Well...I got my WW1 building fix this weekend..I was fortunate enough to have 2 days of uninterrupted building time...man was that sweet...I now have my "new" Dr1 all set up on the bench
on top of the garbage can... ( my setup stand ) :blah: ready for the cabane struts..which I'll make this week...then it's back to finishing the fuselage.
So far I have all three wings and ailerons done almost ready for covering, pull pull system is in for the ailerons, ...once the cabanes are finished, I'll plank the fuselage, then on to sanding the tail feathers to make them ready for covering...then install the pull pull for the elevators and the rudder...this is going quicker than the last time...man must be something about second time around..I don't seem to be running into all the little problems I did on the first go around...pics later this week.

Sounds like you are moving through this build pretty fast Ron. Looking forward to the pictures.

Colin

Do we have any wheel experts here? I need to build a set of wheels for my DR1...I was going to use the williams bros type ....9 3/8" until I found out that they weigh almost three pounds :mad: ::oi'm hoping I can build a pair at less than half of that.....I have done some previously, but since I'm always trying to improve my knowledge base and skill set, I'm looking for ideas here....also looking for 1/3 sized Spandaus... the last ones i made up were kinda cartoon scale..made them from monokote tubes and balsa...seems the tubes are exactly 1/3 full size :rolleyes:

How to build wheels
 

Here you go Ron. Check this out. You can build them to any size you want and build them light too! Marty
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...t=spoke+wheels

Yeah Marty, i was sorta thinking about that method, but since the wheels would be covered anyway ( painted red) I might go for a 3/32 plywood disc lightened as much as I dare, and put a foam shape on it...only problem is the tires...I don't seem to have a lot of luck making them stay on...so maybe I'll split a piece of that grey foam beading, and find some sort of glue to glue them onto the plywood discs...then the plywood rim would take all the stress....or If I can ever figure out how to split rubber hose in a straight line...never seem to be able to keep the cut straight on the darned things.......

Have you seen how the wheels are made in the kits that www.aerodromerc.com sells? Check out their site for construction manuals and see how they do it. Steve

Ply and depron wheels with an o-ring or foam tire are light and strong. Depending on the size of the plane you can sandwich either one 3mm or 6mm piece of depron to alter the width. Then on one side glue the same piece of depron and sand it to the cone shape you desire. I have several sizes of aluminium tube that I use to make a hub. After making a few its a 15 minute affair to make two.

They look good with a shrink covering like solite.

Floss those are good looking wheels.......I am going to see if I can come up with a "tire" then I'll make the rims...I'll be looking for about a 9 1/2" O ring...I'm thinking one from plastic pipe like storm sewer pipe or something like that might work...I like the depron idea over the plywood....I have the axles figured out, just am stuck on the tires....i have seen lots machined out of aluminum, but they're just almost as heavy as the plastic wheels, and some don't keep tires on very well.........I don't need tires falling off :p>..............I have enough trouble keeping other things together without that :rolleyes:...... model will weigh about 10 or 11 pounds.
I will have a total framed up weight this weekend I hope....framing and sheeting is almost complete...just need to sand out the seams from joining the sheeting, do some 1/16 by 5/16 trim strips, sand my brains out, then it's ready for motor radio/servos, and covering. I'm doing pull pull on everything this time .....ailerons too....I need to fabricate a cowl...that will take a bit of time :eek:

Decided my SE5a deserved a propper prop.
 

I'm sick, what can I say. This silly little project has about 20 or so hours into it. Part of that was modding the patterns on a computer, and about 16 hours went into actually building it.

Mahogany and Bass, each 1/16 thick. Glued up with CA, then a layer of .5oz glass and epoxy added to the back to make it more stiff. It weighs about 5 grams, about 1/2 as much as the original Electrifly prop.

Propper prop
 

That's a nice 7car7!

Yes, you are a sick, sick person......LOL
But here in the WWI thread, we all are!!
:D:):D

Nice prop!!

I am here to help all you sick people. Repeat after me "I have extra WW1 RC planes I can throw away", now keep repeating that till you believe it. Now go pack those planes your want to throw away and ship to me for recycle.

Giving away your planes is a quick way to make room for more planes.
My address is......:D:D:D:D

Oh No!
 

Oh No Guys!!! :eek: I deserve all of those homeless WWI planes ..... take a hike! :eek::D;) marty

LOL at all WWI thread posters!!!

I occasionally travel about 20 miles one way to fly planes with a big group of guys at a school. Most of them just don't get this stuff. Couple of gassers, lot's of profile foamies (do look like fun really), and several modern aerobatic built up jobs. But really only 2 other guys besides myself that really get into the WWI stuff. They both go nuts for this stuff (8-9 month plane projects, fancy wood props). But most are more like "If I can't go to the store and pick a plane and have it flying in 3 hours, then it's too difficult"

It is the "now" generation(s). I guess I was from the "enjoy the journey as well as the destination" generation. Actually it is because of my DIY father.

