Rob,

I think its amazing what you guys have accomplished, not to mention running the short kit program, on top of the build.....The arf phenomena took away the building, you are taking the laser cutting technique used to build the arfs, and putting the wood back in our hands. (If you'll excuse the expression )
I stopped building about 20 years ago when we started to have kids, I came across your thread, a couple months ago and it brought back the "man....I like to build stuff" feeling....I am flying a 40 sized Decathalon to get the cobwebs out, finishing 2 incomplete 20 year old planes, getting ready for the Monocoupe I've always loved.
I'm excited to eventually straddle the tail of my monocoupe, and give it the gas......get goosebumps thinking about it....wa WHAAAAAAAA....your plane is going to look like a stud, lumbering down the field, taxiing to the end of the runway......awsome....how thrilling to fly a dream...best of luck...we'll all be there with you in spirit when you fire it up.....

Thanks for the kind words guys. I have always enjoyed building from kits and scratch. The ARFs of today just don't do much for me. Sure they fly great, but you can't say you "built" it. I wish we could buy arfs in kit form, and thats essentally what we have done with Petes plans. if it had not been for the "short kit program" this plane would be nowhere near the completion level it is at now. I am greatful to be able to help others get back into building.

I will not be at J/N this year but I will be at XFC. If any of you are going to be there, please let me know so I can say Hello.

3DCrazy, Yeah a lot has changed since the "foamy nights"! It's all for the better though!

I spent last night cleaning up the shop and getting ready for a day of building this weekend. I should have the better part of Sat. to work on the Mono and I hope to have both ailerons done at that point. (I can hope right...)

I lasered out a template for the wheel pants last night also. I am planning on going to lowes on Sunday and get the blue foam that will be used to make the plug for the pants and the LG. Good things to come

Do you actually pump air into the tires?

Question re the wheel pants. Are you making them in two halves or as a single unit?
That's how I do mine as it cuts down the work by half but I use white foam for mine and dissolve the foam after sanding has been completed with thinner. I leave the foam in until ready to remove as it provides support for the thin glass layer when sanding.

Only minor issue you have with the lost foam method is it leaves a very rough textured finish on the inside which is difficult to remove and it does increase the weight some. It's the resin seeping into the pores of the foam during application that causes it. Several ways to aliviate this are by skimming the foam with some soluble filler like gypsum or you can wrap the foam with parcel tape before glassing. This can be removed easily after the foam has gone.

About the tires,
Yes they have inner tubes just like a bike. I believe they are rated for 55 psi. not 100% sure cause I don't have them in front of me though.

About the wheel pants,
I plan on making them in halves and Vac-Bagging them so I can keep them light. this girl is gonna be beautiful on her feet. I just ordered a new check valve for the vac-pump so it will be ready when I am. all I am missing is foam,glass, and epoxy.

Originally Posted by rcpilot82

About the tires,
Yes they have inner tubes just like a bike. I believe they are rated for 55 psi. not 100% sure cause I don't have them in front of me though.

Unreal...what'll they think of next

Originally Posted by MODE 1

Question re the wheel pants. Are you making them in two halves or as a single unit?
That's how I do mine as it cuts down the work by half but I use white foam for mine and dissolve the foam after sanding has been completed with thinner. I leave the foam in until ready to remove as it provides support for the thin glass layer when sanding.

Only minor issue you have with the lost foam method is it leaves a very rough textured finish on the inside which is difficult to remove and it does increase the weight some. It's the resin seeping into the pores of the foam during application that causes it. Several ways to aliviate this are by skimming the foam with some soluble filler like gypsum or you can wrap the foam with parcel tape before glassing. This can be removed easily after the foam has gone.

Hi Pete,

I found if you skim your foam with epoxy finishing resin and wet sand to a smooth finish then polyester glass (being the part) over that, you then melt the foam away after glassing and you can peel the epoxy away leaving a smooth interior finish. If you polish the plug with mold release wax after wet sanding the epoxy it peels away easier. I've made several fuel tanks that way and seems to work OK for me.

Well, This weekend was one of the "if it can go wrong it will" weekends. I was supposed to have Sat. to work on the Mono and we had some really high winds that blew one of my canopies off my house so I had to fix that. Then I find out that I didn't have another bottle of glue in the freezer like I thought I did. so basically I spent Sat. driving to the hobby shop and hardware store to get stuff and fixing my house. All I got done on the Mono was the hard points for the hinges in the ailerons and the lite ply doublers for the horns. The good news is that I have enough glue now and a new planer that works. What a weekend...

I almost got smashed with a big black cherry tree that fell in my yard. That SOB was about 26" in diameter.

I ran like a little girl

Rob,

Tom Phillips sent me the link to this and your build info. Great project. Looking forward to seeing more.

Craig

Bill,
That suck to loose a tree that big, let alone have it try and take you out with it. I bet that tree would make some nice furniture for sure!

Craig,
Glad to see you got the info from Tom. Welcome to the build!

Trees need love too

Ok, well I am gonna have to put the Mono build as well as RC on hold for a few weeks. It looks like I gotta get cut open and fixed up. I'll be back at it after I get recovered.

That sucks!! Good luck and take your time, we will be here when you get back!
Ron