! We'll see... Phil --- "Dan <djedward@...>" <djedward@...> wrote: > I know I advertised the 1/8" carbon tailboom to be > adaquate enough > for our application on the Bugs -- I was wrong. > > I watched the Down East Soaring Society's (DESS) > first HLG > competition a few weekends ago and none other than > Joe Wurts had > flown in from California. Anyhow, I talked with him > after flying my > Bug during lunch and he said that my tailboom looked > a bit flimsy and > that it will fly better with a stiffer boom. Rick > Walba (of Allegro > boom manufacturing fame) mentioned the Avia Skinny > boom, the smallest > of the tapered booms they have, would be perfect for > the Bug. > > I have yet to order a carbon boom from the kite > manufacturer, Avia, > but I have high hopes for the spring. All of the > DLG ships in the > competition had either the Allegro boom or the Avia > G-Force boom, > both immensly strong and launched INCREDIBLY high. > > The extra flex in the 1/8" carbon boom does funny > stuff at high > launch speeds. It's great for lightness and being > really cheap, but > I'm going to pay a few extra grams and bucks for the > Avia boom. > > Dan > djedward@... > > > Along with speaking with Joe Wurts, he autographed > my new extended- > wing Bug (Ex-Bug). I posted a picture in the photos > section. > > Also, I said I could launch as high as a Taboo -- > this should be > rephrased to: "I can launch as high as a very poorly > launched Poly > Taboo." The ploy Taboo thrown correctly easily made > 3x my height and > the Taboo XL easily made 4x my height. Geez! > > > __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com