RC model plane fuselage bulkhead, lightweight and strong

thingiverse

I'm currently working on a new 3D printed RC model airplane and I've made some significant progress. The fuselage is taking shape with four 4x4mm wooden square bar longerons that provide an excellent balance between weight and strength. To achieve this, I've been using PETG bulkheads, which have proven to be incredibly reliable when ironing on Ora Light foil with a controlled temperature setting. My process starts at 100°C to get the foil securely attached, then I increase the heat to 130°C for added hold, and finally reach 150°C to smooth out any wrinkles. Throughout this process, my PETG bulkheads have shown no signs of weakness or degradation. The fuselage itself has a diameter of 50mm, and based on my experiments, it's recommended to use one bulkhead every 70mm for optimal results. However, using them every 50mm would result in an even more precise shape but at the cost of slightly increased weight. Each PETG bulkhead weighs approximately 2.2g when printed with 100% infill, which I highly recommend. On the other hand, PLA is not a suitable choice due to its low temperature resistance, which could lead to a messy situation when attempting to iron on the foil. The picture shows a test piece consisting of three bulkheads from different iteration phases and four 150mm long wooden bars. If you're interested in seeing how this project evolves, feel free to follow along as I work towards getting my RC model airborne soon.