Freeflight has built and flown his Lunchbox.

Wait for his build pics and flight videos.
If he posts today (USA), we'll see it tomorrow

The Lunchbox CLG ( Catapult Launch Glider) a design by a famous free flighter is ready. Here is the video for your review. Built it to 7 grams, used stationary (office) rubber bands. Hope you like it.

Dear All,
Nice to meet you in this great forum thread. I do not know your background in free flight CLG flying. I assume this is your first CLG build and contest. If not let me know.

CLG flying is the most fun type flying that does not make noise, not expensive either. You do not have to drive to a flying field as any good grassy (?) public park would do. The joy to watch your glider in thermal when launched with simple rubber band is just awesome.

I want all of you to hit the 20 second mark and definitely have "fun" doing so.

These are the tools that I used to build the CLG. Note:  I built from scratch via the plans.
Nothing fancy, regular items around the house or a quick trip to the stationary mart.

PS: Just re read Mr. Iyer build on the pages before. What you are getting is a wonderful ARF with glue and balancer.

A few things below will be helpful in your build:

1)A good matchbox with good wood. These will be used as trimming pieces during flying. Talk more about it when the time comes.

2) Nail file sticks , one side rough , other side fine. Also good to have is the sponge / foam type nail polisher to to give an overall smooth finish.

3) Color pen markers (definitelynot water base) I used RED but you can use orange for top of the wing,  however, black or dark navy blue is a must for the bottom of the wing.

4)A good ruler.

6)A small plastic set square.

7) Glue: Mr. Iyer has supplied you feviquick (?) CA glue. So get a nice reputable  company glue stick that you will also carry to the field with feviquick.  

8 )  Coffee stirrer sticks from your favorite coffee shop . Need one or two.  

9) A good 6 mm round stick that is no more than 6 inches long to make a launcher out of it.

10) For sure  two or three thin produce plastic bags to save your working surface,  table . Make sure they are clean and dry.

11) You need a very flat surface to work from. Make sure it is flat.

You need the kit from Mr. Iyer.

So until all of you have got your kits, get your tool box ready and print out the plans and go over it.

We will take you to the 20 second mark in three steps. An accurate build (trimming starts here), the launch and transition and lastly the glide.

I wait for all of you to confirm that you have got the kit by mail. We start together, except for the more experienced guys who can and perhaps will start right away.

In the second lot of kits, I've included a wedge shaped strip of balsa.
Don't throw it away!
1cm pieces cut from this strip are used to adjust the flight pattern during your trimming flights.

What does that mean?

During your test flights, you may find that you need a little rudder, or a little elevator, or a bit of aileron to correct a spiral dive.
The traditional method was to bend the trailing edge of the rudder, stab, wing a bit, or attach a small tab made of card. Both are subject to unintended change.
Much better to use a 1cm wedge at the trailing edge of the flying surface concerned.
Stick it on with a glue stick, add or reduce as required.

Sharp edge facing forward and square edge flush with the trailing edge of the flying surface.

More details of how to use when Freeflight talks about trimming...

BTW, I've not included a handle for the catapult, since you can use a half used pencil 

Thank you for allowing me to share with you my Lunchbox build. Many books and blog on the internet (most of them good) on how to go about doing this, but this is how I built it.

No matter what you do, please make sure of the following:
A) Take your time, measure, remeasure, then when satisfied stick glue. Critical trims should be built in, that should prevent you from having to squeeze the balsa, breathe hard on it and bend, put tabs etc. It took me 4 hours to build it. There is no prize for the quickest builder.
B) You need to use enough glue not too much.

The critical dimensions in the build are the following , no compromise or close enough will do.
1) The center line of the the wing and stab must be on the center line of the fuselage. Cannot have even 1 mm more to the right or left. Both the wing and stab must be at right angle to the fuselage, no skewed attachment.
2) Building dihedral must be exact.
3) When you glue the wing to the fuselage, make sure both tips are at exactly at the same height.
4) The distance from the wing TE to the stab LE (TMA) is exactly 3.5 inches. This should bring you wing LE exactly 2 inches from the nose(NMA).

plan shows Stab TE on the right up by 1/32", rudder 1/32" left, WASHIN on the left wing by 1/32 inch. We will accurately build these in.

Quote from: Free Flight on October 28, 2020, 07:55:03 PM
The critical dimensions in the build are the following , no compromise or close enough will do.
1) The center line of the the wing and stab must be on the center line of the fuselage. Cannot have even 1 mm more to the right or left. Both the wing and stab must be at right angle to the fuselage, no skewed attachment.
2) Building dihedral must be exact.
3) When you glue the wing to the fuselage, make sure both tips are at exactly at the same height.
4) The distance from the wing TE to the stab LE (TMA) is exactly 3.5 inches. This should bring you wing LE exactly 2 inches from the nose(NMA).

Regarding #4, position of wing and stab marked on the fuselage in the kit.

that is great , thanks Mr. Iyer.

Step one:
I had to glue the rudder on. Use a set square to assure that the parts are glued on perpendicular to the fuse and that the wing plus stab are square to the fuse. Use such techniques throughout, please.

OK, I am having issues attaching the photos as small as possible .I have 21 photos to share, taking you step by step, shows how to build in the 1/32 trims, use the glue stick and feviquick with toothpicks so on and so forth. It will take you to a square accurate build.

Suggestions? or I try and post on some photo album that all of you can access. Latter being the fastest way.

Take pics with your iPad (it has far less resolution than phones)
When adding pics, it has a size option.
Select small or medium.
This is what I've been doing.

Lets try:

No go. Took photos on my iPad too to begin with.

I am at the smallest size saved on my iPad.

Check perpendicular and side wise each time. No skew

Also side should be square as shown here on the wing to the fuse. This is an example. Use this to check all alignment, stab, rudder , wings etc.

Ok now let's fix the stab. First arrange it correctly. As Mr. Iyer suggested, draw perpendicular on paper or use cutting mat. Make sure stab is equal on either side and that fuse is perpendicular to floor. I used rectangular magnets as I had them. Make sure everything is taped (blue) down so it does not move on you.

above you see that I used three business cards (M) on the left side of the stab that gives the needed tilt. But the fuse is perpendicular to the matt or paper. Note: a stab tilt is very vital in gliding. A little less stab tilt is better than more. Aim for the 1/32" tilt.

Once you have confirmed everything it is time to glue the stab.

Now make two or three swipes on the fuse where the stab will be installed with the glue stick. Not too much, at all.

The glue stick gives you ample time to position everything back together and re check all alignment, tilt etc. Now put a drop of feviquick on a tooth pick and apply it to the LE and TE of the stab on both sides of the fuse. Give it 2 minutes to cure. Once cured, remove from board and apply feviquick to the remainder of the stab only after you , yes, reconfirmed all is attached correctly.

Your stab is now installed with the tilt. So now is the time to tie a thread to the nose and install sandpaper grip to the back end of the fuse. The tread is needed so the launch hook does not detach after so many flights. The sand paper is needed at the back to give you a consistent launch. Apply feviquick to both the thread and the sand paper to attach / Again use sparingly with toothpick, enough but not too much.

So this is how it looks when complete.

Now we need to put the 1/32 left on the rudder. So take your matchstick and cut it with a new sharp blades. You can make the tab as 2mm wide, 7 mm long and 1 mm thick. Do not cut longer than 7 mm as it will give you issues in trimming. Glue it to the left side of the bottom of the rudder with a GLUE STICK ONLY as it may have to be modified later. You need this tab on the left side to hold the launch angle to the top as soon as you let it go with rubber band.

Picture: Black marks show dimensions and location