MARCH 2007
2007 CLUB CALENDAR
3/27
Club Meeting
4/24
Club Meeting / Winter Project
P-47 Raffle Drawing
5/29
Club Meeting
June
Framingham Space Day TBD
6/10
CRRC Family Picnic
June

Fun Fly TBD

6/26
Club Meeting at the Field
July
Fun Fly TBD
7/31
Club Meeting
8/28
Club Meeting
9/25
Club Meeting
9/29
CRRC Electric Fun Fly
10/7
4th Annual Milford Demo Day
10/28
2007 Annual Banquet
11/27
Annual Meeting
   

 

Secretary's Report | The Model Shop

P-47 Raffle | Events | Club Website

The Club
of Choice



Every year that I've been on the board of this club, I've held my breath a bit until our list of member renewals would grow to a point where the club could be financially self-sustaining. Including a few other factors, I've determined that magic number to be 40. Since the decline of membership that occurred due to the loss of the Millis field, we've flirted with that threshold several times. But, every year we seem to get by just fine. In fact, last season we nearly hit 60 members...the most we've had since the heyday prior to the Millis closing. The 2007 season is shaping up nicely as well, with nearly 50 renewals and new members on the roster.
...
Now, I'd love to take credit for this. But the truth is each and every one of us is a part of the reason that MMAC has survived (if not grown) over the past few years.
...
When meeting new members or talking to folks who've heard of our club, the one thing that I hear over and over again is how open and welcoming MMAC is to anyone that shares our passion for model aircraft. At the Milford Demonstration Day, in particular, I spoke to several in the audience who had contact with our guys over the course of the day...and I heard pretty much the same story from each of them, "You all seem to really love these model airplanes and your enthusiasm is infectious."
...
Having enthusiasm is one time where being infectious is a plus! And what this means is that with the help of the local hobby shops and some of the press we've received, we have grown a reputation in the area for being the "club of choice" for anyone interested in the hobby...an enviable position that helps keep the membership strong and (most importantly) fresh with new blood to help carry on into the future. As we gear up for another season of flying, let's keep doing what we do best and have fun in the process.

Keep up your airspeed!

Jim McCoy

R E M I N D E R :

The gate lock at Medfield has been changed for the 2007 season. Be sure to contact Bill O'Donnell or any other board member to get your new key. Don't wait until you have you plane on charge!



Club Meeting
February 27, 2007


Prior to and after the business meeting keys were exchanged for the Medfield flying field access gate. This year a new lock is being put into service, so none of the keys used in years past will work. If you have yet to exchange your old key(s) for a new one please send your old key(s) to me or any other officer and we will send you a new one.
...

Jim McCoy brought the meeting to order at 7:30. A motion to accept the January secretary's report as stated in the February 2007 Yankee Flyer was made and seconded. The motion passed unanimously. The treasurer's report was given by Dave Seale. A summary follows:

Balance: $3,225.56
Income: $1,915.00
Expense: $320.38

A motion to accept the treasurer's report was made and seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
... The Medfield flying field condition was reported to be frozen and covered with snow and ice. The field is accessible via the access road.
... Dave Seale reported that he has given, in the name of the club, a complimentary subscription to Model Aviation to the Millis Middle/High School Library. It was reported by the Millis librarian that the complimentary subscription given to the Millis Public Library last year was not used.
... Both Bill Costello and John Holcomb showed up with cool tools to show and tell. Bill showed an engine cleaner along with a cowl mounting technique. John brought a tool used for establishing the centerline along edges. See elsewhere in the Yankee Flyer for additional details. Thanks to Bill and John for sharing their tools with us. The meeting adjourned at 8:30 and was followed by the raffle.

Regards,
Roger Gilman
MMAC Secretary


February Fuel Winner!

Did you ever have that feeling of Deja Vu...that strange notion that you've experienced something before. Did you ever have that feeling of Deja Vu...that strange notion that you've experienced something before.

