mike98624

thanx guys. gonna do that after dinner... will get a pic when everything is all sheeted and sanded, etc.

mike98624

sorry for the delay, again. i kinda got side tracked by getting my electrostreak electric going. anyway, i got the third sheeting panel on, and i will now do the third when it is all dry. here's how i did it.

First , using medium CA, i glued downthe leading edge, slighty cocked up to get it good and angled in. then i spread 30 minute epoxy all over the rib and spar areas to be sheeted. finally i used about 4 punds of blue masking tape and blocks to hold it all down correctly. i will take several pics, one with tape on, and several showing joints, etc. at about 10:30 when the epoxy has hardened well. i have found that while it takes over-night to fully cure, after about 4 hours you cannot break 30-minute epoxy if you did a good job. i might do the other half tonite if i feel like getting only 3 hours of sleep before i wake up at 4:45 to go to Key west for the weekend. either way, i won't have another post after those pics until sunday night/monday morning. c ya in a couple hours. This is hard work for a 13 year old kid!

mike98624

ok guys, the final (probably) post until monday morning...

i just finished taking the tape off the first bottom sheeting and i also CAed the leading edge of the second piece for the bottom. here are 5 pics depicting certain aspects of the wing in this order:

the center section of the bottom side after 1st half of sheeting.

the second part of my method for putting on the sheeting.

what the first half of the bottom sheeting looked like when i took the tape off.

the first part of my method for sheeting application.

the front of the wing tip (leading edge blocks not sanded or shaped yet)

mike98624

...

mike98624

oops i messed up...

that last one that just said "..." was what it looked like when i took the tape off

diregard that list in the base post. i will describe them as in their respective posts.

here is the first part of my sheeting method.

mike98624

here is the second part of my sheeting method (seemed like 5 pounds of masking tape).

mike98624

finally, the unfinished wing tip (needs to have leading edge blocks sanded/shaped)

mike98624

forgot last pic...

mike98624

finally got them all posted. sorry for the confusion but i'm sure that you can, in your infinite wisdom, figure it out.

anyway, how do ya like em? this is most likely the last post from me till monday so c ya!! hello KEY WEST!!

Crazy Mike

CHM

My Feedback: (28)

Hey Mike! I built mine with the tips, then cut them off after a few flights. It makes it a totally different plane! Faster rolls and minimal rocking in harrier.

I'm running a YS 63 on the stock wood mounts with no trouble after about 25 flights. I used 2 oz glass cloth & epoxy between the mounting beam layers, and I used strips of glass cloth to help hold it to the firewall.

I sheeted the stock stab with 1/16" balsa and built new elevators out of 3/8" balsa. I also made taller gear out of 5/32" music wire. All else is stock.

I'm running a DuBro 10 oz tank. All up weight is just under 5 pounds with HS 225 BBs on elevators, 225MGs on ailerons, HS81 on throttle, and an HS77 on the rudder.


Best plane I've had!

Chuck

CHM

My Feedback: (28)

Tips look cool but are a pain to cover and they actually make 3D worse. It's much easier to cut them off before you cover the wing!

If in doubt do a search on Laser 3D wing tips.

Chuck

rcman-RCU

My Feedback: (31)

CMH:

Nice looking plane! After building it, is there any place in the design where you think you may have been able to make a change to reduce the plane's weight weight? I built a Seduction Freestyle (about the same size plane) with a YS 63 and its weight came out 4.25 pounds. It makes me think the laser could be built a little lighter than 5 pounds, but may require some changes from the stock kit design.

Cabane

My Feedback: (2)

I'm about done framing up this plane now. I built it pretty much to plan. I'll just throw out a few comments. The laser cut was so-so on mine. The laser didn't penetrate all the way through on several of the lite-ply pieces. No big deal just some extra Exacto duty. The instructions could be improved. Some of the pictures didn't correspond to the instructed task. The parts are numbered by the sheet they came out of and noted as such on the plan. Kind of annoying. Instead of F1, F2, F3... it's like P1, B1, B3, P4 ... for example. The instructions for the wing imply you assemble it unsupported in the air. The wing definitely needs to be pinned to a flat surface. They could of saved some money on the high gloss manual and heavy stock plans and supplied some preshaped leading edges. I mean, all that hi-tech Fancy laser cutting and you still have carve the leading edges like old school. Personally, I don't like the char left on laser cut either. I put the wing tips on as designed but I think I will save myself some covering heartburn and nix them. I think the engine mount will be adequate as designed. I'm mounting a Saito 72. The cowl is nice and fits good. Tailwheel assembly looks go to go. There are some weight saving opportunities. Judicial adhesive use. Minimal epoxy. The existing fuse lightning holes can be enlarged. Holes could also be put in the forward fuse sides. The cockpit floor could use a some big holes too. The stock wheels could be replaced with foam type. I've enjoyed the kit so far but I think it could be better. Easy to build but not for inexperienced builder.

CHM

My Feedback: (28)

I agree with almost everything cabane said! I had forgotton about the laser cutting. I found it to be less than exact, and a pain to seperate the ply pieces.

rcman: The Seduction is smaller, and of lighter construction. I don't think you'll save any weight by cutting out a little bit of balsa on the 3D. It's got a VERY long lite-ply fuselage.

