This Master Class livestream brought together RC hobbyists from across the U.S.—from Wisconsin to Florida, New York to Kansas—as Joshua Orchard and Brian kicked off the final show before the holidays. With snow on the ground, Christmas around the corner, and a packed chat, the episode mixed seasonal cheer with hands-on building insight and exciting news from DU-BRO.
Holiday Announcements & DU-BRO Website Update
The duo opened with key updates:
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This was the last show before the holiday break.
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The next Master Class sessions will be held on January 13 and January 27.
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Fans were encouraged to join the DU-BRO email newsletter at dubro.com for show reminders.
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A brand-new redesign of the DU-BRO website is rolling out, offering easier navigation and better product discovery—perfect timing for the Christmas shopping rush.
Joshua and Brian also reminded viewers that December 18 is the final day for Christmas delivery, depending on shipping preferences. While supporting local hobby shops is encouraged, DU-BRO’s new shipping options now give customers more flexibility when ordering online.
Texan Progress: Landing Gear, Wheel Pants & Custom Cowling
The heart of the episode focused on Joshua’s continued progress on the AT-6 Texan rebuild. Since the previous session, he finished sanding and cleaning the wings and shifted focus to the fuselage and landing gear. The Texan originally lacked its wheel pants, so Joshua sourced the templates from the plans, traced them on wood, and began shaping the new components.
One challenge involved attaching the wheel pants securely to the Robart struts. With certain Robart hardware still returning to market, Joshua turned to 3D printing—designing custom mounting brackets using ABS filament. He explained how to oversize internal diameters by 1 mm to account for ABS shrinkage and highlighted the benefit of drilling and tapping printed parts.
To do this, he showcased DU-BRO’s Drill & Tap Sets, which include both metric and imperial options—vital tools for customizing hardware fitment.
As the discussion continued, Joshua also highlighted several DU-BRO essentials used throughout the rebuild:
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Trim Scissors for precise plastics and cowl adjustments
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Button Head Screws for cowl mounting
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Set Screws for securing custom brackets
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Servo Mount Screws, commonly repurposed for vibration isolation
The episode then moved into a detailed demonstration on correctly positioning, marking, and drilling a new fiberglass cowl—using cardstock strips, masking tape, and careful alignment with the propeller to ensure perfectly centered mounting holes.
3D Printing Tips & Viewer Q&A
Joshua also fielded questions about printing ABS, ideal printers, shrinkage compensation, cutting fiberglass, designing brackets in Fusion 360, and making custom cowl molds using lost-foam or resin techniques. Whether viewers were beginners or experienced builders, the mix of technical advice and shop wisdom made the session a valuable learning experience.
With giveaways, dad jokes, holiday chemistry in the kitchen, and Texan progress coming together beautifully, this Master Class episode delivered the perfect blend of entertainment and practical RC craftsmanship—setting the stage for an exciting return in January.
