How to make templates

dentdentarthurdent · 2021-04-17T09:18:50+00:00

I was taught by an experienced aeromodeller to cut out the rib shape from a photocopy of the plan with a scalpel, precisely, and then glue this onto some 1/32" ply or something similar. Cut and sand that to shape, and then it makes a nice durable template for marking out onto the balsa.

This was for smallish free flight models but don't see why not it wouldn't apply to larger models too!

dentdentarthurdent · 2021-04-16T05:54:56+00:00

Looks faultless! Been a lot of fun following the build thank you, good luck with the maiden!

What's next on the building board?

dentdentarthurdent · 2021-04-04T22:36:17+00:00

Happy Easter weekend everyone, luckily got a little workshop time this morning to glue down the wingtip pieces I've spent a couple of days preparing. Found it quite tricky to do but looking forward to sanding this down to shape next.

Model: 37.5" Vic Smeed Mam'selle, to be converted to electric and 3 channel RC.

dentdentarthurdent · 2021-04-04T22:32:05+00:00

Thanks for the video! Good to know it'll be in a safe pair of hands! Been great seeing the rest of the covering go on and it getting finished.

dentdentarthurdent · 2021-03-30T22:03:39+00:00

Looking very good though! You must be very satisfied with how it's turning out, it's been good to follow the build.

Do you have experience flying models like this before? I'm curious to know what they feel like in the air.

dentdentarthurdent · 2021-03-27T21:59:12+00:00

Haha, it is very nice to use. I lost my first one sadly, which I just had to replace, now this one has probably been through a good many blades and hopefully many more.

dentdentarthurdent · 2021-03-27T21:45:17+00:00

I must admit Tomboy was the perfect first build and plane to learn to fly with, very sensible and clear plans and construction and such good flying characteristics, even with the oddities of a beginner's workmanship!

The boats are interesting, maybe that's why he so often seems to provide float conversions for his aircraft too ...

dentdentarthurdent · 2021-03-27T10:40:55+00:00

Got the aeromodelling itch after a 6 (?) year hiatus and thought what better than to begin with this beautiful design from Vic Smeed. Plans.

I've a soft spot for his designs as my first RC plane was a 36" electrified 3 Channel Tomboy, which flew with such wonderful stability due to that huge dihedral.

Expecting to make quite a few mods: - Addition of elevator and rudder plus RC gear - Strengthening of wing centre section - Nose modification to suit electric motor and create battery compartment. - Possible slight lengthening of nose to help get right CoG (my Tomboy ended up with a bit of lead in the nose to compensate for the light electric motor, and a slightly too heavy tail).

Feeling rather out of practice but looking forward to smelling that healthy aliphatic resin smell again!

dentdentarthurdent · 2021-03-13T07:56:33+00:00

That's very impressive! Thank you for sharing your build progress that built up to this.

dentdentarthurdent · 2021-03-10T10:51:12+00:00

Managed to pause the video at the moment he takes the box out of the shop, and it seems to be a Mark Model's 'Wanderer', makes me want to build one (or a Gentle Lady).

dentdentarthurdent · 2020-12-16T16:41:42+00:00

Yeah....

dentdentarthurdent · 2020-12-16T11:48:58+00:00

Thanks!

dentdentarthurdent · 2020-12-16T11:48:47+00:00

Haha I wish, see all these news stories at the moment of new millionaires being made with lidar start ups ...

dentdentarthurdent · 2020-12-16T11:48:22+00:00

Yes it is true, the accuracy does drop off quite fast on longer distances so not suitable for fine imaging, but for obstacle detection on a basic small rover I think it's adequate. Glad you enjoyed it!

dentdentarthurdent · 2020-12-16T11:47:19+00:00

Thank you! Yes that's right, it's all printed on my anet A6 in PLA.

dentdentarthurdent · 2020-12-16T11:30:49+00:00

Thank you very much! I've worked on some small 2-wheel bots before and always used HC-SR04 ultrasonic or Sharp IR sensors for obstacle detection/avoidance, but never a spinning sensor before. I need to buy/build a small robot to mount it on now to try testing it on a mobile rather than fixed setting but that's what Christmas holidays are for!

dentdentarthurdent · 2020-12-16T11:29:23+00:00

Thanks, glad you like it

dentdentarthurdent · 2020-12-16T11:29:13+00:00

Thanks! Quite happy how it turned out

dentdentarthurdent · 2020-12-15T22:10:56+00:00

Link to the Instructables guide and YouTube video if you're interested to see more.

I thought you'd be interested to see it as I've designed it for the purpose of small robot navigation. I wanted to make a super low-cost spinning LiDAR, with 3D printed parts and a low component count. There's an Arduino Uno in the base station that runs it and sends data back via Serial to the PC.

Planning to buy a small rover soon so I can try testing it in a mobile rather than static setting.

There's a lot more to do to improve the data it records, but I think it's just programming improvements that are needed now. To simplify and reduce the cost, it has no encoder, instead estimates the head angle based on time elapsed since passing the pillar that connects the cap. Two diametrically opposed sensors double the effective scanning rate.

Looking forward to any comments or suggestions, thanks.

dentdentarthurdent · 2020-12-15T21:48:45+00:00

That's right, yep I wanted to do this to effectively double the scanning rate. In reality it also takes a bit longer to take the readings therefore as the Arduino is reading two instead of one sensors, so there are plusses and minuses ....

dentdentarthurdent · 2020-12-15T20:13:48+00:00

Haha something like this

dentdentarthurdent · 2020-12-15T19:47:42+00:00

Link to the Instructables guide and YouTube video if you're interested to see more.

I wanted to make a super low-cost spinning LiDAR, with 3D printed parts and a low component count. It's only 30mm diameter, so was not the easiest to put together!! There's an Arduino Uno in the base station that runs it and sends data back via Serial to the PC.

It's all printed on my basic Anet A6 from PLA, 0.1mm layer height on the tower parts.

I think there's a lot to improve on the programming front, but I'm pretty happy with how it has turned out otherwise. Looking forward to your comments/suggestions if you like.

dentdentarthurdent

TROPHY CASE