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Minus Thermic, Precision Products (TopModel)

Very nice. Looks like mine. I need to get back to mine but I’ve been side tracked re organizing the garage.
Hank
 
Hit a snag, I don’t know how to test that the wings are square to the fuselage while the wing rods are being glued in place with the needed dihedral. On my first attempt I had assumed that the etch lines were good enough. Well they weren’t. I had to free the epoxied tubes and just free hand the wings against the fuselage. (I hate building like that). She looks square I just hope she flies true.

On the Acro I think I’ll draw some datum lines on a large sheet of paper and hope that the wings will fit against the wing mounting holes in the fuselage.

As I’m making my Thermic into a large Acro I added some glass fiber across the laser cut line for the polyhedral joint. I’m always impressed how much durability adding fibers across a joint adds.

View attachment 3704
I want to glue the wings with wood glue, will this work with the glass reinforcement? or better to glue these first with some ca? Thanks
 
Glass as in reinforcement across the the polyhedral cuts (like I did?)? If this is the area then no, you don't want to use wood glue as your adhesive. With wood glue the glass will actually act as a shear plane. You will want to use slow CA or better yet epoxy as you join the upper and lower wing pieces.

For glueing the ribs yes I would want yellow wood glue. It would be the prefered glue as it sands easier than CA or epoxy.
 
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Hey dude, thanks for this build thread!
I looked for years at the model in the aloft store and waited for it to sell out before I decided I “needed” it. to be honest the model that I’ve flown and enjoyed more than any other in my collection has been a discontinued hobby king “Ezio”, 800mm balsa folding prop; the cheapest. Small enough to fly in any park, but capable enough to handle Tick point a few times. At that size it can clip onto a backpack without any disassembly, it can go anywhere. And certainly the smallest folding prop on the market!

Anyways I’ve smashed mine and glued it so much it’s more a brick than a plane and it’s time to get a “real plane” to replace it.
I intend to try and use the powertrain systems I still have from those scrap models, I have three, on the thermic. Other options for extremely small folding propellers are for the FMS Fox 800 MM, and the hobby king super kinetic 800 MM, both have 4 x 3 folding props I believe. I ordered both style props and spent a few hours tracking down the last thermic on earth in Bruges, Belgium and will be experimenting with the help of your build thread. Thanks again!
I just love the idea of that little bit of power when the thermal runs out, or the wind dies down. Turns every day into a flying day, and prevents me losing such a rare plane getting blown off course (knock on balsawood!)
Skål

Favorite Plane https://hobbyking.com/en_us/hking-ezio-ep-glider-800-pnp.html

TINY FOLDING PROP https://hobbyking.com/en_us/super-kinetic-folding-propeller-set.html

Blade for tiny folding prop
US $5.99 | FMS 800mm 800mm FOX / V-tail Propeller 4x3 inch 2 blade FMSPROP045 RC Airplane Aircraft Model Hobby Plane Avion Spare Part
 
Yikes!!!

Every 2 months or so I get a new PM asking If I've finished this model.

So looking at the build it looks like I'm ready to install the radio. I do this concurrent with the covering/ hinging. So before I start looking for my left over Solite or R.A. microFilm. What are you guys that have actually covered a "modern" micro build using for a film covering?
 
Yikes!!!

Every 2 months or so I get a new PM asking If I've finished this model.

So looking at the build it looks like I'm ready to install the radio. I do this concurrent with the covering/ hinging. So before I start looking for my left over Solite or R.A. microFilm. What are you guys that have actually covered a "modern" micro build using for a film covering?
You weren't kidding about taking your time with these builds!
 
Nope...

The problem is that time and technologies keep marching on!!!

For a while I'll like to build wings, then maybe fuselages. I may be in the mood to carve blocks or laminate hoops. But the killer is I don't like finishing, covering and paint. I have old friends come by and they'll shame me by saying they where teenagers when I started build X. They are now on their second or third wife!
 
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Konrad,
I finished building my Minus Thermic per you modifications. I did add some 1/64" plywood doublers to the sides of the fuselage at the stabilizer mounting areas and from the nose to the end of the 1/32" plywood factory doublers. I also added some 1/8" triangular stock at the four corners of the fuselage to strengthen. I made the plane a 2 channel instead of a three, no room for the radio gear I have.
Mike
 

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Alright! I hate to have you perform the flight testing of my ideas. But as you have finished way before me, that’s the way it is looking.

Can you open up the covers and show up how you did the radio installation. I think I’ll be keeping my servo arms inside the fuselage. But I’m concerned with the downward going aileron push rod going over center. You seem to have addressed this with longer servo arms and control horns.
 
Seems to me like the wing pushrods want a ball joint on the servo end also, to avoid twisting the servo arms with larger deflections? I suppose it somewhat depends on how much travel there actually is - looks like the swing might be relatively limited.
 
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