Phillips Speedtwin ST2 Scratch Build Blog.

[Papa]

I have never had  the courage to do a blog before so here goes. The Speedtwin was developed by a chap called Phillips in England but he unfortunately passed away after only one original was completed. A new company called Speedtwin developments have taken on the development and hope to turn it into a profitable venture.

It's twin engined tandem trainer, all terrain aircraft. Meant to be used as a trainer or by law enforcement and for surveillance use. it is very versatile as you can see in the attached video.

I can't get the video to load, will talk to Ben.

I saw the plan in RC Aeromodeller and was very much taken by it. I had a pair of motors and ESC's donated by my ill fated Fokker F27 Friendship. They only had about a minute and a half on them so virtually brand new. I bought a copy of the plan to have one on good quality Paper.

Here are some photos of the real thing.

[gordonbw]

Great looking plane, Jack!  Can't wait to see your progress.

[Papa]

OK here's how I go about working off a plan. I sit down with a fresh cup of tea and I look at the plan for hours to try and fix details in my mind. While I'm doing that I have a pad and a measuring tape beside me and I make a list of all the different woods used and approximately how much of each I will need. I also make a list of hardware and finally check where the battery is going to go if the original plan was an ic. job.

I then make photo copies of each part I will need to cut. I trim them to slightly over size and glue them to the appropriate wood with a glue stick. Just enough to hold it in place while I band saw the parts. If I'm making more that one as in ribs for a straight wing I glue enough pieces of wood to make a block. Again using glue stick. Glue stick is water soluble and washes off easily when done.

I use a small band saw and a bench sander for almost all this work.

[battlestu]

nice looking plane!

[Andy Hoffer]

Jack, you have impeccable taste.  This looks like a great pattern ship.  We will look forward with great anticipation to your maiden flight - and many more thereafter.  I hope I can do some portraits of you and what I know will be a beautiful model.  How large will the model be?

Good luck on the project!

Andy

[Papa]

It's 45" Wingspan and 1/7 th. scale.

I like to kit everything before I start to build. I cut the interior of Formers using my band saw. I use a wide blade with 18 TPI. What I do is cut through one side and clean out the interior. Since the kerf is 1/32" I glue a piece of 1/32" ply in the gap and it works very well.

This is a quick way and it avoids all that fret work etc.

Here are the two I cut for this model. The keen eyed will note that I cut the tops rather than the sides. Just being dumb the sides are supported by the glue and are much stronger.

Jack.

[Papa]

Here's a picture of some of the kitted parts. After cutting on the band saw, as close to the line as possible, I finish each piece on the table top belt sander. My stuff is all Canadian Tire or Home Depot, nothing fancy. It does an adequate job for the price.

Jack.

[Michael]

Impressive work!

[gordonbw]

Jack, have you seen this Speedtwin build thread by Tim Hooper in the UK?

http://www.modelflying.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=65621&p=1

[Papa]

Yes that's what caught my attention. The plan is Tim's.

Jack.

[Papa]

The wing is built in two halves and joined. It's built on a skin of 1/16 th sheets joined. I use masking tape to join the sheets, this acts like a hinge and I fold the sheets back on themselves and use carpenter's glue brushed in the gap. I unfold them and tape the join and weight the whole thing down. The tape keeps the glue in place and there is virtually no clean up.

Here are the three stages and the final picture is the wing waiting for wiring and hardware plus the top sheeting.

That's the sheeted stab and elevator in front.

Jack.

[Michael]

Nice wing.

Suggestion to everyone: take and post smaller images.

[piker]

Wow, Jack! 

Looking good!  You'll be ready to test fly by the weekend at that rate.

And it's great to see another build thread rolling along.

Robert

[Wingnutz]

Jack,
Thanks for posting this build and taking the time to explain to build newbies how you get from A to B. I'm grateful and impressed. You mention a small bandsaw as a useful workshop tool and then proceed to show some formers with pretty straight edges...does the bandsaw cut this straight or is the sander doing the straightening? I have a belt sander and a scroll saw but trying to cut straight lines with the scroll saw has so far been a nothing but a joke.
Your thread has inspired me to get back in the workshop...I've got one scratch build that's been in process for nearly two years and isn't much farther than your wing!

[Papa]

Hi Bill, thank you for your comments. I have an old Ryoby 9" band saw I bought in Home Depot. I paid about $110.00 and they are about $150.00 now. I cut free hand and I have been doing it a long time so I'm comfortable with my fingers near the blade. I just sight along the line and move the stock very slowly, nothing forced. I can usually cut less than a 1/32" from the line. The inside cuts are basically as is. You all know how my hands shake. I have a hereditary condition called essential or elemental tremors. If I can cut this straight then there is no excuse for you guys. The trick is to focus on the blade and have absolutely no distraction and when the cut is made move your hands away and switch off. Do not move until the blade has stopped. Even at slow speed it will give you a nasty tear.

The fuselage is starting to come together. I will have to step away as I have promised to start tidying up tomorrow. that will take me to Friday and the AGM so it will be the weekend before I get going again.

Jack.