Amen
 

I say AMEN to that db! :D I still scratch build and kit build (when I can find them). I hate the fact that there are fewer and fewer kits being produced. :mad: We are a vanishing breed Gentlemen. :( As for myself, I intend to go out still building and flying WWI airplanes. I will never give up this hobby. BTW I feel blessed to have this group of Friends here. :) I appreciate all of you Guys! :D Marty

I am from the "have nothing" generation. I use what ever I can find free to make my planes. Kids now think they have to have a cell phone. I remember when to get a phone you had to get on list and wait to get on a party line.

I would love to have all the money I have spent in 40 years of making planes. And I enjoyed building just about all of them. It seems now, the older I get, the more I can appreciate the fact that
"I CAN" go to the store or internet and get a quick "almost some sort of scale" WWI plane and fly the living daylights out of it. Yes, it took me 3 hours to glue foam! Where as before it would take that long to prepare the plans and kit in order to even start building. Time is important to some people. I think everyone should at least build one traditional model, its good for the soul. But, if you can find a halfway decent model and tweek some things to make it look as good as you want it and it flies good, then foamies or ARF's or whatever at least has them out there flying and supporting the modeling world. I have been to some airfields where members ( some are right here in WATTSFLYERS) refused to let ARF'S (foam) fly. Mine was a SIG D-VII. Thats good for the hobby huh! Alot of my retired friends cannot afford to buy the build up scale models anymore, as much as they want to build them...they buy the ARF's be it foam or whatever...just so they can still fly! They can tell you everything about the plane, its pilots, the squadrons etc. So, I love anyone that has the ability to keep flying, especially WWI birds, be it wood, paper, foam, CF or whatever. The funny thing is, I saw the most beautiful Spad that took the guy 8 months to build, and a ARF SPAD...probably 4 hours of build time, when they flew by together...you couldnt tell the difference, they both looked grand flying low and slow. But, when they were on the ground, the real build up SPAD got all the pats on the back...and rightfully so! But the ARF guy was smiling as much as the other when he was flying it!:D Kutos to all who still can build and fly....and kutos to all who keep flying period!

flying the ARF's is fine ......assembling them is good too...it keeps us in the hobby......and I agree likely they are responsible for the hobby growing some....as for me, if I really really like a particular airplane, I find some photos of it, scale them up to whatever size I want the finished model to be, ...draw plans...start making balsa chips and sawdust...I enjoy this part of it just as much as the flying... gets the creative and imaginative part of me going....and there's a certain amount of special feeling knowing that your idea went from thinking, to action.... to a flying model and no you don't need lots of tools...and no I'm not special...anyone can be creative if they choose .........tools???..if you saw my miserable tool set, you would laugh...it consists of a coping saw...three or four sheets of sand paper, a small "zona" hand saw...and two or three disposable razor knives bought at the nearest dollar store
.....building with this setup, and communicating with this group of fellow "sickos" here on the WW1 forum has brought me many enjoyable hours :ws:

Ok Ron....you make me feel better now....I have one more saw than you, but the blade is about 10 years old. But, you are up on me with the sand paper! i am using my wifes fiber nail file.:eek: I love looking at the planes you guys keep coming with..the mods are incredible and I always pick up new ideas from here. My building from scratch days are over, and I know exactly what you mean from design to flight..you can't beat it! But the guys who are WW1 freaks who now have a chance to build ( well, sorta) and then fly a plane they grew up reading about, and know the intire history of it is just a great thing. :D

Right on!
 

Ron, TM, I couldn't agree more with your comments. I collect plans for WWI aircraft for a couple of reasons. First I anticipate building just about everyone of them. Second I like to share them with anyone interested in scratch building them. They are simple, non complex plans that can be modified or built out of many different types of materials. I also collect as many kits as I can lay my hands on. The kit manufacturers don't see the need to make kits anymore. What a pity! I too come from the "I had nothing generation". My Father used to say "you want it, build it yourself. You know where the tools are". This allowed me to take pride in myself and my accomplishments which is sadly lacking in our "now" generation. Watching an airplane you put togther (non ARF) go from plans to kit to finished product instills in us a great deal of pride in our workmanship. The rattiest plane I ever built was still a masterpiece to me. We need to nuture building skills with those who are willing to learn them or we will go the way of the dinosaur. As for myself, I will continue to build and fly until the Good LORD takes me home. Marty

I confess. I have RTFs, ARFs, static models, kits and scratch builds.
I love them all. I even love to just hold them in my hands and let my mind wander into the past. They give me my childhood back.

dbcisco..."I even love to just hold them in my hands and let my mind wander into the past. They give me my childhood back".

You still talking models here right? :Q