Foam Glider Conversion to E Pwr

[Parkview Flyer]

I've got a styrofoam glider from a local hobby shop and I was wondering if anyone has ever tried to convert one to e-power. If you have is it too tough to be worth it or if successful, do you have any suggestions as to where to start, how much power etc... Thanks, I want a slow flyer. I have both sizes but the bigger one is the one I want to convert most. Thanks, love the site.
Parkview Flyer Tom

[stinkweed007]

You need to talk to Wattflyer's bub.. Stevecooper. He has it almost down to an art! Dont expect the next X-1 but you can make one heck of a plane, or hack it up for an experimental!

[jonloe]

welcome!

you definely need to talk to stevecooper its astonishing what he can do with those things hopefully he will pop by and fill you in, im pretty interested to

[stevecooper]

FoamieBub:: I'm Flattered with you kind comments about my humble chunckers, There sorta like ARF's without spars, get some 1/8th" & 3/16ths" wood dowels, you'll need some bamboo barbie skeews too ( the longer the better & get plenty) Get some land'in gear , I use those mark'in flags sometimes but GWS ones work real good to, White gorilla glue, as for contact cement If your outta GWS type I use a Auto shop stuff called Pitscrews Choice (adhesive and sealant) by Permatex, It's foam safe & dries clear and is good for putt'in spars on with, Groove the places where you'll be putt'in the spars, I use a wood ruler with 120 sandpaper, just take your time an it'll be real easy, Spar all the way thought the fuse to both wings ( forget about make'in them "removable for storage" It ain't gonna happen,,sorry,,) The wings need to be cropped off some as there way to lite on the wing-load'in, start at 55" and work your way down to where she feels right ( if it looks right it probably is) You probably won't need the Barn-Door Rudder That you see on her as she was a bear to steer in the water an it's easier that all the stuff for a water rudder ( and great hammer-Head Stalls too!!) these things are start'in to cludder-up as I'm short on servos moters & ESC's but I'll get caught up, I don't crash much (or not at all Lately) so recycle'in been a problem,,HA HAA but a testament to how well these things fly, I like balsa for my control surfaces but just did a big twin with reinforced foam for the chunckers wing itself and they seem like they'll do fine , I'll post more later as the wind just backed and my planes ain't loaded yet!! your bub, steve

[stevecooper]

Darn!!! I't's pip'in up again ,,Oh-Well , Oh ya, control surface's, Try to have one of the wing dowles be inline with where the aileron gonna hinge to the wing This is need for ease of mind when crank'in hard turns an the like, Now the fuse is a weak point here and needs Beef'in up BIG-TIME, run a 3/16" spar all the way nose to tail add a barbie skewer ( there 4 times as strong as dowels But and add alot of poundage to what we what to stay lite) Cut the elevator slab 1"-1 1/2" farther in to the tail rudder base than it s made to go as this'll Beef it up alot an tight'in up your turn'in an loop'in radius, Lay out a square on a flat big surface , there nothing square on the wing and you'll need to use the "Mill Mark" ( raised line on top of fuse runn'in from nose to tail)on the top of the fuse to square the wings AND tail to this, Dihedral on the wings is a personal pref , I go 2-4%,,, but have neg Dihedral on some of um!! With some would say is more a personal prob than a pref!! HaHaa,Save every scrap of foam as you'll have 99.99999 % chance It'll be "just the shim, filler piece, or hole plunger you'll need, Floppy disk ( there mylar) make your hinges bullet-proof and the medel slides on the out are priceless for t 100 things down the road ( they hold the tail on one of my favorite planes the MAX V) As far as plann'in one I like to look though the old web plane pics and pick one that I thinks cool and get the "line draw'in's" from Google and go from there, Ilove these things and like help'in my bub's get there own creations in the air, Let me know if you need ANY help at all and I'll do my best to get you go'in , bubsteve Continued next post,,,,,,

[stevecooper]

Parkview Flyer::You can take flite-packs from just about anything to make these,The MAX V is a arrow shaft and some left over chuncker wings and tail, The flight packs a Old slow v parkzone plane guts that Max 2112 sent me an the kids, The fly'in wing's flite packs were from my Bub HillbilieFlyer!!get a case off these foam gliders and you'll be "set" for a long time!! bub, steve

[Sir Fixalot]

Hi There!

Im Very New to Rc and for my 2nd plane, Im going to do a Foam Glider conversion, and I heard that you are the person to talk to about this, and I have a quick Question.

I will be using 3 Futaba S3004 Servos, and a Futaba R607FS Receiver.

Another user suggested The following Motor, ESC, And Battery:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbycity/s...nner&aff=12415

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbycity/s...Pack&aff=12415

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbycity/s...ller&aff=12415

Would these suit the purpose of propelling a foam glider well? Do you have any other suggestions that you think would work better? Also, do you have a rough estimate of what the flight time would be with that battery?

