Bug HLG

Archive of the Yahoo! Groups mailing list for the Bug hand-launch glider 2002-2018

Threads »

(No subject)

From: "Chris Lewis <christopherlewis@...>" <christopherlewis@...>
Date: Friday, January 17, 2003 7:50 PM
Subject: Cruciform Tail
Hey guys! Glad to see some activity on this board. I use a Mark Drela inspired cruciform tail on my Lil' Bugger hybrid with no troubles. I use the .75oz glass/water poly method as well with the thin CA soaked edges. Prior to soaking the edges I lay the vertical fin on the building board and use my razor saw to cut thin kerf in the leading edge of the lower portion (subject to ground contact) at a 45 degree angle to vertical. I then insert a piece of CF or 1/64 ply and set with CA. Trim/sand to match your LE and soak the perimeter with CA. It's bullet proof and can even stand up to landings on asphalt (LB has a PETG pod for a nose). The fin has a concave radiused slot for the boom to mate up to and is attached with thick CA. I've never lost a tail and this plane is regularly flown by my two young boys who are just learning to fly. Here's the URL for the Little Nipper group with photos. http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/littlenipper/lst?.dir=/ Lil%27+Bugger&.src=gr&.order=&.view=t&.done=http%3a// briefcase.yahoo.com/ Happy Building. Chris --- In BugHLG@yahoogroups.com, "bob_chiang2 <rhc3@c...>" < rhc3@c...> wrote: > Mike and Paul, > > You both asked about strengthening the balsa for a cruciform tail > (great looking model by the way). > > I was also skeptical about using 1/16", but figured I might as well > start light and replace and beef things up if needed. All I did was > to wipe water based acrylic polyurethane on the tail surfaces and run > the edges through a puddle of CA glue. I did add a wire skid to the > bottom of the vertical fin (though it came off at some point, and I > haven't replaced it). > > The only time I have broken the tail was on a missed catch, and the > model fell vertically down onto the tail. I am better off landing it > on the ground :) > > The only weak spot I retrofitted with reinforcing is the leading edge > of the horizontal stabilizer right next to the boom. I think when I > land, weeds would slide along the boom and catch on the stab. So I > inset a piece of hardwood. Laminating a piece of 1/16" square bass > onto the leading edge (just like a free flight HLG wing) would be an > elegant solution. > > If you want to reinforce the balsa with glass cloth, some folks use > water based poly instead of epoxy.
From: "Colin Bosch <colin.bosch@...>" <colin.bosch@...>
Date: Friday, January 17, 2003 1:20 PM
Subject: Tail Group
The only real problem I had with broken tail parts is from fumbling a catch and droping the model on its tail. Otherwise regular landings don't cause much damage. The balsa does wear down after a while and you can see the wire skid in my pictures. Brushing on some polyacrylic or polyurethane seems to toughen up the balsa quite a bit. I've also added some glass cloth, but it adds too much weight. You could also use clear dope, but the water based materials are really nice to work with. --Colin-- --- In BugHLG@yahoogroups.com, "bob_chiang2 <rhc3@c...>" <rhc3@c...> wrote: > Mike and Paul, > > You both asked about strengthening the balsa for a cruciform tail > (great looking model by the way). > > I was also skeptical about using 1/16", but figured I might as well > start light and replace and beef things up if needed. All I did was > to wipe water based acrylic polyurethane on the tail surfaces and run > the edges through a puddle of CA glue. I did add a wire skid to the > bottom of the vertical fin (though it came off at some point, and I > haven't replaced it). > > The only time I have broken the tail was on a missed catch, and the > model fell vertically down onto the tail. I am better off landing it > on the ground :) > > The only weak spot I retrofitted with reinforcing is the leading edge > of the horizontal stabilizer right next to the boom. I think when I > land, weeds would slide along the boom and catch on the stab. So I > inset a piece of hardwood. Laminating a piece of 1/16" square bass > onto the leading edge (just like a free flight HLG wing) would be an > elegant solution. > > If you want to reinforce the balsa with glass cloth, some folks use > water based poly instead of epoxy.
From: "bob_chiang2 <rhc3@...>" <rhc3@...>
Date: Friday, January 17, 2003 9:42 AM
Subject: (No subject)
Mike and Paul, You both asked about strengthening the balsa for a cruciform tail (great looking model by the way). I was also skeptical about using 1/16", but figured I might as well start light and replace and beef things up if needed. All I did was to wipe water based acrylic polyurethane on the tail surfaces and run the edges through a puddle of CA glue. I did add a wire skid to the bottom of the vertical fin (though it came off at some point, and I haven't replaced it). The only time I have broken the tail was on a missed catch, and the model fell vertically down onto the tail. I am better off landing it on the ground :) The only weak spot I retrofitted with reinforcing is the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer right next to the boom. I think when I land, weeds would slide along the boom and catch on the stab. So I inset a piece of hardwood. Laminating a piece of 1/16" square bass onto the leading edge (just like a free flight HLG wing) would be an elegant solution. If you want to reinforce the balsa with glass cloth, some folks use water based poly instead of epoxy.