U CAN DO Foamy problems

[Oldude]

I bought a U CAN DO foamy and was at first delighted with the performance and then got a big let down...Every factory glue seam came apart on the model. Also, They recommended using "hot-glue" in assembly of the other parts and the hot glue melted the foam. Foam friendly CA did not do well either because of the flewibility of the foam. The CA got hard but the foam did not.:confused:

[WWI Ace]

I had one too and in the beginning I thought, "Man, this is a great flying plane!!" Then for no apparent reason it just tumbled out of the sky after about 10 perfect flights. The ailerons had come out of the wings and one half of the elevator was loose! I re-glued everything including where it split the fuselage, and flew it again. It flew great for a few flights and then dropped out of the sky again. This time it was high enough up and over asphalt and it peeled the plane open like a banana peel!! This plane flew so well and was so much fun!! I was very disappointed to find that this time it could not be repaired. I think they have a few bugs to work out of the flexible foam theory, but if they ever get it right it'll be a great idea. Till then, I'm not buying another one. My advice to you is check the ailerons and elevator before every flight!!!

[margotcopeland]

I thought we were the only one's having these probs...my roomie got so frustrated with hers that she started ripping it up (I stopped her before it was completely trashed ;-)

I agree...a great idea with a poor execution...I'll buy another when I see that they've done something with to make it stay together. And yes, the hot-gluing was a nightmare...and even worse here in the desert!

[Foamiesrfun]

I thought we were the only one's having these probs...my roomie got so frustrated with hers that she started ripping it up (I stopped her before it was completely trashed ;-)

I agree...a great idea with a poor execution...I'll buy another when I see that they've done something with to make it stay together. And yes, the hot-gluing was a nightmare...and even worse here in the desert!

I never heard anything like this,glad to know,I was thinking about one,anyways you said female room mate woohoo go you keep that girl not many around.

[flypaper 2]

The small glue gun with the 3/8 in. sticks should work. The bigger ones run to hot. I build my foamies with the small one.

[sb13]

I've built 3 of these planes. They do like to rip open even with soft landings but after getting used to flying it and landing the problems became less and less. In time my fuse did split open along the top though on one of them. The plane is under powered to as far as I'm concerned. I've hovered it but it does'nt have the power to pull out in case you need to. It is a cool idea but it does need improvements.

[ForestCam]

You can get low/dual temp hot glue guns at almost any craft store.

[sb13]

My low temp gun and sticks worked perfect for this plane.

[Oldude]

I forgot to mention that I ignored the factory warning about not going brushless and applied an E-Flite 400 to the U CAN DO.....it performed VERY well before it started to self destruct. I wrote Tower a note complaining about the end quality of the model but they did not bother with a reply. Their response would probably go something like this...."Had you used the recommended motor the model would not have shown any defect"...
I would really like to have another one if they would work the bugs out.

[margotcopeland]

We used a LOW temp gun and sticks, and still had the probs...plus, hot glue in the desert (Phoenix) is an invitation to disaster in the summmer! It's an idea who's time has not quite come...I'll get another if they finally get it together.

You figure they would have noticed these problems in testing?

And yes, we're both girls and both into RC...I'm the builder, she's the test pilot :-) There's so few of us in the hobby...I think it's like golf...men play it up as being boring to their wives and girlfriends so they can get the tee-times they want ;-)

I think if guys took their SO's out and put a transmitter in their hands you'd see some smiling faces...Or maybe buy them one of those little two-motor planes like a Preserver...can you imagine your wife asking you "when are you going to order that _____?" :-)

Happy Landings!

[RAMTech-RC]

Margot,

I'm in Chandler, do you mean I can't use low temp hot glue? I'm just about to start another plane and thought that was the way to go.

We fly at the Chandler Bowl if you ever need a place to fly.

[margotcopeland]

Yay!

We fly at the park down the street...Granada, a park up northish...Buffalo Ridge, and ASU West (our secret). It would be awesome to fly in another place with some cool people!

I went to the new electric club meeting at Duncan's...Rue and I are waiting for the temps and Monsoon to pass...it's been a summer of building rather than flying...but October is within reach!

We went out last night for the maiden of my (F)Old-Timer...not enough reinforcement...The rebuild will wait for a depron version of a Frog (to replace the FFF one that took a dive after too many repairs ;_)

Poor Rue went crazy trying to get the U-Can-2 together...If you have one that's behaving, we'd love to see it at the hands of someone that knows their stuff!

The Valley Rules! (well...except for the 115 degree "dry heat" days...)

Phoenix Joke:

A Phoenician dies and ends up at the not-so-pearly gates...takes a look at the fire and brimstone...the Devil snickers and says "any last requests????"

