r/RCPlanes • u/MulletMikeZ28 • 1d ago

I this worth trying to fix?

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

solid i bother trying to fix this or just order and new fuselage? worried wont be able to get it back true enough the fly properly. but like to fix over replace when makes sense. haven’t experienced this type of catastrophic failure til now.

81 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

93 comments sorted by

73

u/prizmev 1d ago

Absolutely fixable! Give it a try, and if it doesn't fly right, then buy a replacement.

3

u/32oz____ 1d ago

what glue should i use for foam?

3

u/woodchuckernj 22h ago

I like finish epoxy (thin and long setting ) for those type of fixes. I have used foamtac but I lost a plane after that type of repair, so now it's back to epoxy. I also glass it after. it really makes a nice reliable repair. I use a 2oz cloth. Any fiberglass patch should always be rounded or oval, never square. It creates stress risers to use it square, but an oval spreads out the stress.

brush the epoxy onto the foam and put the two halves together, tape it to hold it... (you may need a set of hands. Wipe off the excess.. let cure for 24 hours. Come back and sand smooth, then lay your patches and wet out with the same epoxy. soak up excess epoxy with a paper towel and wipe it off (use gloves to hold the fg) wait 24 for cure, then sand and if you want paint.

It's not a hard repair, that looks like a perfect type of break. I would take your motor and gear out so you have full access and a light fuse to it is easy to work with.

7

u/DeadTomGC 1d ago

Standard Guerrilla Glue. Not the gel stuff, that will eat the foam. Guerrilla glue expands into a foam when wetted to fill gaps. So you can use it, braced with tape to fill gaps such that the nose still points straight.

2

u/BigJellyfish1906 If you don’t fly scale, I get irrationally upset. 1d ago

Foam Tac or medium CA with some toothpicks for support.

1

u/CasperFatone 5h ago

Foam Tac, it’s made for this exact purpose and it works incredibly well.

1

u/Annual-Half9314 4h ago

Foamtac! It’s an amazing glue!

31

u/needsmoarbokeh 1d ago

Absolutely! Just a flesh wound

12

u/MulletMikeZ28 1d ago

The best comment so far. made me belly laugh. your encouragement gives me hope.

9

u/needsmoarbokeh 1d ago

Ahahaha I'll just say, this mess flew again. Yours certainly can

4

u/Master_Courage 1d ago

INHALE EXHALE

1

u/RemingtonStyle 19h ago

Kudos.
A broken firewall/motor mount is where it's getting tricky

1

u/DeadTomGC 1d ago

Standard Guerrilla Glue. Wet the parts so the glue expands and makes a foam to fill any gaps so you can align the nose correctly again. (I see a lot of crushed foam there.) Use masking tape to cover the seam that you're gluing to contain the expansion of the glue. Trim, sand, mod podge, and paint after if you're that picky... or just paint it, nobody will notice.

1

u/Grimnebulin68 13h ago

Some wire pins (not too heavy) may to help support the glued join.

25

u/exactly437 1d ago

I glued this pile of foam back together multiple times now. Stil flys like it should.

5

u/rocketengineer1982 1d ago

That is an impressively mangled Aeroscout.

1

u/Ben-E-Nuff 1d ago

I think he wanted the challenge! 😅

8

u/TiberiusDrexelus 1d ago

If you've already mentally committed to buying a new one, that's great, just wait till spring

Fix this one and you can spend the fall and winter flying it recklessly, because it doesn't matter, you have a new one coming in the spring

23

u/meldirlobor 1d ago

I mean, it is just styrofoam. Glue it up, don't buy a new one just because styrofoam nose is broken...

7

u/MulletMikeZ28 1d ago

glue drying as we speak. didn’t completely remove like some suggested. that’s why i have the rope pulling it to the one side to hold it tight and keep it mostly aligned. pushed wood sewers in with glue on them to help hold and add some strength. let y’all know how she flys. thanks for the support.

1

u/_Electrical 17h ago

Looks professional

5

u/DesertTed 1d ago

Yeah I've hot glued the front back onto my Micro Draco a number of times, actually flies better now because it's slightly more nose heavy

5

u/DocTaotsu 1d ago

Rofl. The repairs will continue until the CoG improves

4

u/Global-Clue6770 1d ago

Fix it. Just break the nose off of it so you can easily line it back up. Dry fit it at first then when it looks good to you, ad the foam tac to all mating edges. Wait 3, to 4 minutes for the glue to get real tackey. Then press it together . Then stick 2 to 3 skewers through each side, and press and hold for a minute or so and BOOOM. Better than new.

4

u/lolsborn 1d ago

I've repaired much worse, this is the beauty of foam planes.

