New Member

[Edubarca]

Hello, greetings from Colombia. Nice to meet you all. I am interested in joining the forum to learn a lot about scale flying gliders such as the Minimoa and others.

[Cliff Evans]

Welcome Edubarca. Hope you get the advice and help you require.

[Edubarca]

Thank you very much Cliff. I've just got the plans for the Minimoa, It is going to be my first gigantic model (!). Here where i live, near Bogotá, we have beautiful sites for soaring and the Minimoa has been my favourite. I'll try to post my building progress and ask for any help I might need. Keep safe and hope this coronavirus issue won't affect not only our everyday lives but also our modelling.
EDUARDO

[Edubarca]

Hello Cliff. I am starting to vectorize for laser cutting and prepare the Minimoa MO2, I find everything fine except two issues: First, extra thin plywood, such as .08 or 1mm is not available anywhere here. I was thinking the possibility of covering the fuselage the traditional way using balsa strips, say 3 x 12mm. What do you think about this? Or do you have any other suggestion? And, what materials are the best to cover the model? Can a heat shrink material such as HobbyKing covering film or MonoKote can be used? Apart from this, I find, at least up to now, no other problems. Fortunately, balsa is douns and processed here abundantly so we have no shortage. This means all the wood I would need for my model is readily available, I appreciate your help. EDUARDO

[Trevor]

Hello Eduardo,

I don't know if it helps, but I built Chris Williams's 1/5 scale Petrel, using balsa for the fuselage skin and covered it in film. It turned out a bit lighter than the ply skinned one and is perfectly strong enough. As long as you don't plan to land on a field of sharp flints, of course!
Petrel Diary

Alternatively, in the current situation, I'm sure somebody here would be prepared to supply you with some ply in exchange for balsa!

Good luck

[Cliff Evans]

Edubarca, I totally agree with Trevor, Balsa is good but if you are concerned, you could always glass it with very lightweight cloth.

[chris williams]

Eduardo, I would try as hard as you can to find some plywood, if possible. On a model this size, balsa will be very susceptible to damage, and glassing it won't stop the dents from appearing as you go along...

[Edubarca]

Hello my friends. Thank you very much for your nice comments. Chris: Unfortunately, thin plywood is definitively not available here. You can believe me that I have done a very thorough investigation and this material is definitively not available because there is no market here. So this means I'll use balsawood which as stated before, is cheap and widely available. I have a very good friend who has a small balsa processor and although he is exporting most of his production, he tells me no shortage, thank God. I am going to add some more 6 x 6 mm stringers to support the planking and as building goes on, I'll check how strong the model will coming out.

[Edubarca]

Two more issues: Is heat-shrink covering material good for the model? Especially for wings and empennage, and I only have a six channel radio. Could I use only the three main controls plus flaps and spoilers? Again, thanks for your help.
EDUARDO

[chris williams]

The prototype is covered with Solartex: unavailable now, but there are alternatives. I guess if you don't need a tow release, or to drop off the wheels, you could use 4 channels for the conventional controls, and use Y-leads in the remaining channels for the flaps & spoilers...