Starting to print the parts for an RC motorglider
This is my main reason for wanting a 3d printer… worried about the material weights though…
Very nice looking - how does the strength and weight compare to a balsa frame / monokote skin structure (or a hot-wire cut *foam wing)?
To be honest, I’ve got nothing to compare it to. I’d imagine it’s much heavier than a foam wing but it should still comfortably produce enough lift for a nice glide slope. As far as strength goes, it’s pretty damn rigid and I think it would hold up quite well after a crash
Caveat - I own a few RC planes / gliders, am not very good at flying, so I’m gaining experience in repairing. 
My gut would tell me that while this wing may work (I have a lot of glue and extra material on some of my wings, and they still fly!), it won’t be as efficient as a traditional stick & skin structure. I would expect a first step / place for 3D printers would be in replacing the balsa frame with an integral frame - better control over where bigger members are placed for strength and smaller ones for surface shaping. Then skin the printed frame the traditional way. I can envision a wing built this way out performing a balsa based wing.
maybe creating it with 0.3 or smaller nozzle will lighten it up
Awesome… post some pics in the “RC Airplanes” community
I would think you could make it a lot lighter by printing just the framework then covering it with tape to form the outer skin.
@Egon_Casteel Do not overlook the weight of the adhesive in the tape. Shrink wrap would be better.
@bavery34_bavery The centre of pressure is near the first quarter so put your load bearing structure there? Some struts may be useful to remove flexure in a lightweight wing. look at the Gossamer Condor design in Wikipedia.
@NathanielStenzel There are real films that are meant to be used for RC aircraft skins I just don’t know what they are called. If I remember right they contract when heated to pull tight.
@NathanielStenzel @Egon_Casteel MonoKote is a major brand of heat shrinking film used in RC airplane construction.
That and Ultrakote… which works exactly the same but isn’t as expensive.
not to sound -ve … but will you actually do some destructive test? i bet it will open alot of eyes. maybe mount 1 end, load 10-50kg, use a foam wing … and compare … or maybe something else apple vs apple (same cross section of rectangular blocks, same dimensions just to be sure?)
He would still need to put in the effort of reducing the outer shell to a scoffold or mesh in whichever areas he would like to use shrink wraps (like ultrakote). It sounds like alot more work.
hmmm, ive use some of those skins before, do they stick to ABS/PLA like they do on wood? been over 15years since i dabbled in RC …
Someone did make it obvious to me that while this design does have the potential to fly, it hasn’t actually been tested. So what I think I’m going to do is opt to make this other one instead for the time being http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:86982
Hey I fly r/c helicopters and frequently need parts I can find or are on back order for months…
Can you make me some parts I can’t find??!! Obviously I would compensate you
Have you weighed the wing or the part you are holding? What is the measurement?
that thingiverse FDM plane is a YAY !