TEA RACER Build Thread.

[vinay]

Hi Guys,

Since fixing the Heli took almost 6 hrs yesterday night till 4 30 AM, (http://www.rcindia.org/helis/hk-450-mt-build-thread/msg13851/#new) , so no flying today Good thing that it gives me more time on the SIM.

Since I was free today, thought I will build my first plane . With all different kind of motors from 20Grams to 180 watts/batteries/ ESCs/Props/Gyros at hand, electronics should not be a problem.

Well I will decide the electronics for later depending upon the body weight with wheels etc, but the main features of the plane will be modified slightly from the standard plan.

1)I plan to add GWS Retracts if the plan allows me some space.
2)Since TEA RACER is not a beginners plane and is extremely sensitive to inputs and since I am a beginner I will be adding a Gyro to the Ailerons and if required to the elevators as well to assist me in flying this guy! (Now I wish I had an SD 10G, so I could set the gain on both the Gyros remotely. )

Gyros used will be HK401 in rate mode/ if the plane is too sensitive then in Head Lock mode

Now to choose the colour, I have gray/white/yellow/blue coro with me. White being the strongest one.
Yellow seems to be the original color on the site.

More suggestions/Tips/ WELCOME

[anwar]

If you trust your gyros significantly to help reduce crashes, you are probably going to get surprised

Remember that gyros tend to hold the aircraft in their orientation religiously, even if that orientation is taking them nose-in towards the ground  

More sim time and flying in a grassy area sound a lot more worthy than trusting gyros.

[vinay]

Ya, agreed   if you point a plane ground wards and w/o inputs from the TX then the plane with Gyros is a goner (RIP) I cant control laughing. Iam pretty sure many cant control laughing at that joke.

But just want to reduce the sensitivity of the plane A third Gyro(from Heli) and larger throws on the control surfaces means I can hover a Tea Racer

I am using Gyros just for fun of using them. I want RC to be more experimental-fun rather than pure flying/ pure building pleasure.

Ya as I said, Please pour in more suggestions.

EDIT: Also since T RACER is a sensitive plane, a Gyro can help holding the plane in the same direction w/o inputs due to wind or when landing. It also helps in flying at slow speeds. What do you say?

[anwar]

EDIT: Also since T RACER is a sensitive plane, a Gyro can help holding the plane in the same direction w/o inputs due to wind or when landing. It also helps in flying at slow speeds. What do you say?

Of course, it was fun to fly by brother's little foamie with couple of gyros on them.  It would go straight and level pretty much forever !

But you have to remember that ultimately, YOU are flying the plane, and they are just HELPERS.

[vinay]

Guys please suggest some colour combinations.

Thinking of yellow on the wing/tail/elevators and either white/gray/blue on the fuse.

[vinay]

Progress:

I just finished the paper cut out. There seems to be a problem problems .

1)The paper cut outs are for 2mm coro and I have 3mm.
2)The motor mount have to be heavily modified as I use a out runner vs the designs inrunner.
3)I need to modify the design for landing gear with retracts.
4)I need to add the Rudder, which is not present in the design
5)I need to modify the design to build walls/surfaces for the Gyro mount.
6)Since I am using 3mm coro/gyro/regtracts with servos/wheels which will increase the weight, the chord length/wing span will be SLIGHTLY increased by an inch to give the same flying characteristics.
7)Planning to increase the width of the tail stabiliser by 1/2 inch on each side. and the rudder throw by 1/2 inch as it gets really windy at jakkur.

For some reason I feel like I need to add Gyro to the rudder rather than other control surfaces.

[ujjwaana]

This build seems more of a 'Gyro Hall of Fame' than 'My first Build from Plan' . 'Gyro' also reminds the Scientist character from the 'Ducktales'  series!!

you plan Sounds good Vinay, but please re-consider putting Retracts -

1. They might need larger ply/veneer reinforcement where you  attach to fuse/Wing,
2. They would require at least Symm wings with ribs where the retracts should park
3. You would also need  hatch for retract else the drag from open fuse may be huge.
4. Weight. When you are already using 3mm instead of 2mm, weight should be prime concern. If keep on adding weight, you can't cruise it at slow speed

Keep the retract for your fist Balsa build... you are going Nitro anyway!!

Post the build/cutting pic/video soon....

[vinay]

No moving away from retracts, Of course I thought of all the points you made earlier, but retracts will be there. I will be adding a lot of reinforcements for them though, the thermocol i took from you yesterday is a good enough for that. and increasing the wing span to reduce the flying speed.

Balsa build from scratch? No way, I dont want to waste my time on that crap.

if(vinay.getLikes().contains("NITRO")){

planes = PlaneTypes.ARF
}

[vinay]

Since I had to modify the motor mount area, I had to decide on the motor upfront. I chose to use http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idproduct=5655 . prop not yet decided will decide based on reviews later.
But Since Tea racers are designed for speeeeed!, I will be running this motor on a 3S 1500 or 3S 2200 Lipo. I have a bigger motor but that is a 1050KV. Not good for this app. I want speeeeed !

I already have the motor with me.

[ujjwaana]

...the thermocol i took from you yesterday is a good enough for that. and increasing the wing span to reduce the flying speed.
Balsa build from scratch? No way, I dont want to waste my time on that crap.

All the best then!! You are no less complicated than me!
I think reinforcing with thin hard plastic to secure 'nut and bolt' is a god idea. Foam/Coro wont hold bolts well.

If increase the WS, proportionally increase the fuse length, esp the distance between pitch axis and tail end.