Remember, I sheeted my stab with 1/16" balsa and built the elevators out of firm 3/8" sticks. So you could save an ounce if you went stock, but fly it gently if you do. The sheeting is all pretty beefy, so I guess you could go to 1/16" light wood there. If you know how to land, as opposed to a controlled impact, you could get away with 1/8" music wire gear. And if you used a light 2-stroke that would save an ounce or three. But that YS is so sweet!

I'd like to scratch one out of contest grade! You could make way under 5 pounds easy.

Regrets? Wish I would have sprayed the interior of the canopy silver and stuck the tank on the CG. And sprayed clear poly on my custom graphics! YS 20/20 is hard on them, and it gets everywhere!

Dansy

My Feedback: (53)

I got my kit this past week, I will start putting the airplane together this week-end, I like what I see so far, the laser cut is not through the lite ply piece on my kit either....but I don't see a problem with it.

I don't intend to used wing tip. The engine mount is a little different I will weight it before I glue it to the firewall if the weight is close to the plastic type I will just one of these.

Daniel D.

mike98624

hey every one,

i'm back from a short vacay. i was stuck in miami airprt over night and flew home this morning.

haven't started on buliding again yet. i am now sure i will build without wingtips and use shock-resist engine mount. i might go over the front and back of the firewall (looks really thin) with fiber-cloth, but i am debating what to do about the elevator. her is what i have thought of so far that wouldn't add too much weight.

pretty simple: build elevator stock. when all built (not covered) route out holes in the joints and inlay pieces of hardwood. (maybe some of those nice bamboo BBQ skewers. should make it nice and strong. shouldn't add too much weight either because only weight is difference between bamboo and balsa weight. what do you all think?

RickC2009

My Feedback: (12)

Did anyone put in right thrust? Does any have any right thrust?
I would like to use the stock motor mount but don't see how I would be able to put in some right thrust. As far as the stab did you sheet the whole stab or just the part that sticks out of the fuse? ( did you have to open up the tail of the fuse?)

RickC2009

majesticmonkey

Please don't use the stock motor mount! I have 2 lasers and the first one is with the supplied wooden mount. I run the laser with a .72 and after about 3 months of pretty hard flying the vibrations finally started to get to it and the top edges of the mount which is inserted into the firewall started to vibrate loose. The mount was slowly working itself loose out of the slots. I re-epoxied this and it kept up fine with added triangle blocks between firewall and mount, but on the second plane I installed a Du-Bro mount. I installed a 1/8" light ply firewall doubler with the center hole for the tank and the fuel tubing holes cut out. This gives more material for the blind nuts to dig into, and also toughens the firewall.

Just a suggestion

mike98624

hi again,

i just epoxied on the last leading edge sheeting, and started on the rib sheeting on the bottom (other half from recent sheeting). it all goes pretty smoothely, and thankfully no prob's.

so what do all you people think of the pics? good? bad? should i post more or are they gettin' annoying?

i have decided that instead of fiberglassing the firewall, i will make pieces of ply to go around the mounting holes for the shock-mount and then use them to beef up the structure. i thought this would be lighter than the cloth or a full doubler, and i am tryin' to save weight after what the wing is turnin' out to be like (HEAVY).

I would like to know what you all think about my stab -strengthening method. if you haven't heard them, just look through the previous posts, they're there. i need to know because when i build the stab, i want to have a good idea of what i'm gonna do first. pleez?

Crazy Mike

rcman-RCU

My Feedback: (31)

I haven't had a plane yeat that didn't need a little right thrust. One and half degrees is usually a safe bet. For fine adjustment, I glue a 1/8" lite ply disc to the back of the motor mount and use my belt sander to sand in any additional needed angle. I bought a laser and that is how I plan to do it.

CHM

My Feedback: (28)

Why not build the stab & elevators out of 3/8" balsa?

You'll want the tail weight anyway!

I built the stock stab and sheeted it with 1/16" balsa, then built new elevators out of 3/8" sticks. Just do it, it's much faster and simpler than what you are describing here:

"pretty simple: build elevator stock. when all built (not covered) route out holes in the joints and inlay pieces of hardwood. (maybe some of those nice bamboo BBQ skewers. should make it nice and strong. shouldn't add too much weight either because only weight is difference between bamboo and balsa weight. what do you all think?"

mike98624

ok, ok, i give in. your idea is a lot simpler than mine. would it be ok to sheet it with 1/32 instead (that's what i have lyin' around)??

Crazy Mike

CHM

My Feedback: (28)

Hey Mike!

Sure, 1/32" would work, but what would you do on the elevators? If you have 3/8" sticks you could do a bit of sanding to make them the same thickness as your stab. They look good covered in transparent, so it would be a shame to sheet them.

What's the weather like in NJ? If you're not in a hurry to fly it this year I would take the time to build it right.

Good choice on not using the tips! I didn't even like flying mine until I chopped the tips. What a difference!

This is the first plane I've had in 30+ years of R/C that I definitely want to build again should mine die.

mike98624

i have the 1/32 lyin' around, but i will need to get the 3/8 sticks. i'm still not sure what you mean by building it with 3/8. what structural changes did you make? I don't get it...

Crazy Mike

RickC2009

My Feedback: (12)

Anyone mount the motor sideways? I know it would be better inverted but it is so much easier to put the glow on when the motor is on it's side.