Making of a Glider

[desiderata]

Good day to All,
Read through the forum notice quite a nos. of fellow hobbies tend to build their own glider. It maybe difficult but was thinking of fixing up one.

Can someone guide me to make one?

First of all, where can I find the scale drawing to the glider?
Secondly, where can I purchase the material? such as balsa wood, Carbon rods & etc.
Thirdly, was wondering how you guys bend the edges?
Lastly, what is the difference between a HLG & a DLG?

Thanks in advance.
Daniel

[Blackite207]

Dear Daniel
Your first glider should be something simple. When you are more profecient then you acn move on to something more complicated.
Regards

[desiderata]

Making of a Glider

Very true, was wondering if someone can guide me through?

I think what I need is the plan, may I ask where can I get one simple design?

Also what does the term DLG & HLG meant?

Thanks in Advance
Daniel

[nixaad]

Be patient my young padawan, the masters got their fingers stuck with epoxy. They will reply to you soon enough.

[joe yap]

Daniel,

I learnt to build from free plans that comes with magazines. They have tonnes of informations and tips in those days. Unfortunately, most magazines these days are full of advertisements and loads of ARF reviews which often provide no help for scartchbuilders to be.

However, some British magazines like RCM&E sometime still attaches free plans. Their plans reviews can be useful too, provided you order the plans from them.

If all else fails, buy a balsa kit and build instead. While Japanese kits are good value for money, instructions are often very sparse and a pure beginner without an experiences helper can turn out to be much too challenging. American kits usually have better instructions but kit quality are usually behind the Japanese.

HLG mean hand launched gliders and DLG means Discus launched gliders.

Earlier years, 2 metre span class gliders like Gentle lady and Sagitta are very popular, which are often being launched high up by means of a winch or Hi-start bungee system, hopefully into a good thermal.

The last decade saw an increase popularity for HLG which people javalin thier 1.5 metre span gliders into the air, hunting for low level thermals and work thier way high up to the sky. HLGs require special wing airfoil sections that allows very lightweight construction method and yet allow the model to be hand launched with maximum height gain, and still trives on very slow flying speeds.

Just about some years back, folks are exploring the maximum height gain by doing discus style hand launch and glider designs have developed to optimise the performance. The airframe needs to be strong enough to withstand the centrifugal force when the launcher imparts tonnes of energy onto it to gain maximum launch height. The typical launch height can reach around 20metres into the air, which already have a significant advantage over the earlier HLGs. The airfoils have also developed further which are often very thin so as to allow minimum induce/profile drag during launch and also allow the model to fly at very low speed and sink rate, avoiding the airflow bubble seperation. All these sound just too good to be true, but people often need pay an arm or a leg for just one of these models.

[msc]

Hi Daniel,
Welcome to the experience of building your own gliders. It takes patience and some creativity in assembling all the pieces together. It may be more expensive in buying all the building materials and tools for the build, but you'll discover that the end result will be most satisfying!

Here are some information your questions:

Good day to All,
Read through the forum notice quite a nos. of fellow hobbies tend to build their own glider. It maybe difficult but was thinking of fixing up one.

Can someone guide me to make one?

Just ask your questions in the forum or go to the flying field to meet other experienced builders.

First of all, where can I find the scale drawing to the glider?

You can do a search on the net and find some free plans.

Secondly, where can I purchase the material? such as balsa wood, Carbon rods & etc.

Most hobby shops listed in this forum have the materials you require.

Thirdly, was wondering how you guys bend the edges?

Balsa is soft, small bend can be done, as is. For more acute bends, you may try to wet the balsa strips or steam it to form to shape.
For even more acute bends, you can split the bend or curve into 2 or 3 sections and glue them together.

Lastly, what is the difference between a HLG & a DLG?

Joe answered this already.

Thanks in advance.
Daniel

Good luck with your constructions.

Hope to hear about your progress soon.

MS

[Ghostfit]

It's a love / hate thing !

...if you love the feel of freshly sanded wood and the smell of very fine balsa dust, if you wouldn't mind slaving for 2 weeks, months, years and have no fear of the sealing iron and iron on coverings. Then high chances that you'll love building.

...if you just wanna fly/glide/soar ...then maybe it would be better off buying an ARF/RTF as it could be cheaper this way, it is certainly faster.

My advise if you have never flown a glider before is to get an ARF Gentle lady, (I didn't mention the Easyglider only because it's a foamie and you want a balsa model to get the feel before you build a kit)

Once you're confident flying your 1st glider, go get a balsa Kit and build/fly it, and when you're done with that, you're ready to scratch build almost anything !

ps: Was at N** yesterday and saw their new ARF Sophisticated Lady 2M thermal glider ...held the fuslage and I was like "WOW !" ...I'm certain I could not build such a light fuse ! was certainly tempted

[Tony]

First things first. You have not stated what you building skill level is yet. Is this your first attempt at building a plane or have you built several already and now want to try your hand at scratch building (which is what building from plans is)?

