honeycombing foam cores

[Lance Van Nostrand]

Mike,
Let me share an alternate idea that I've found works much better than a hot 
knife, it's faster, safer, cheaper and you don't have to wait for shipping 
from CST.

Use your dremel tool with a wallboard cutter bit.  It will poke through the 
foam and you can simply draw each cutout.  I think this is lighter than some 
hot wire methods because the material is truly removed, not melted into 
another form.

You can save 3/4 oz of foam with light honeycombing which saves about 1.5 oz 
total weight by not applying adhesive to the skins in this area.  If you are 
glassing, you can be much more aggressive.  For example, I can verify that I 
saw with my own eyes Mike Harrison's symphony wings with his 4 color paint 
scheme on the wings weighed 9 oz per panel, RTF

--Lance

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Hester" <kerlock at comcast.net>
To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2004 7:07 PM
Subject: Re: honeycombing foam cores


> Thanks guys, all of you. I think I'll try out that hot knife thingy from 
> CST first, that sure sounds like a lot less trouble.
>
> And I usually build all balsa wings/tail, I am just about to mess with 
> some foam and I like options =) I'm not afraid to fill the garbage can 
> with messed up parts. Err actually the floor, it gets to the can 
> eventually....maybe like twice a year......
>
> Thanks guys,
> -Mike
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Koenig, Tom" <Tom.Koenig at actewagl.com.au>
> To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
> Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2004 7:05 PM
> Subject: RE: honeycombing foam cores
>
>
>
> And this can be the difference between legal and not legal!
>
> At our recent team trials, there was frantic activity just before the 
> first flights. It was quite disturbing( for the pilots!) to see so many 
> planes needing an instant weight loss program. The pits were littered with 
> wheel pants, foam packing...batteries, spinners etc etc Anything that 
> could go was removed for those flights.
>
> Moral of the story...keep it light everywhere you can, even if it means a 
> honeycomb job!
>
> Tom
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: discussion-request at nsrca.org
> [mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]On Behalf Of George Kennie
> Sent: Friday, 12 November 2004 8:33 AM
> To: discussion at nsrca.org
> Subject: Re: honeycombing foam cores
>
>
> The savings is about an ounce and a half per panel.
>
> Bill Glaze wrote:
>
>> All:
>> Since a completed wing panel, (Focus, Hydeout, etc). with servo,
>> linkage, Monokote covering, etc. will weigh, typically, less than 16
>> ounces, how much weight will be saved by honeycombing a raw foam wing
>> panel?  Will it be significant enough to notice in performance?  If you
>> honey comb it enough to make a significant weight difference, will it
>> possibly weaken the panel leading to in-flight distortion, or possible
>> structural failure?  I know it's an individual opinion, but that is what
>> I'm looking for here.  Thanks.
>> Bill Glaze
>>
>> Del Rykert wrote:
>>
>> > I recall Tom Weedon doing an article about it in the "K"
>> >
>> > del
>> >  ----- Original Message -----  From: Mike Hester
>> >  To: discussion at nsrca.org
>> >  Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2004 10:00 AM
>> >  Subject: honeycombing foam cores
>> >
>> >
>> >  Hi Gents,
>> >
>> >  I am in the process of trying new things, and I have the need to
>> > honeycomb a few wing and tail cores. What I am trying to find is a
>> > source for a power supply/variac and set up with the probes so I can
>> > accomplish this. I seem to remember someone having a home made one
>> > that worked well, but of course it's been a while and I can't remember
>> > who or what.
>> >
>> >  Can somebody help me out here?
>> >
>> >  Thanks,
>> >  -Mike
>> >
>> >
>> > =====================================
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>> >
>> >
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