The Phoenician says "Can I go back? I left my sweater in the car..."

Trees are mother nature's way of telling you she's a better aim...

Margot
Desert Geekette

[RAMTech-RC]

We fly at Chandler Bowl every Wednesday night with lights, and early on the weekends. There are around 20 people from 6:30 to 8:30 with all kinds of planes, no pushers allowed.

[margotcopeland]

Well, I'm OK then...I don't sell drugs ;-) actually, do you mean like aerobirds/hobbyzone sort of things? Would it mean keeping my Frog and X-Bow home?

I've never been to the Bowl...the evening flying sounds great!

[PrincessRue]

Yes - that was me... I detest that plane. It seemed like such a good idea - I knew that I would destroy any balsa 3D plane (yes, I am THAT likely to crash it!)

I'm a little curious about the pusher thing, too... Why would that be a restriction? This definitely sounds like a place for us to visit.

Margot - how about that Depron frog? Can we be rolling on that one?

It's going to be too hot today though...

[nova801428]

didn't any of you guys try Epoxy, thats all I use on my plane because it is a strong hold, but it smells though

[dirtypool]

My friend just purchased a ucd. Well, the low temp hot glue was not really an issue, but the motor was.
Per Tower$ website, he used the 3s kokam lipoly with a 30-35 amp esc on the stock motor (remember, these were on Towers recommended products list). Ran the motor at 1/2 throttle on the bench and smoked the engine after about 2 min.
Ordered a new motor from Tower while awaiting reply from "Hobby Services". New motor out of the box and it wont even turn over. Cracked magnet inside. Hobby services repies with basically: "if we deem it to be a product defect then we will replace it". Who know what they will "find".
So he stops by the lhs on his way home from work and picks up a 280 to use.
We go out to fly Sat morning. All seems ok so I do the test flight for him. NO POWER. I can hardly get it to climb, flew ok, but no power. After a couple minutes of circles I landed as it was obviously underpowered.
We walk over to it and the motor is SMOKING. Burned up another one.
What are we doing wrong? These are all recommended parts from the Manufacturer/supplier.
Anyone else have these issues?
Rob

[Vyceroy]

Princess Rue and Margot
The Frog is a great plane to Build .. Fly .. and even crash .. its very forgiving ..

i would suggest however that you invest in a bundle of Dow Bluecor over the depron.. i've been building for 5 years exclusively out of it and it cannot be beat for price ,durability and versatility..

Heres a link about bluecore and it compares it to other foams for weight and density..
http://www.foamfly.com/customer/help.php?section=what&XCARTSESSID=60dddc48b202f023740e4957eec31d09

im also attaching a barcode from a bundle .. Check all the Lowes Stores in your area and take a printout of this barcode in with you

[debhicks]

My friend just purchased a ucd. Well, the low temp hot glue was not really an issue, but the motor was.
Per Tower$ website, he used the 3s kokam lipoly with a 30-35 amp esc on the stock motor (remember, these were on Towers recommended products list). Ran the motor at 1/2 throttle on the bench and smoked the engine after about 2 min.
Ordered a new motor from Tower while awaiting reply from "Hobby Services". New motor out of the box and it wont even turn over. Cracked magnet inside. Hobby services repies with basically: "if we deem it to be a product defect then we will replace it". Who know what they will "find".
So he stops by the lhs on his way home from work and picks up a 280 to use.
We go out to fly Sat morning. All seems ok so I do the test flight for him. NO POWER. I can hardly get it to climb, flew ok, but no power. After a couple minutes of circles I landed as it was obviously underpowered.
We walk over to it and the motor is SMOKING. Burned up another one.
What are we doing wrong? These are all recommended parts from the Manufacturer/supplier.
Anyone else have these issues?
Rob

I fly a soarstar with a 3 bag lipo 2100MAH. I can only use 1/4 throttle if that much. It will burn up the motor. The motor is the 270 that comes stock. You must heat sink these brushed motors if your going to lipo them. The lipo's will deliver a lot more punch and just burn em up. Hense the unhappy people that try and do. I didnt' burn up my motor but I did shuck a gear, wore it slam up!:(

[margotcopeland]

Hiya Vyceroy!

We have a stack of Bluecore sitting in our kitchen ;-) I went halvesies with an LHS on a bundle I bought at Lowes in Scottsdale, AZ (the only one in the area that sells it!).

The Depron Frog is the 3rd Frog I've built, the other two are Bluecore. The Depron is a bit stiffer and lighter, but doesn't take a crash quite as well (ask me how I know<g>).