The highly coveted fuel winner at the February meeting was none other that club secretary Roger Gilman. Roger has been so honored at least once before...maybe twice. Regardless, it's a great prize for a small investment.

Congratulations, Roger!


The Model Shop
Continuing from the FebruaryYankee Flyer

Recovering
Back in my working days at Itek, how many times I admonished people to "read ALL the words before proceeding" with their assigned tasks? Now that covering the Playboy Junior with 21st Century's Coverite Transparent Microlite film is completed (and it came out wrinkle free!), I was doing a little research for this month's newsletter. To make a comparison with Monokote's 1.8 oz/sq yd and Microlite's 0.6 oz/sq yd, I queried Coverite for the material's tensile strength and "was it fuelproof?" I hadn't seen the word "fuelproof" on Tower's catalog web page or on the instruction sheet that comes with the roll of Microlite. They responded that on their Coverite web page it says "not fuelproof". Sure enough it's there in the fine print. It pains me to have to rip off the beautiful, clear covering, so, take a tip, thoroughly investigate when using a new product and "read all the words!"

Microlite Playboy Junior

Construction
When building 40-size and larger models, wooden dogs nailed into the pine building board to hold parts in place during construction works great! (See July 2003 Yankee Flyer). However, building the Playboy Junior's fuselage with its small, light structure, the dog system was too big to be practical. The first item below addresses this problem. The Pin clamp and Balsa Filler text below, in general, are excerpts from the current issue of SAM Speaks, the bimonthly publication of the Society of Antique Modelers.

Pin Clamps
Recently there have been requests for information on where to obtain the old Rocket City Pin Clamps. The Pin Clamp puts a larger head on a standard tee pin. The pin clamp is tight on the pin, but can be forced to slide up and down on the pin shaft. Place the pin near the object to be clamped, and then slide the clamp down so that it is pressing down on the object. With this system, the tee pin is not pushed into the balsa, thus preventing the wood from splitting. It is great for building rubber, gas and small electric models. $3.19 per package of 50. Nelson Hobby also carries other Rocket City products.

Pin Clamp (Part No. RCL 55)
Nelson Hobby Direct
PO Box 1327
Keller, TX 76244
817-431-9898
www.nelsonhobby.com

Balsa Filler
Here's an excellent product; Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Filler. It's readily available at most hardware stores. A 3-1/4 oz tube can be had in Lowe's paint department for $1.96. Its neat stuff as the tube hangs upside down on your shop wall as seen in the photo. This method keeps the moisture in the snout preventing a drying out of the material. The putty-like substance is easy to apply and when sanded the natural color blends in perfectly with balsa. Be sure to select the "Natural" color as it comes in a variety of wood tones. Elmer's also makes a 2-part epoxy wood filler when structural strength is required.

GOOP
Hanging on the wall next to the Filler and J-B Weld is a small tube of GOOP adhesive purchased from Lowe's for $2.98. This material is extremely tenacious. A little dab every inch or so will hold the receiver antenna wire in place up and away from the servos. Also, in addition to mechanical landing gear straps, fill the block groove to imbed the LG wires thus giving a belt-and-suspenders solution. Unlike epoxy, GOOP stays flexible. It can be used to securely hold anything in place but can be removed if necessary with pliers. Apply it using a tooth pick.

J-B WELD, Elmer's Wood Filler and the amazing GOOP!

Remember Folks...Two minutes a day!

 


2007 Warbird Countdown!

Whether you're nuts for warbirds or not...who could resist a chance to win this beautiful 60-size Hangar 9 P-47D ARF donated by Bob Rice at Hobby USA in Ashland. Tickets are available at club meetings or by contacting Bill O'Donnell at 508-473-4441 or Jim McCoy at mccoygroup@comcast.net

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Coming Events

April 24
MMAC Winter
Projects Night
American Legion Hall
Curve Street
Millis, MA

Be sure to check out the AMA DISTRICT 1 Calendar for a more complete listing of area auctions and flying events.

 

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© 2007 MILLIS MODEL AIRCRAFT CLUB, INC. Contact the MMAC Newsletter Editor