I did find time today after I finished off the last two masks orders.

In an hour I had the basic correct shape as you see in these pictures. He is coming to life and over the next few days I’ll finish the sculpture, mold the sculpture, and make the first mask.

I find this all very exciting and in all my years in my career I never made a Dr. Zaius.

Zire will be next.

I’m still finishing up more mask orders but it’s finally slowed down enough that tomorrow I can start Dr. Zauis. These are the last two for this week unless I get more orders. Any orders I get this week will be started and shipped next week so I can start a new one. Many of you have said you want all three apes. So shall it be. And after that I start the appliances.

These will get hair today and they are good to ship tomorrow.

I did manage after my debauchery of building two right wing panels to get the F3 R.E.S. Samba framed up! Although there’s little bits that still need attending before I can cover it the bones are all there and the real fun begins finalizing it into a beautiful glider.

The telemetry receiver fits well and so does the new 300 mah LIFE battery. A smart battery that knows to give the RX and servos 4.5 volts despite its 2C. BTW this RX has a built in vario. The radio will tell me when I’m hitting a thermal to climb with.

A good day all around.

Never allow yourself to be distracted!

The moral to this story. I had a small window of time yesterday. I thought I could frame up the left wing panels quickly after already making the right panels.

I laid up the shear web and supporting spruce spar and started laying in the ribs. I’m building away and as I get to the lower pre-marked rib placement lower sheeting I notice that the marks were on the wrong side and not facing up. In my dumb mind I thought they must of gave me two of the same kind and flipped it over and glued it to the ribs. Mary called me because the mailman was at the shop to pick up outgoing orders. As I ran down the stairs I was thinking how well I had done framing up the panel so quickly. Then it hit me. I got that sinking sick feeling. That’s right, I built two right panels!

Never in my 37 years of building model airplanes had I ever done such a dumb thing. I’ve heard of it, even been warned about it in the instructions. These very instructions! But that’s what I had done.

I gave the mail pickup all the outgoing packages and quickly ran back up the stairs. There it was, a disaster.

I thought of all the things I might do but none of them seemed viable. So I took a hobby knife, took a deep breath and let it out. I then proceeded to do the impossible. Cut free every last rib and part I had glued together. To my amazement I did it without damaging the parts too badly. Nothing a little sanding and glue couldn’t fix. I sanded everything a bit to clean the parts up and started re-building. This time I built a left panel.

The picture tells the story. It can be done. My new found patience saved me the cost of another kit. As it was, this kit cost me nearly 300 dollars and was shipped from the UK. So I would have been out a lot of cash and a long wait. Never say never because it can be done. You just need to take that breathe and think clearly.

The parts unbuilt are for the outboard left wing tip. Luck for me I didn’t frame them up before I discovered my error.

It’s taken a while for me to get through this last batch of orders. I’m the one that sculpts them, molds them, paints the masks and lays the hair. I make the teeth and install them and much more. And then I’m the shipping department and there’s a lot involved there two besides just throwing products in boxes. It can take up your whole day making sure the boxes go out to the right people.

Thus the lack of interesting things to post. But I swear by the stars above I will get started on Dr. Zauis this week! Stay tuned!

Today the Grassy Knoll FAC Squadron had a smaller turn out than usual. Hugh figures it was the prediction of winds by the weather sources we have. They are often wrong and I have become more accustomed to following my native American genes gut feeling about the weather. I knew they were wrong and went anyway. So did Gregg Goris, Jonathan Nunez, Hugh Langhans, Don Smith, Wade Wiley, and Sam Wagner.

Hugh sent me the report and the planes everyone brought.

Steve Neill Corsair and two others

Hugh Langhans Panther and Phantom JetCats and Aeronca

Don Smith Hellcat

Wade Wiley P-51D

Jonathan Nuñez Yak 3, Moubuson Racer

Sam Wagner Gliders and rubber powered planes

Gregg Goris P-30, Arado 234, Electric NOCAL P-51

As it turned out there was little wind at all. It was mostly calm right up to 12:30 pm. When I left it was still zero.

As usual we all had a very good time. Jonathan showed off some lovely builds and perfect flights we all enjoyed. He also assisted in making me up a different motor and suggesting things that made for a better trim. Sadly on the last flight she nosed over unexpectedly for reasons unknown as was severely damaged. But she will fly another day.

Gregg Goris brought several planes I failed to get pictures of. One was a scratch built P-30 plane with radio assist for the rudder. The reason for this is, our field is a bit on the small side and he was able to keep this high flying plane within the confines of the park easily with just a few rudder inputs. When launched this plane would climb high level of and just circle the field. It was a wonder to watch. I’m now thinking about doing this myself. It opens up possibilities for our small field.

The reason I didn’t get more pictures was I was too busy trying to get my Volare Products Corsair trimmed for the mass WW2 launch. The Corsair did well enough that in the end it was down Jonathan’s Yak and my Corsair. Jonthan won.

I flew my Volare Products Square Eagle again and it flew very well, if not a short flight. She’s ready for 3 loops of 3/16. All she needs is more power and to turn on that electronic DT rubber band burner.

The guys took some pictures too. I’m sure they will send them so I can add them later.

As usual, a good time, lots of laughs and fun was had by all!

+7

Today I joined the Camarillo Flying Circus RC club 20 minutes from my home. It’ private to members only and only licensed AMA, FAA registered pilots. I had a blast catching up with friends there and some I’ve known for years on RC groups across the net. It was as if I had come home.

For 9 years I haven’t had a runway to take off from and almost gave up on the idea. Thanks to my friend Mark Helmick, I’m there now. Paid my money and I have a runway again with a bunch of great people. We all flew our socks off today. Everything from gliders, jets, prop jobs, and helicopters.

I didn’t get any video because I was too busy flying the F-15 and my P-51 Mustang. Next time I’ll get someone to shoot video. Both planes flew great and I got two flights on both. The F-15 sounds just like a turbine and was very fast and smooth. Great day!

+19

Yesterday I finished up some more masks with hair and got some things ready to ship. However my boxes to ship didn’t arrive until last night on my doorstep. I did have some bad teeth too for the apes mask so I stayed late and ran some more. These will in installed today.

I will ship all the orders on Monday.Thanks for your patience and sorry for the delay.

Yesterday was indeed hairy and it will be today too. That’s the most hair I have laid on masks in a while thanks to all your orders.

I have a few more to do today and out they go. Balok’s eyes are glazed and he’s ready to ship.

I also made up a X-15 Grande short kit yesterday.

I got a whole 40 minutes on my new glider too. I have talked much about it as I do on the RC Sailplane forums and FB but it is a wonderful kit from Germany of a 2 meter F3 RES Evo. These planes are very light at 14 plus ounces and can reach very high altitudes on thermals. 

I have been working on it steadily for about two weeks now an hour a day.

Painting is one of my favorite parts of the mask making process besides the sculpting. It’s what brings it all to life and it’s always a joy. 

Today is hairy. Literally. But some poor sod has to do it. Still it’s cool once it’s all done and these masks play their parts well.

Balok of course doesn’t get hair. He gets his eyes glazed and off he goes to his happy home.

These orders are keeping me busy for sure. I still need 5 pairs of teeth out of the molds in the next two day and put them in their mouths to be finished.

Dr. Zaius awaits!

The entire day was spent preparing rubber masks for painting today. One day prep, one day for painting, and one day for hair work. Lastly, shipping day.

Here’s a picture of some of the masks I prepped yesterday. Today I paint. Once I get caught up again I’ll be embarking on that Dr. Zaius! Among other new products to offer.

Stay turned for painting. Orders will go out soon.