Retired and crippled 33% Laser 200 back to live

[MadDuc]

Going through another Lanier rebuild thread (see below) I found out it may be possible to core out the wings to save some more weight. Since my Laser wings are quite heavy I am thinking about doing the same. Does anyone have experience (good or bad) with lightening the Lanier Laser wings?


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Re: Lightening the 33% Extra 300
Started coring the wings out and did some spline sanding on the 3/32" skin. 1/8" balsa was added to the TE of the wing in order to create enough surface to double bevel it. About 3oz of foam was removed from each panel with a tungsten wire and variac. (Note to self: Hot wire likes to eat balsa!) The main wing panel is right at 32oz.
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[sensei]

Looks like you are doing a great job, keep up the great work! I really loved my 33% Lanier laser...

Bob

[MadDuc]

Thanks Bob, Do you have any experience with making the wings lighter making holes in the Laser wings?

[sensei]

Yes, I lightened mine up allot, The finished weight of the airplane was 15 lbs. 8 ozs. with a DA 50, and I really loved flying it.

Bob

[MadDuc]

Do you have any pictures of the wings? So I can see how many holes you made and how large they were?

[sensei]

I never did a build thread on that Laser, but just yesterday I reacquired the 35 % laser I was building from the guy that bought it but never touched a thing, so as soon as I finish my 260 I will get going on it again, and will get some pictures out again.

Bob

[sensei]

Here is the old thread on the 35% Laser.

Bob

http://www.flyinggiants.com/forums/f...200-50-cc.html

[MadDuc]

Thanks, I did go through that thread a couple of weeks ago, good to see that the Laser is back and you're going to finish it. Still amazed at how light you built it. I am now subscribed in order to follow the updates.

[MadDuc]

Little progress tonight. Worked on the foam turtle deck, that needs to be sheeted later with balsa.

[Fondulac]

[VooDoo Child]

[MadDuc]

What's the best way to remove the ailerons from the wings without damaging the wing? They are connected with those round (Robart Dowel?) Hinges.

[flying skunks]

in the past I have used a Zona saw to cut them apart ,them drill out the remaining hinge parts ..

[MadDuc]

Thanks, I'll try that.

Tonight I have removed most of the covering of the 2nd wing. Foil doesn't come off very easily, so it takes a bit of time. Furthermore I cored out 6 holes of foam in one wing, this is only 20 grams, so not really interesting, but ok.

I may be able to save quite a bit more by making new (larger) ailerons from ribs without sheeting, just like on the 2m Funtana that I bought recently (need to finish that one as well).

Furthermore I have cut the homemade (glass fiber) outer tube to the right size. Will need to glass it into the fuse, but here is a picture of the test fit.

[MadDuc]

Here are some pics of tonight's progress. I removed the balsa tunnel since I felt it wasn't going to give enough cooling air to the tuned pipe. Instead I glued in a depron floor. I only need to put a depron floor in the electronics/tank area to make sure that the canopy doesn't get blown off.

Furthermore I started covering the plane with Foil from HobbyCity, colour Golden Red. The foil comes with such a thin and invisible protection layer on the glue side that I thought there was no protection. While trying to get this stuff on, it really didn't want to stick to the wood. Bummer, I thought, ordered 20 meters of foil, and it's not working....... but then I realised there was a very thin protection layer..... Covering went a lot smoother after this discovery I can tell you......