And about Plan build with Balsa, (not calling 'Scratch', as Capt Manish Flyingboxcar, re-iterated) you would realize the romance between Nitro and Balsa someday, may while here itself or when you fly away!!

Pics man pics...With my prop-cut-fingers, I have to cool my self with your build pics for the while, before I move ahead with my F-22 build

[vinay]

I agree I love balsa planes, but not scratch building, even if GOD says love balsa scratch builing, I wouldnt, Its simple waste of time(for me). Regarding increasing the fuse? No, i will increase the chord and span by 0.75 inch on each side, fairly keeping the proportion. dont want to change the cut out plans for the fuse. way too complicated for me.

[vinay]

Ok, as you asked for the photo, Iam posting one. This would be the final electronics, Iam expecting 600+ grams of static thrust from the motor at bangalore's altitude.

The BEC on the ESC wont be enough. I will be using an external Turnigy 5A switched BEC. Time to solder a battery splitter for the External BEC.

I have modified the design for the cowl part for the motor mount, Time to cut out coro, till then enjoy the tasty pic.

Thats 6000 Rs worth of electronics for a simple plane  , but as I said, its a kind of experimental fun for me. Hope I dont crash hard 

[sahilkit]

cool

[vinay]

cool

Thanks dude.

Just finished cutting 2 pieces by 7.30 got a call from office and got busy till 10 30.

[vinay]

actually the retractable landing gear n stuff should make the model really cool, so which one MK I, MK II, MK III?

Nah, just the GWS landing gear activated by HXT 500/900 servos. If you are referring to air retracts, Iam not that advanced of an aero modeller.

Just brought the thread to life.

BTW, I had another butane torch so here is what I did:

Just threw a flame on the coro and saw that it removes some kind of Oil and makes it looks dull. I had to really be fast as the torch I used was 2500 degree centigrade wala and was burning holes  

Then I stuck 2 similarly burnt pieces using HobbyKing medium CA.
Took anonther 2 similar pieces w/o butane burnt and glued those as well using HK medium CA.

The result: when I tore apart, the butane burnt pieces were sticking 3 to 4 times stonger than the non burnt pieces.  

Now to try the scrubber experiment tomorrow using scotch brite

[vinay]

Here is a way to flash coro. I plan to do it only on parts that I am actually gluing.

[sahilkit]

The result: when I tore apart, the butane burnt pieces were sticking 3 to 4 times stonger than the non burnt pieces.

but u were able to tear the two pieces apart ?

[anwar]

Plain old epoxy should do the job, right ?  Are the results that different enough to go through this process (as compared to using any good epoxy) ?

[vinay]

but u were able to tear the two pieces apart ?

Ya, I was able to tear the 2 pieces apart, but it was so strong that it was like literally tearing the coro itself apart.

Plain old epoxy should do the job, right ?  Are the results that different enough to go through this process (as compared to using any good epoxy) ?

Anwar, Iam using this process to make joins between flat surface to flat surface. If I use epoxy there will it not make the already heavy plane heavier?
There are lots of flat surface to flat surface joins in Tea Racer. He has totally avoided edge to edge join to avoid the weak link totally.

My questions, If i slightly increase the wing span and chord by 1 inch, and a similar 1/2 inch in the tail stabilizer, and keep the body same length. Then how will it effect the flying characteristics? I am also increasing the control surface area a bit bigger, but keeping  throws smaller. Am I doing it right?

Iam doing these to counteract the added weight of Gyros, landing gears and extra servos and wheels and a heavy tail steering assembly.

[vinay]

Just finised all the cut outs from coro and glued half the fuse. Time to fit electronics before closing the fuse finally. My main worry is how to fit the landing gear retracts

[RotorZone]

Just threw a flame on the coro and saw that it removes some kind of Oil and makes it looks dull. I had to really be fast as the torch I used was 2500 degree centigrade wala and was burning holes 

Are you sure it is 2500degC ? Butane flame is about half that temperature as far as I know. Not enough for melting aluminum. I have been on the lookout for a portable torch like the butane ones that can be used for Aluminum. There are LPG torches available, but am a little scared to experiment with the cooking gas cylinder.

[vinay]

This is what I have: sorry, its 2k not 2.5 my bad.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1319

and

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1320

[RotorZone]

I don't think it is 2k either. The video doesn't melt a penny completely, so don't think it has any chance against Al oxide.

[sundaram]

You may need a Butane Torch something like the biggest one in the photos for the Job which are posted under you may also make do with the second torch the third one for which you have posted the link may be too small

Ebay India Links where you can get the biggest and the bigger on are posted for your ref

http://cgi.ebay.in/HONEST-501-Jet-Flame-BUTANE-MICRO-TORCH-for-SHOULDERIG_W0QQitemZ120539773378QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_203?hash=item1c10baf9c2#ht_5711wt_1165
   
http://cgi.ebay.in/BUTANE-MICRO-TORCH-SOLDERING-WELDING-COOKING_W0QQitemZ120539773356QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_203?hash=item1c10baf9ac#ht_6263wt_1165

I am not sure weather it can melt Aluminium or weld copper though the post claims that it can, I personally have never tried doing it till date. About Temp I do not have any Instruments to measure it as of now. I can surely try and give you the feedbacks of melting of metal aspect and Temp aspect with IR Temp gauge at Unit.

The biggest Torch will surely meet your requirement.

[vinay]

I don't think it is 2k either. The video doesn't melt a penny completely, so don't think it has any chance against Al oxide.

Just out of curiosity! why do you want to melt metal?