If the former, I suggest that you try to build from a simple kit first. A good way to learn some basic skills and you have all the parts and bits and bobs all nicely packaged for you. If the latter, by all means, scratch building is a great way to better enjoy this hobby. I would not recommend that you attempt to scratch build if this is your first attempt at building a (none ARF) plane. My two cents worth.

[Sunstorm]

It's a love / hate thing !

...if you love the feel of freshly sanded wood and the smell of very fine balsa dust, if you wouldn't mind slaving for 2 weeks, months, years and have no fear of the sealing iron and iron on coverings. Then high chances that you'll love building.

I so totally agree.... the really crappy part is you slave so long over this, and one wing is warped or bent...but yeah, feeling is indescribable when it flies. Even more indescribable when it crashes.

...if you just wanna fly/glide/soar ...then maybe it would be better off buying an ARF/RTF as it could be cheaper this way, it is certainly faster.

Most certainly agree....after going the 'hard way', it's much easier to buy your own ARF and then learn to build... rather than the other way around.

My advise if you have never flown a glider before is to get an ARF Gentle lady, (I didn't mention the Easyglider only because it's a foamie and you want a balsa model to get the feel before you build a kit)

Ok, just some recommendations...;

ARF Gentle Lady is good, I also recommend Great Planes Fling 1.2 m (because I'm biased and it's my first and most long lasting glider) or Fling 2 m. They are easy to build and fly. Esp the Fling. I am more inclined to say the Fling builds faster for the 2m version. But Fling 1.2 m is good too, I got it set up within 2 hrs and that's only because I was fumbling with the pull pull strings.

After that, when you're better, you can build from a kit or from plans on the net. This is how I started: I downloaded plans for the BUG hand launched glider here and built one. Then, I learnt how to put things together, and then later on built a Mint glider from SHS.

[Ghostfit]

Is this your first attempt at building a plane or have you built several already and now want to try your hand at scratch building (which is what building from plans is)?

My idea of a really GOOD scratch build is one where you dun even have a plan (or any predrawn materials) !

...You work from the blueprints and plans that appears in your head !

When you're stuck halfway due to lack of inspiration = headache !
but when you do complete the model and it flies great = Priceless !!!

[desiderata]

Making of a Glider

Hi All,
Many thanks for the guidance.

Pardon me, I have the passion for giving a try in building. To be truth, I may not be flying it but thought that putting it on display maybe something proud.

Just like I have purchase a Titan from a fellow bro here. Unfortunately before it even started, I just gave up.

Some may think that this is "saio" but saw many bro had done some fantastic project & thought that you can share their idea with me, some easy plan where I can start with.

Seem some bro here, people like Joe, MSC and etc they produce really fantastic result / model. Was wondering if I can be like them. So thought of stealing the art of making a glider from them.

Anyway my passion shall not die this easily, hopefully & hope that more bro can shall with me what to look out for!

I sincerely thank those who have written and hoping that more can share idea plans with me so that I can start with something this long holidays.

Anyway thanks in advance.
Daniel

[joe yap]

Daniel,

Your spirit is commendable and I really hope you can really prove yourself. Despite most people giving your other kinds of advises, that does not mean that an aeromodeller can't start this hobby by scratchbuilding. In fact, that is exactly how I got everything started, just by the harder way.

I was a poor student then and all I could afford with my spare pocket money is just a few pieces of balsa wood every week. I saved up for a few months just to buy a simple Enya 0.61 glow engine to start with. However, back then a British magazine called "Radio Modellor" will have a free plan attached to every issue of it and I was never short of plans to start building from. I read and read every single word in the construction articles until I was confident enough to start building a model on my own.

Mind you that scratchbuilding is one step ahead of building a kit. Not just that you'll need to know how to build a model out of the numerous of pieces of wood, you also need to learn to fabricate every single piece of them. Some hardware parts may be commercially available which can expedite your project, so you must have the 'chef intinct' of going around hobby shops,stationery shops and hardware stores to look out for possible 'ingredients'.. Also, from time to time, you'll need to know how to build your own specialised tools and jigs for some sophisticated jobs. But all these must start somewhere simple enough for a raw beginner to start with.

First of all, do lots of research. Internet may provide you tonnes of information but the lost art of aeromodelling are often being thought as obsolete to most, and are often omitted. Most magazines these days are also like that but there are still some that provide valuable informations. I personally own a collection of RC plane magazines since the day I bought my very first copy. I can meet you up one day when I'm eased off from my workload, and provide you some plans if you need to. Meanwhile, spend some time visiting newstands and bookstores like Kinokuniya and Times at Centrepoint and Plaza Singapura. They often have the biggest selections of RC magazines. Some of them still occasionally give out free plans.

To set your mind straight, building a simple glider could be the simplest R/C plane to scratchbuild, but first clear your mind from high performance and good looking gliders. Your first scratchbuilt model should resemble a simple high/shoulder wing plane with a pair of simple dihedral or polydehral wings, and preferbly straight and untapered The simplest flight control system you can have is just rudder and elevator control. The key is not so much of performance and look, but an fastest way to achieve a successful build. Let's face it, out enthusiasm in most, if not all hobbies, needs to be fed with success from time to time. Too many failures will end the hobby much sooner than you thought. Of course paying for an ARF can achieve that quicker, but you'll never pick up much building skills from there either.

