Other Hobbies (1)

[JustinPB]

I’m a wee bit unemployed right now. So I’ve gotta do something besides training to keep myself busy. So, inspired by James May’s BBC series Toy Stories I returned to my childhood and bought a model plane kit. It’s a Geebee racer, which was the only model the shop had which wasn’t a biplane. I didn’t want to build a biplane on my first plane in ~15 years, too many opportunities for things to go wrong.

The way these kits come, there’s ~10 sheets of balsa with parts laser cut in them. You pop the parts out, pin them down on the 1:1 scale plans and cement the together with superglue. They come with pretty vague instructions (somewhat stupidly called “step by step”), so there’s a lot of guess-work to be done. There are also vacuum formed plastic parts for things like the wheel fairings and the front cowl. This particular model was intended to be a rubber band powered free flyer (meaning not radio controlled). If I can weasel my way into a gymnasium I may get it flying, but for now it’s usually too windy for a lightweight model like this to actually fly undamaged. So, with that, on to the pictures.

First you build one side of the fuselage.

then the other

You can see I did a wee bit of damage to myself in the process

now on to the wing:

MJuric and some others may note the use of absurdly precise tools to get the 1" dihedral in the wings.

The finished frame:

and the finished plane. Covering with tissue paper is really the most finicky part of it, I think. My fingers are much too klutzy to be really good at this, but it still turned out ok.

[j_p_o]

Should we pitch in and get you a chainmail glove?

I keep trying to get into other hobbies. But I tend to gravitate towards ones that are even more expensive than tri’s.

[Justgeorge]

I keep trying to get into other hobbies. But I tend to gravitate towards ones that are even more expensive than tri’s.

Oh he’s just starting. Once he hits remote control, then more planes, then bigger planes, he could spend ,more than tris.

[JustinPB]

I’ve done remote control. It turns out I’m a miserably bad pilot, and spent most of my time repairing my plane. So I’ll probably stick with model building for right now.

And chain mail would lead to a lot of broken balsa. I’ll just take a box of band-aids.

[chainpin]

I keep trying to get into other hobbies. But I tend to gravitate towards ones that are even more expensive than tri’s.

Oh he’s just starting. Once he hits remote control, then more planes, then bigger planes, he could spend ,more than tris.

Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!!!

[jkca1]

Let me say how both impressed and jealous I am of you. Very nice job on the model. I wish I could find something like you did that would capture and hold my interests.

[Justgeorge]

I like the ones with the little tiny jet engines in them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ezn9vBiYjsg&feature=related

[iO4]

Check this out…transmits live video from a head tracking camera while he flies it with goggles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5OZCWaJBdc

[Galaxy_5]

I’m lucky enough that my hobby of flying is my job, buuuuuuut…I’m celebrating Thursday and the fact I don’t have to go to work tomorrow with a bottle of homemade wine. So my vote for Awesome Hobby Other Than Triathlon is making any sort of booze at home!

Booze and of course Teh Secks, 'cause I’ll be nice and tipsy when the wife gets home tonight!

[Former_User]

So I’ve gotta do something besides training to keep myself busy.
Train more. You’ll need naps. Those two will eat up your days.

(My other hobbies are sewing, xword puzzles, and reading)

[Former_User]

your plane is beautiful. I actually like the wooden frame better than the tissue paper finished one. Either way nice work

[JustinPB]

I agree–It looks better as an unfinished wood model, but I do want to fly it at some point. Not much lift with a bare skeleton for a wing unfortunately.