1. Hey guyz. Welcome to the All New Phlatforum!



    Sign Up and take a look around. There are so many awesome new features.

    The Phlatforum is a place we can all hang out and

    have fun sharing our RC adventures!

  2. Dismiss Notice

The PhlatCOWL

Discussion in 'Functional Aircraft Accessories' started by kram242, Apr 1, 2010.

  1. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    6,311
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Location:
    NJ
    Hey Boyz!
    Just wanted to post some pics of the Phlatcowl design we worked up for the Phlatformer show :)
    This design was an idea we had for another use of the Phlatformer besides the standard uses of canopies, wheel pants
    This makes for a lightweight strong structure for the from of your profile foamie aircraft and if taped on will allow you to easily remove to place it on another plane.
    One of the cool features is that you can embed your firewall right inside the plastic as it is Phlatformed :D
    I made the mold for this out of 1/4 mdf and it is a direct copy from the nose of the aircraft minus the old motor holes. If I had my MKII up and running (painting it today) I would have cut a new plane with the front section not cut out.
    I really believe that this could be a great asset to th RC hobby in general.
    Some of the PhlatCowl features include, but are not limited to:
    -ability to Phlatform in many colors and styles including clear
    -adds strength
    -keeps the front of the aircraft completely straight for perfect flight lines
    - great addition to any kit, for easy motor mounting/removal
    - Many modifications
    This was a quick demonstration of the PhlatCowl idea, by taking the front section of the aircraft in sketchup and creating a quick stand up plug for the Phlatformer. There will be better versions in the future that will include the cut files for the plug for many of the newer aircraft designs here on the Phlatforum.

    This idea is a creation of Phlatboyz, LLC and is copyrighted 2010 by Mark Carew. Use of this idea or any modification of this idea in any fashion MUST include legible copyright credits and a link to the http://www.Phlatboyz.com website.
    Thank you
    Have fun :D
    Mark and Trish


    Get your own Phlatformer here and make your own PhlatCowls

    http://www.phlatboyz.com/Phlatformer-Kit_p_10.html Attached files [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  2. filthybeast

    filthybeast New Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    67
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Upper Lake Ca
    Very cool kram, do you ever sleep? :lol:
     
  3. Tweakie

    Tweakie Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    233
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    UK
    Brilliant concept.
    I can see the next generation of foamie's completely Phlatformed. :D

    Tweakie.
     
  4. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    6,311
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Location:
    NJ
    Yes that when the ideas start flooding in :) Just wish I could remember them all!! :D

    That's a great idea Tweakie, I do not see why you couldn't do this with some plaster molds. I think you could do them in half's and add a small lip so that they could be connected an glued together. I think it would be super light as well.
    Mark
     
  5. swim93

    swim93 New Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    79
    Trophy Points:
    0
    so i can see a nice little inrunner motor in one of those phlat cowls instead of just the motor mount
    now i don't know much about inrunners so it might not work but i don't see why it wouldn't if the inrunners only spin the inside of the motor
     
  6. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    6,311
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Location:
    NJ
    It should work that way. One thing is I only had about 10 mins to make this so I did not add the motor more recess to match the notch in the nose of the plane. You could match this and have the motor recessed as well :)
    Mark
     
  7. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    6,311
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Location:
    NJ
    Long live the unbreakable foamie!! :mrgreen:
     
  8. xtremeRCpilot

    xtremeRCpilot Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    736
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    Cleveland, Ohio
    I dont know about unbreakable, but at least the cowl will be left :lol:
     
  9. frankrcfc

    frankrcfc New Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    381
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Battle Creek, Mi
    The people that manufacture the Fanfold will not be happy when they see a front end protector like that Mark. :lol:
     
  10. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    6,311
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Location:
    NJ
    lol so true Frank :D

    I just found this! its a picture of the motor mount for the 4site micro plane. Now(with the Phlatformer) we can make our own, for any plane we like :mrgreen:
    Mark
    Attached files [​IMG]
     
  11. 3DMON

    3DMON Moderator Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    2,380
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    Sebastian, Florida
    Yeah I just saw that the other day too. All I could think was ooh another type of Phlatcowl.
     
  12. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    6,311
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Location:
    NJ
    :mrgreen: Its all good :) If it helps people out right :)
    Mark
     
  13. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    6,311
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Location:
    NJ
    The parts Ok more test on the PhlatCOWL for foamies
    I decided we need a way to make parts that are hard enough to take the pressures of Platforming
    So I thought I will make a mold of the parts themselves and then cast the from either plaster again, or two part plastic. The results were not that good for releasing the initial models from the plaster.

    The following pictures are the results of that experiment, they are not for the squeamish so please look away :mrgreen: Attached files [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  14. Anonymous

    Anonymous New Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    1,280
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Mark, do you use PAM or a similar spray release agent on the molds?
     
  15. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    6,311
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Location:
    NJ
    Dennis,
    I normally use Pam, but I forgot to spray any of these before covering them and it was thought to get them out.
    Mark
     
  16. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    6,311
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Location:
    NJ
    The PhlatCOWL is moving forward!
    After the failed attempt at creating a mold for the PhlatCOWL I decided to make the molds from MDF cut on the big machine and motor mounts cut on the MKII using 1/16th bit through 1/8th lite ply
    The last design here is really starting to show promise and I will test it this weekend.
    We are getting there :D
    Mark and Trish
    BTW The new version of the PhlatCOWL is universal, you cut it to length and width to fit the style aircraft you are using it on. Attached files [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  17. 3DMON

    3DMON Moderator Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    2,380
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    Sebastian, Florida
    That turned out great Mark!
    Much nicer with the motor mount put on there.
     
  18. blindflight

    blindflight Moderator Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    361
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    CA
    Looks really good there Mark !!
     
  19. tvcasualty

    tvcasualty New Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    637
    Trophy Points:
    0
    cool dude!
     
  20. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    6,311
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Location:
    NJ
    Thanks boyz :D Its coming along. As I was working on the foam key way for where the motor sits, it hit me! Why do we need the wood firewall mount in there at all and for that matter why do we need the screws too ? So then I placed the Phlatcowl mold back on the Phlatformer and placed the little aluminum motor mount on top and did a pull. It works!! :mrgreen: This is really nice because it holds the mount in place and you do not need to screw anything. You just poke a hole for the motor and one for the set screw :)
    So now the aluminum motor mount is embedded in the plastic and if you ever need to change out the motor you just loosen the set screw and place a now motor in. If you want to take the whole mount off you just un-tape it and move it to the next foamie! This is really cool and I can't wait to get one in the air today.
    I have to make one more PhlatCOWL mold so that it fits these little motor mounts and I would like to raise it up a little as well.
    Here are a few pics to wet the appetite :D
    Thanks again guys
    Mark and Trish Attached files [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  21. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    6,311
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Location:
    NJ
    A few more pics :) Im HAPPY :mrgreen:

    Attached files [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  22. Anonymous

    Anonymous New Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    1,280
    Trophy Points:
    0
    That looks really sharp Mark! Great idea! :cool:
     
  23. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    6,311
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Location:
    NJ
    Thanks Dennis, now to test fly it and perfect the mold :)
    Mark and Trish
     
  24. xtremeRCpilot

    xtremeRCpilot Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    736
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    Cleveland, Ohio
    Mark, that is too cool!!! You need to have a new label for your inventions AKA "ACME"
    All I can think of is the Willie Coyote from the old Road Runner Cartoons, and his constant reminder .......... SUPER GENIUS !!!!

    one word...... BRILLIANT!!! :D

    John
     
  25. 3DMON

    3DMON Moderator Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    2,380
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    Sebastian, Florida
    Good idea!
    Is it in there good enough so the mount cant spin? I'm thing the plastic might have made dimples where the holes in the mount are but I can't see it from the pics.
     

Share This Page