Any and all help appreciated.

[PaperAirplane]

So you just find the gliders at the LHS. Can find um in many places online.

[Sir Fixalot]

You can try your LHS, but mine didn't have them. If you have a hobby lobby in your area you should check there-that's where I bought mine.

If you cant buy them locally, you can always buy them online:

http://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Flyer-Gl...3158172&sr=8-7

http://www.guillow.com/GuillowDetail...=13&FamilyId=2

Good Luck

[soar-ne]

They are kindof seasonal here but should be hitting the stores soon. In this area most Wallmarts, Targets, ShopKos Toys R Us, Hobby Lobby craft shops, Hobby shops and even some of the Ace hardware stores get a shipment in for spring.
Most will fly good with around 50-75 watts, I have used GWS geared 300-350 brushed motors left over from kits I put BL motors on, even a Slow Stick motor will pull one up pretty decent if you keep the weight down.....
Have had good luck with the Guillows brand with about 4 1/2 foot wing span, fly em till the foam turns to mush!!!!!!!!!!!

Bob

[PaperAirplane]

Ok, put this on my build list:-)

[decolvin]

I still haven't gotten this one in the air yet. Got a new battery for it recently, but weather's been really bad.

[AEAJR]

Originally Posted by Sir Fixalot

Hi There!

Im Very New to Rc and for my 2nd plane, Im going to do a Foam Glider conversion, and I heard that you are the person to talk to about this, and I have a quick Question.

I will be using 3 Futaba S3004 Servos, and a Futaba R607FS Receiver.

Another user suggested The following Motor, ESC, And Battery:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbycity/s...nner&aff=12415

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbycity/s...Pack&aff=12415

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbycity/s...ller&aff=12415

Would these suit the purpose of propelling a foam glider well? Do you have any other suggestions that you think would work better? Also, do you have a rough estimate of what the flight time would be with that battery?

Any and all help appreciated.

I have never done a conversion like this but it seems to me that the S3004 servos, at 1.6 oz each, are VERY big and heavy for a foam glider conversion. That is 4.8 oz just for servos. I would probably use HS-55s at .3 oz each or .9 oz for three of them. That saves you almost 4 oz.

Flight time would be a function of the prop, how you fly the plane and the plane's all up weight.
On a 9X4.5 prop that motor is reported to pull about 11 amps. At WOT that should give you about 5 minutes of power. Assuming 30 second climbs to height that will give you about 10 climbs.

This is a glider so I presume you plan to have the motor off most of the time. If you only get 6 minutes flight per climb, that is an hour. Flights could easily go more than an hour if you can find some thermal lift. I do that with my Radian frequently.

[soar-ne]

Another hint for these Jewels in the Rough, is before you start to hack it up for the radio gear, take it to a vacant lot or soccer field and give it a few easy tosses and adjust the wing till you get a nice flat glide in calm air. Then mark the CG on the wing so you know were it is when you start installation...... This will save you a lot of headaches later, Esp, with the swept wing jobbies. Keep it light and they are very decent motor gliders if that is what you are after....

Bob

[stevecooper]

Great avice there my Bub. I always use the 1/3 rule and go a tad noseheavy to start but I'm like'in your way Better! bubsteve

[stevecooper]

Originally Posted by decolvin

I still haven't gotten this one in the air yet. Got a new battery for it recently, but weather's been really bad.

I'm gonna have to go up there!!!!!!!,,Don't make me do it!!
Why I autta!!!bubsteve

[capn chaos]

Bub Steve, Happy new year. Chippin ice in Shadesville are we??
A new Watt Flyer is trying to sort out the styrofoam glider conversion and I was pretty sure you had pretty well written the book on this...just couldnt find the thread. Thanks for reporting in. Hopefully this is what Locke is looking for.
BubCC

[stevecooper]

Originally Posted by capn chaos

Bub Steve, Happy new year. Chippin ice in Shadesville are we??
A new Watt Flyer is trying to sort out the styrofoam glider conversion and I was pretty sure you had pretty well written the book on this...just couldnt find the thread. Thanks for reporting in. Hopefully this is what Locke is looking for.
BubCC

I've been stuff'in windows with my fan fold foam stash
I still got 450+ E-mails to sort though and will be back in the swing real soon!!
Don Sims sent me a Lap-top to get me go'in again(what a Bub!) bubsteve

[capn chaos]

Glad your'e back...tough winter everywhere. Well everywhere but California
CC

[decolvin]

Glad to see ya posting again, Steve. Yeah...she's still ground-bound. Like I said, just got a new battery for her. With my RC budget, I have to be more patient than Mr. Slowjohn. If we get some clear weather on my next day off, I plan on tryin' her again. Trying to find a field with some tall grass (read: cushion) to attempt a hand launch if ROG efforts fail again