honeycombing foam cores

[John Ferrell]

A 1/8" drill bit will work well here as well. It helps a lot to use a 
variable speed Dremel. Too fast and the foam melts to the bit, too slow and 
it leaves a rough cut.

John Ferrell
My Competition is not my enemy!
http://DixieNC.US

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lance Van Nostrand" <patterndude at comcast.net>
To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
Sent: Friday, November 12, 2004 12:48 AM
Subject: Re: honeycombing foam cores


> 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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