And a Little Balsa Chopping to Wind Up the Day...

Kim Mon Apr 04, 2016 6:55 pm

So, since my Monday has been granted Good MoJo, I took advantage of the momentum and started the Lazy Bee's replacement rudder. I was working on the Bee last year, lost my grip, and slammed it onto the floor grabbing at it. The Bee survived all kinds of hijinks just to get it's rudder smashed in the shop.

Lazy Bee rudders are not your normal sheet or stick balsa affairs. Andy Clancy loves laminated bows for the edges of his flying machines: strips of 1/16th balsa, soaked in hot water, pulled through a towel, soaked again with diluted white glue, and wrapped around a form three or four deep, and allowed to dry.

Glued to a framework, and sanded to shape, they're light and very strong, 'till you slam-dunk them to the floor.

I got the bow made up a few weeks ago after finding the form I'd cut back in the 90's, and found the plans for the rudder on the first try.

And a Little Balsa Chopping to Wind Up the Day... 1_15

And a Little Balsa Chopping to Wind Up the Day... 2_16

My Lazy Bee was part of the Swarm of Bee's at the last S.M.A.L.L. Fly-In's I hit back in the late 1990's to 2000 or so...and I want it back in the air for the upcoming Fly-In in June.

And a Little Balsa Chopping to Wind Up the Day... S_m_a_11

And a Little Balsa Chopping to Wind Up the Day... S_m_a_12

KariFS Wed Apr 06, 2016 1:39 pm

Nice laminating Smile

I've never done that but have some old timer designs on "the list" that feature laminated wing tips and tail feathers.

What are the little pieces of balsa under the bow at the joins for?

NEW222 Wed Apr 06, 2016 7:49 pm

Gotta love a Bee. I am in process of building one also. Pretty much complete with the exception of an elevator issue that has already underwent surgery once for the same thing. Always heard they were good fliers. This was also my first attempt at the lamination process, and found it a bit challenging at first, but the strength was good, again with the exception of my elevator half!

Kim Wed Apr 06, 2016 8:22 pm

KariFS wrote:Nice laminating I've never done that but have some old timer designs on "the list" that feature laminated wing tips and tail feathers.

What are the little pieces of balsa under the bow at the joins for?

Thanks! This stuff is fun (WHEN you're in the mood for it!) and fairly rewarding when it turns out right.

The 1/16 balsa shims suspend the rudder bow up off the plan (there really ought to be more), and align it with the center of the rudder spar. The flat 'ribs' wrap around the rudder spar and are centered and glued to the middle of the bow.

It's taking some extra time because I'm using the last of my precious Ambroid for this project. It sands the same as balsa when I start flat-sanding the joints and rounding the edges of the rudder.

And a Little Balsa Chopping to Wind Up the Day... 3_16

This same technique is used in the stabilizer of the Sterling 'Minnie Mambo' and other old-school types.

And a Little Balsa Chopping to Wind Up the Day... 5_11

And a Little Balsa Chopping to Wind Up the Day... 4_12

Kim Wed Apr 06, 2016 8:27 pm

NEW222 wrote:Gotta love a Bee. I am in process of building one also. Pretty much complete with the exception of an elevator issue that has already underwent surgery once for the same thing. Always heard they were good fliers. This was also my first attempt at the lamination process, and found it a bit challenging at first, but the strength was good, again with the exception of my elevator half!

Good Luck With Your Bee...and it's elevator! They're great flyers, and tolerant of all kinds of shenanigans! Just watch your speed and avoid really hard pulls, and the thing will last for a LONG time !!!

And a Little Balsa Chopping to Wind Up the Day... Lazy_s10

And a Little Balsa Chopping to Wind Up the Day... Lazy_s11

getback Thu Apr 07, 2016 8:03 am

Kim that Bee is looking GOOD , I suppose dope and silk are in order / Good to see your back on the project it will defiantly be a shower at the SMALL fly in . New I didn't know you had one being built also, Eric Popcorn

Kim Thu Apr 07, 2016 9:32 am

getback wrote:Kim that Bee is looking GOOD , I suppose dope and silk are in order / Good to see your back on the project it will defiantly be a shower at the SMALL fly in . New I didn't know you had one being built also, Eric

Thanks Eric, but I accidently mislead you. These are photos of when the Bee was being built back in 1993 or so...it's not quite as pretty now, but WILL be at S.M.A.L.L. in June.

Sneaky Kim

OVERLORD Thu Apr 07, 2016 9:33 am

Kim, that laminated rudder turned out very well. It reminded me that this lamination process was popular on French combat planes in the 70's. 1975's European vice champion combat Jean Bernard Morelle used this technique to "mass produce" the trailing edge of the GHIBLI. The different strips were glued and held between wooden formers and then sanded to shape. The leading edge was also laminated. He also used lamination on the trailing egde of the EUROPA 77.

And a Little Balsa Chopping to Wind Up the Day... Imgp9221

Years later, he designed the NAJ MINI 92, a combat plane for the then existing 1,5cc class. The leading edge was a laminated piece with a carbon sheet in between the wood. The half round shaped profile was the glued against a carbon arrow.

Detail from the plan: