My New Bee Build

[jase]

Ok. i know one has already started, but i've completely stripped my bee and have started to rebuild it.

After yesterdays efforts at SC, the plane was a writeoff and wouldn't fly properly. So after an hour stripping all the coloured tape off and the old strapping tape i was left with 1 wing that was nearly split in 2, and the other wing had several EPP pieces that needed gooping back on.

After reading the other threads in regards to First Plane "and" wing flex, i think i have just about sorted this problem out with my bee.

Needless to say, i had some graphite golf shafts laying around not doing anything so i decided to chop, melt and PU these things into the wings.

Following are some before and after shots.. before i stripped it and the stage i'm at now PU'ing the spars in.

Top before - img145.imageshack.us/img145/5222/image048rs6.jpg
Bottom before - img529.imageshack.us/img529/1267/image049dn4.jpg
After shot, stripped wing with golf club graphite spar being glued - img145.imageshack.us/img145/1088/image050uj0.jpg

I was hoping to have this plane back up and running ready for SC this afternoon, but it won't be ready until tomorrow.

[atmosteve]

Hi Jase, thanks for the pics, i am spending the arvo going through threads to help with an upcoming bee build (my first bee) so the pics are a help.

Reading about your golf shafts, reminds me i have 5mm diameter CF arrow shafts, but i am wondering if they are a bit to flexy?

[jase]

i'm more or less doing my bee this way because it was rebuild or bin. but with the help of shoo goop it has fixed the crack in the wing like new.

also, steve (ding) in the other thread was commenting that the wing flexes at the end of the CF spar that comes with the Ele-Bee version of the plane... he is exactly right on this part. though mine didn't break it was certainly a week spot.

i'll still put my CF spar through the middle of my wing, but it will only go in 4 inches or so as the golf shafts cut it off short. i don't mind though as i'll now have a spare CF shaft for my other planes tail

[jase]

This is probably overkill. but i had the parts lieing around.
thick spars are from graphite golf shafts.
thin spars are from origional hollow graphite shaft included in the kit.
top - img47.imageshack.us/img47/408/image051wr2.jpg
Bottom - img47.imageshack.us/img47/9347/image052hr0.jpg

[jase]

All sanded back with a fine layer of spackle and PU glue to fill the imperfections and cross taped - img509.imageshack.us/img509/4042/image053ng6.jpg
Image isn't clear but it's going to be black with yellow ... 1/2 way there - img151.imageshack.us/img151/7511/image054ps1.jpg
Shown with fins next to plane - img151.imageshack.us/img151/4800/image055fu0.jpg

I'm a bit worried how heavy this lil bee is, i guess only time will tell and with the lift at shorncliffe i shouldn't have too many probs.

[atmosteve]

Hi Jase, the only problem i can see is a good portion of the flex load being transfered from the full length carbon wing spars into those short wing joining spars and butted glue joint between wings.

[jase]

there's a piece of dowel that i glued together and taped for added strength thatis inside the carbon shafts so those little pieces don't take the full brunt and for added strength through the middle.

[atmosteve]

Aah, ok.

[callun]

Looks like it's going to have to be a heavy build, cos that ammount of material further back is obviously going to have to be offset at the front to keep it balanced.

[jase]

yeah.... it's heavy alright.. i think by the time i finished applying the strapping tape it was already as heavy as before i rebuilt it.

hopefully it will still fly.. i tell ya. you could lay this thing across the fence at SC and watch Gerard and Andrews see-saw on it.

[callun]

Sounds like it's going to restrict you a lot as to where you can fly it.

[jase]

yeah, prob, but it was either rebuild or buy a new one