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Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Let us all watch your new project progress.
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RobbieB
Posts: 547
Joined: 07 Mar 2015, 22:22
Location: North West

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by RobbieB »

Peter,

That clevis in photo #5 looks a bit scary!
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Peter Balcombe
Posts: 1399
Joined: 18 Mar 2015, 10:13
Location: Clevedon, North Somerset, U.K.

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by Peter Balcombe »

Yes, its closed up now though ;)
Greg Smith
Posts: 130
Joined: 26 Jan 2016, 00:20

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by Greg Smith »

Thank you for the latest advice, Peter: some important things dealt with there!I think I will be motivated to triple-check everything in an unprecedented way with this model. A friend has suggested that, with so much time and care invested in such creations, it is remarkable that they are ever flown at all. Perhaps like pregnancy, though, it's funny how once the model is in the air, the memory of the gestation period becomes less powerful.
I will look again at the servo issue. Given that the humidity here is generally around ten percent, it's not such a likely issue as in Britain, but I will remove the servo and test it outside the craft. I was relieved to hear about the wiring issue, as the runs will be long in the Oly wing.
I'm currently working on aileron hinging, using Robart hinges buried at three rib positions. Awkward enough to reconsider on the second wing.I won't worry if they don't match! The problem with putting them within the rib is that the little setscrews won't be accessible, so I have to make sure that the pin part is well anchored in the pockets: but this is doable. The crux is always getting things perfectly centred so that the aileron is free-moving.
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Peter Balcombe
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Joined: 18 Mar 2015, 10:13
Location: Clevedon, North Somerset, U.K.

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by Peter Balcombe »

Greg,
It is probably also worth mentioning that whilst long servo leads aren’t a problem with 2.4GHz radios, I hope that you are going to use decent sized servo wire rather than thin stuff.
You need to minimise voltage drop along the longer cable lengths, particularly if running from 4.8v packs.
I use the standard (22 gauge?) wire without a problem, even with a 4.8v pack.
20 gauge would be better if available.
Greg Smith
Posts: 130
Joined: 26 Jan 2016, 00:20

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by Greg Smith »

Good point. I’ll also be using 6volt power supply.
Greg Smith
Posts: 130
Joined: 26 Jan 2016, 00:20

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by Greg Smith »

I have posted in general discussion as well: I hope the double post is OK, but I'm feeling a bit desperate here, as I don't have enough natural Solartex to cover my wings,and I've already done the tail assembly and rudder. I wonder if others were caught in the middle of a project? I'm kicking myself for not buying it earlier, but had no idea that that wonderful company was going out of business. If anyone has any, you'll probably hang on to it, but I'd really like to buy some and save this project, or get advice about an alternative. I SUPPOSE I could rip the covering I've already done, but I might not...
Greg Smith
Posts: 130
Joined: 26 Jan 2016, 00:20

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by Greg Smith »

Thanks, Cliff: I've done a bit of research and have ordered some stits polylite covering: yes, adhesive is needed for this. There is a technique video as well, and I must say it looks trickier than Solartex, which was the easiest covering I've ever used. Maybe save a bit of weight re adhesive, though, and it seems as if it will produce a very rigid structure.You cover the wing in one piece: one complete wrap... I'll report back, but it will certainly be a learning experience.
Greg Smith
Posts: 130
Joined: 26 Jan 2016, 00:20

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by Greg Smith »

Started up again after a long layoff, including a few weeks in Blighty! What amazing weather: hope you all got lots of flying in. I'm working still on the spoiler (still on wing one) and I must say that this is probably the most frustrating and time-consuming task I have ever undertaken in all my modelling life. I get it working fairly smoothly, then for some reason it doesn't work at all. Yet the basic mechanism is so simple, and I built it as accurately as possible, well aware of the need for exactitude.As per recommendation, I'm installing a hefty servo near the wing root, slotting the palstic bearers down in between two ribs, having worked out that I'll need 15mm of movement at the servo arm to achieve full opening and closing.
The highlight of my recent visit was visiting the RAF museum at Hendon and seeing David Glen's Spitfire model: oh, and flying a Radian with my great-nephew! I'll try to post a couple of pictures, but the amount of stab in the dark hacking that I'm doing might show me up in this company...
Greg Smith
Posts: 130
Joined: 26 Jan 2016, 00:20

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by Greg Smith »

I finally have a working spoiler! Now I understand the intricacies, I've decided to go ahead and make the second one for the right wing while the details of proper operation are clear. Still, the most important aspect of the whole frustrating experience has been what I've had to learn, for the nth time, about the state of mind with which to approach my building. Having said that, I could have built several (2?) common-or-garden kits in the time it has taken to make one spoiler. now I have to fit the assembly into the wing. I have put a strong servo in to operate it, which shouldn't really be necessary, but I had a few lying around. I've begun making the second one, and measuring my distances to the fraction of a millimeter achievable by an Optivisor-assisted eye and my ruler... Just ordered a little benchtop mini circular saw from Harbor Freight 'cause I hated cutting all those tiny pieces of brass tube. I hope my new photo method works: take the pic on the iphone, then send it to myself at my gmail account (only on the workshop computer) drag it to the desktop, then perhaps drag it to the message.
IMG_0505.jpg
unnamed.jpg
Greg Smith
Posts: 130
Joined: 26 Jan 2016, 00:20

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by Greg Smith »

IMG_0507.jpg
The spoiler servo.
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