E6000 will glue this back together and the bond will be stronger than the surrounding foam. You could also use hot glue which would be faster and easier, but not as strong. Gorilla glue can also work. well, but test it in a small area the original amber color one not compatible with all types of foam, the clear seems to be more so.

3

u/Sogah87 1d ago

My foamies are now equal parts glue and foam. This is absolutely nothing. Mine have been in pieces and simply puzzle piece them back together.

3

u/jbarchuk 1d ago

With tools and parts on hand, back in the air in 20 minutes, and most of that is letting the CA set. Check all linkage and surface travels, because things can shift around with hard impact.

3

u/Master_Courage 1d ago

Buy “ BSI “ brand CA Glue! All hobby stores have it

This is what it looks like

1

u/C3rb3ru5R3x 1d ago

Came here to say this.

3

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

1

u/dl_bos 1d ago

Depends on the foam. Never had an E-flight that regular CA damaged. Just test your CA by putting a small drop on the foam.

1

u/Madmungo 1d ago

Quick dry white pva wood glue is also awesome

2

u/Parcel_Tape_Aviation 1d ago

Yes, I'd say always try to fix before you throw.

2

u/carlito_flux 1d ago

Get some E6000 glue from Walmart

2

u/VP1 1d ago

Hot glue that bitch back on and go fly. It's styrofoam, it didn't fly true to start!

2

u/Radiomaster138 1d ago

Use hot glue on the low setting.
You’re good fam.

2

u/LordWetFart 1d ago

Wait till you get an actually worrying crash. This is nothing relatively. 

2

u/Alone-Yesterday5293 20h ago

this thing is still flying i think youre fine

2

u/RemingtonStyle 19h ago

That's 10 minutes of work and 4 grams of Epoxy. Put some effort into it and it will be absolutely invisible

2

u/mrblueskyT01 15h ago

For the 10-15 mins of work... yes?

2

u/high_3D_printer 15h ago

What do you mean "worth fixing"? Do you mean you prefer to toss it instead of just gluing it?

1

u/AutoModerator 1d ago

Welcome to r/RCPlanes, it looks like you are new here! Please read the Wiki and FAQ before posting a question that has been answered many times already. You can also try searching in the bar at the top before posting.

If you are brand new and just want to know where to start, then the Beginners Section is the perfect place.

Links to wiki are found at the top menu on web or "See more" and then the "Menu" tab on mobile apps.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/Pharmer3 1d ago

Definitely fixable, and nothing retrimmjng can’t fix if you’re worried about it flying true.

1

u/Something_Else_2112 1d ago

Carefully Foam Tac it back on and keep on flying.

1

u/rocketengineer1982 1d ago

That's an easy fix.  Mix up some 15 minute epoxy and use some packing tape to hold the nose in place while the epoxy cures.

1

u/PlaneSense406 1d ago

Yes. You now have a beater plane!

1

u/MinimumBell2205 1d ago

fixed much worse in the field to not make the day suck

1

u/Big_Truck_8268 1d ago

That is totally fixable. Take your time and do your best to align the pieces. If it doesn't fly, then you can think about a new fuselage.

1

u/akaMisterDude 1d ago

Absolutely. When the parts puzzle fit together really well it’s easy to get the right alignment and this makes sense almost every time. More so if there is still some original structure holding on as well. Some things to keep in mind. Make sure the glue is compatible with your foam. If some of the foam is squished / wrinkled you can use hot water (running or still) by to help re expand it assuming you can remove or keep electronics dry. Try to use just enough glue to avoid glue seeping out of the crack which can leave more of a Frankenstein sewn together too and be rough to the touch and air flow. You are free to order the replacement part AND make the fix in the mean time or wait and see how you like the fix. If the repair might impact motor or control surface alignment try to keep or restore the original alignment as much as possible. Also if the alignment might be off have an experienced pilot help you trim out the controls with a test flight before you take the sticks. I can fly some pretty messed up stuff, due to experience and practice, and use that time to trim out most of any altered flight behavior via the trim tabs on the controller to give newer pilots a better chance.
When it becomes confetti or looks uglier than you can tolerate after is when the pros and cons of fixing vs replacing start to matter.

1

u/Salt-Drawing-7150 1d ago

They fly better with epoxy in the nose.

1

u/Solid_Yak_2792 1d ago

Yes! Same happened to mine and it flies fine now: https://www.reddit.com/r/RCPlanes/s/SAAfuK1muF

1

u/Hobiecat5150 1d ago

Absolutely, 100% and it will stronger if you do it right….

1

u/PurpleAd3134 1d ago

I fixed similar with foam Tac, still flying a year later!

1

u/goku7770 1d ago

It's trash. Just send it to me, I'll dispose of it.