If you are patient enough, at this point I'm in the process of designing a small amd simple boxy glider which should allow quick build and yet is not overly simplified that compromise learning skills.

It's getting late now, and I'll get back to you some other time.

[MeePokMan]

Joe,

Thanks for reminding me and Kah Marn on our days of saving pocket money to buy piece of balsa wood!

We started at 11-12 years old - poor students indeed! Ahh.....those were the days! And now, hanger overflow! Too many airplanes! hahhahahhaha!

[Ghostfit]

yup ! ...and while we're there ...dun forget the balsa cement (Can't find these anywhere around anymore !) and tissue / dope.

Nowadays spoilt for choices ...CA in thin/medium/thick form, expanding PU glue, epoxy and composite cloth in every form and manner.

[joe yap]

Okay, before you start your build, you'll need some basic tools. Don't have to be very high-tech or high-end stuff, but readily available tools.

Part 1 : Tools

Penknife : I use both small and big sizes which are readily available from stationery shops, but got for those with VERY POSITIVE locking system. Some people swear by Acto knife, but I never use them. Although they claimed to cut round edges better, there are alternate ways of doing things witha simple penknife.

Saw : You can buy hobby hecksaw at a certain cost, but all I use is just a simple junior hacksaw blade as mainly use them for small jobs. For a dollar plus, you get a packet of about 5-10 pieces of spare blade. They come with the studs embedded on both ends for attachment with the handle. I break them off and wrap one end with tapes for better hand grip.

Adhesives : Cyanoacrylate ( CA or superglue) is most popular these days. For hobby use, they come in 3 main types : fast,medium and slow. For start, go for medium grade CA for most jobs. Epoxy glue are use on high stress areas like vertical and horizontal stabilizers to fuselage joints and engine firewall to fuselage joints. PVA and Aliphatic glues are slow enough for joints that need time to be positioned properly. They are particularly useful for glueing down wing sheetings to the wing ribs. In enclosed spaces like this, you would not have access to run a bead of adhesive to the joints once the sheeting is being placed over the structure, and PVA and Aliphatic glues can be applied over the ribs even before placing the sheeting over.

Building board : People has been looking and paying for expensive building boards, but the most cost effective one can be just a piece of 1" or 2" thick blue or pink foam from Art Friends and some hardware shops. They are quite big at 4 feet by 2 feet. However, a lot of them have wavy surfaces and you need to choose the flatest one you can find. If you are building over a very straight and flat table, you can use any thin foam or wooden board as long as the building pins can be inserted and pulled out easily. However, if your table is not very flat ( check for sagging table top at the centre), I'll recommend a thicker and stiffer building board.

Building pins : I used seamstress pins previously, (those with round plastic bead heads at the end), but have since gave up. They are quite easy to be inserted into balsa wood and the building board, but the plastic beads can come off easily when you try to pull them out. Needless to say, a pin without the head, or shall I say needles instead, adds up your challenge during your build, not to mention the danger of being pricked by the headless end. I have since switched to Du-Bro T-pins which are available in shops at Fook Hai Building. Not just that the heads won't come off, you can just insert the pins beside the balsa parts and use their heads to hold them down on the board, instead of pinning through them.

Sanding block : Find a piece of hard wood blocks and attach a piece of sandpaper on the flattest side. Make a few for different grades. You generally need rough to medium grades sandpaper (around 180-200) for rough sanding and fine grade (300 onwards) for finishing.
You can also make sanding blocks from hard rubber foams, which are meant for final sanding before covering. Do not use them to square off parts during the build though, as they sure give you bad results for that.
You can improvise it by placing a piece of sandpaper over a metal pipe for sanding concave curves and cleaning up the edges of lightening holes.

Drill : Although cheap drill bits do not give the best result on wood, they are generally good enough for most drilling task in building balsa models. You can use small electric drill or hand drill for the job, but do note that you'll need space and access to accomodate. Drill the parts if you need before assembling. Parts like fuselage formers are almost impossible to be drilled after being glued into the structures.

If you want to make nice round holes on balsa and plywood, you can use a brass tubes instead. Sharpen one of the end and make small teeth like notches on the sharpen egde, and simply roll it over the balsa with your fingers and it should bore a near perfect round hole through it. Give it a try.

Balsa plane : Not the flying one, but rather a tool to cut off the surface of a balsa part into paper thin flakes, to achieve desired shapes. Very good for shaping the leading edges from a rectangular or square sticks. After planing, you'll only need minimum sanding to final shape.

Most of them have either metal or plastic body and razor plane. I use the one from Master Airscrew available from Fook Hai Building which uses a dedicated type of razor blades. I'd like to try another brand available there as well, which cost a little more. However, it utilises common razor blades which are readily available ar any provisional shops, and should be more cost effective in long term.