I also have the X-Bow (haven't flown it yet), and purchased the plans for the TinaBob too. Hippo has my heart (and my Visa) ;-).

The UCD sits in a back room while I'm making a Depron 3D kit I got from Doug's RC...see...I LOVE the Blue Stuff!

Keep up the great work, Vyceroy!!

[PrincessRue]

please don't tempt Margot with visions of more bluecor - it is everywhere in the apartment already...

[Vyceroy]

Im working on a Mini 72 % Xbow inbetween posting on here and RC Groups

the X-bow is a dream to fly .. the forward sweep prevents tipstalls..


im running an AON 12mm 5000kv motor in a GWS ips gearbox with a b gearing and a 7x5 prop on my mini..

Yeah Hippo is a good guy he spent a week with me and my family at the end of August .. he knows his aircraft and foam stuff ..

good luck with planes ..

P.S. Margot .. No such thing as to much Bluecor lol

[dirtypool]

Thanks Debbie.
There was a heatsink on the stock motor. Why would those parts be on the Tower recommended list if they were not able to be used in a normal fashion? Who knows.
Anyway, he just upgraded to brushle$$ and will be trying again this weekend. It has much more pull now of course.
Thanks.

[debhicks]

There is an entire thread about why they put the motors in that they do. Perhaps it's just a way to teach the consumer. Makes you think your getting a better bang for your buck. Truth be know, I have a Thundertiger 3D Profile that if I take the motor out I can offer a 5 dollar credit to the customer towards their upgrade. Of course then I have all these brushed motors that I can't sell. :)

So I think, after I become a CD which I am in hot pursuit of currently, I am going to have a combat competition and having different classes of combat. I mean lets just face it, I'd rather crash my canned brushed motors over my 40 - 70 dollar brushless. Bad enough I am going to use my lipo's. I think it's going to be fun.:)

Hope you enjoy your new setup.

[margotcopeland]

Vyceroy, Where does Hippo get the Bluecor without any printing on it? And the white stuff looked great! The printing is the only thing I dislike about Bluecor...and when you peel it, it usually tears at the pinholes into jagged strips, rather than cleanly removing.

Any Hints???

I was going to use a DD Speed 400 in the X-Bow, then I saw the pic of yours with the gearbox. Confused, I wrote Hippo, and he recommended I stay with the speed 400...hmmm. What combos of motors do you think would go well...I'm not into super speed. J250 enough motor for it?

Sorry for going off topic

[Vyceroy]

Margot the 250 is not enough motor for the full size X-bow .. i have ran it on a geared gws 300 but the plane really does better with some speed so go with the 400 or a brushless setup ....

the white foam he had special made for foamfly..

i use bluecor for all my building and you learn to layout a plane so the writing is on the inside of the fuselage when you finish .. as far as peeling goes its a minor thing ..

i cover my planes now with econocote and ultracote so the writing does not matter either way ..

[chuck's Hobbies]

I can fly the Ucan on 2 lipo's with the stock motor 3 feet off the ground for about 50 feet then it rolls and dies. I bought it to fly in my yard -- stock setup -- know way. you have to go larger or brushless, then -- forget about the then-- it's UcanLess.

Chuck
www.chuckshobbies.com (http://www.chuckshobbies.com)

[skydive4ever]

U-Can-Do 3D EP
Just maidened mine today, did four fly aways and back with landings. I put rates low so it wouldn't be too acrobatic. Flew ok, the motor is underpowered though, had to keep it at full throttle most of the flights or it would start to sink. Charging the battery so i can go out for another flight before it gets too dark, hehehe.
The build was ok, only had problems fitting the carbon fiber rods, so i used a drill to make the holes bigger.
I will post more comments when i get a few more flights in.

[skydive4ever]

HAHAHA!! Plane flies fine with stock motor, lmao, prop was on backwards, hence the no guts, total Noob mistake, :red: But i'm still gonna return the motor, it still quits when I throttle off.

[teamgs]

But i'm still gonna return the motor, it still quits when I throttle off.

Hi skydiver. :D I am a little confused...isn't the motor supposed to quit when you throttle off?

Regards,

Gary

[griffindor]

I bought a U CAN DO foamy and was at first delighted with the performance and then got a big let down...Every factory glue seam came apart on the model. Also, They recommended using "hot-glue" in assembly of the other parts and the hot glue melted the foam. Foam friendly CA did not do well either because of the flewibility of the foam. The CA got hard but the foam did not.:confused:
With most planes I buy, it has AB glue. One tube is A and the other, b. You can also buy Z-poxy. I don't know if it is safe for your foam but try it.