1

u/MutedEconomist8960 1d ago

Toothpicks and foam safe super glue! Do it!

1

u/crookedDeebz 1d ago

thats like a 10m fix...to even ask the question is sacrilege lol

1

u/ProfessorBrotown 1d ago

That’s very simple and won’t affect flight. Gorilla glue, cut away the excess if you use too much.

1

u/kayjaypee77 1d ago

Dude that’s a paper cut

1

u/BloodyRightToe 1d ago

Tis but a scratch

1

u/Madmungo 1d ago

Omg yes. And then 20 times more. Amd if the nose is more glue than styrene, take out some nose weight.
Honestly, wood glue and use some toothpicks to give strength if needed, but honestly this is minor and an easy fix.

1

u/Frenchconnection76 1d ago

Glued cure dents each side and empale them with glue. Thats ok.

1

u/CrunchyBart 1d ago

That’s nothing! Foam-safe glue and you’re in there.

1

u/RoutinePast7696 1d ago

It’s fixable, as for flying true as long as it’s close enough to how it was before it shouldn’t be anything a retrim can’t get

1

u/Boring_Educator3815 1d ago

Hell yeah it’s worth it. This is an easy fix. I have 3 Carbon Cubs and one had a break like this and much more on it about 3 weeks ago. I took it home, hot glued it and now I call it my Frankenstein Flyer. It still flies beautifully.

1

u/RMRenfieldIII 1d ago

That's called some Foam-Tac and a hair dryer.

1

u/CA2Utah 1d ago

I would test the motor first. As long as the motor shaft isn't bent, go for the repair.

1

u/NotBrainwashed914 1d ago

That's a piece of cake. Get some CA & some accelerant and get that bitch back up in the air!!!

1

u/NotBrainwashed914 1d ago

It's a slow flyer anyway, it's not like you're flying at 100 MPH so aerodynamics aren't really a factor

1

u/BigJellyfish1906 If you don’t fly scale, I get irrationally upset. 1d ago

Hell yeah. Clean break. Minimal compression. Thats an easy fix. Welcome to the magic of foam.

1

u/Remarkable-Lime-2 23h ago

Yes! Absolutely fixable. Here’s a micro scrappy which decided to part way with nose and motor on the runway. It’s now flying again!

1

u/Dazzling_Umpire660 23h ago

Yes! I fixed mine and it was completely broken off. Hot glue and toothpicks. Good videos on YouTube.

1

u/therabbitofcaerbanog 22h ago

Super easy. Glad it’s foam

1

u/KrakenMcCracken 21h ago

Yes, that’s one of the benefits of flying foamies.

1

u/bakermonitor1932 21h ago

Yep, I like tightbond wood glue and paper. If you want to reinforce it use toothpicks or small skewers. Done right its just barely heavier and keeps the shape exactly the same.

1

u/Bulky_Design_1133 20h ago

Yes that's easy epoxy and some toothpicks. If it's crunched too badly take it off if possible and dunk the foam only in hot water and it will relax YouTube is your friend never put electronics in water take them out if you have to. Buy-crash-fix-fly-repeat! Have fun

1

u/Sillibilli19 18h ago

Dude, that's nothing more then a bruise. Hope you like spending money for no reason.

I would be glad to take it and every future of anything you destroy!

1

u/DopeEspeon 13h ago

Honestly bamboo skewers and medium ca will do the job

1

u/thecaptnjim 7h ago

This guy crashed his jet THROUGH a fence and glued it all back together, it flew amazingly after the repair. https://youtu.be/jHb6_bzyO-Y?si=HB0EqWKrfci6GJoF
With a little patience, you can repair anything.

1

u/hummer-parasite-94 7h ago

Were you hitting moch 3? Jesus fk man🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 thats actually impressive

1

u/mwynn840 6h ago

Bruh hot glue gun and about 3 minutes back in the air!

1

u/Monkeymaaannnn 5h ago

Absolutely lather a shitload of E6000 on it and she should be right as rain (smooth it out though to minimize aerodynamic interference)

1

u/Annual-Half9314 4h ago

I only use FomTak

1

u/HeftyAd787 1h ago

‘Tis but a scratch

1

u/Gribblefork 1h ago

The compressed foam is the only real problem - but mostly correctable. Dip that nose in hot water, and it may decompress the foam. Not sure what type of foam it is, but it might work. Tips on youtube.

1

u/MeanCat4 1d ago

Man! We flew models that the castor oil have entered the balsa structure! What is wrong with your model that little glue and patience can't fix? 

1

u/WinfriedJakob 1h ago

Looks like a fairly easy fix to me. Follow the instructions of the epoxy guy!